Southeast Kenai Locations:

Lowell Point State Recreation Site

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The beach at Lowell Point. ©Doug O'Harra

Notable Species

  • Sea otter
  • Steller sea lion
  • Harlequin duck
  • Common goldeneye
  • Barrow’s goldeneye
  • Horned grebe
  • Red-necked grebe
  • Cormorants
  • Bald eagle
  • Black oystercatcher
  • Red-necked phalarope
  • Glaucous-winged gull
  • Black-legged kittiwake
  • Common murre
  • Pigeon guillemot
  • Marbled murrelet
  • Kittlitz’s murrelet
  • Chestnut-backed chickadee
  • Red-breasted nuthatch

Lowell Point Road reaches south from Seward along Resurrection Bay to this beach with campgrounds, services and a trailhead. From the beach, watch for sea otters and Steller sea lions cruising offshore, especially during high stages of the tide. A salt marsh transitions to intertidal areas and is a good place to spot shorebirds. Seabirds such as common murres, cormorants, kittiwakes and gulls may paddle or raft near the beach and fish processing plant. Bald eagles perch in the trees along the slope. A mature coastal temperate rainforest of Sitka spruce and hemlock covers the mountainside and attracts forest birds: chickadees, nuthatches, thrushes, sparrows and warblers. Watch for black oystercatchers on open beaches near Lowell Point.

Habitat

Lowell Point Road reaches south from Seward along Resurrection Bay to this beach with campgrounds, services and a trailhead. From the beach, watch for sea otters and Steller sea lions cruising offshore, especially during high stages of the tide. A salt marsh transitions to intertidal areas and is a good place to spot shorebirds. Seabirds such as common murres, cormorants, kittiwakes and gulls may paddle or raft near the beach and fish processing plant. Bald eagles perch in the trees along the slope. A mature coastal temperate rainforest of Sitka spruce and hemlock covers the mountainside and attracts forest birds: chickadees, nuthatches, thrushes, sparrows and warblers. Watch for black oystercatchers on open beaches near Lowell Point.

Historic Connection

The Caines Head State Recreation Area contains the remains of World War II-era Fort McGilvray gun emplacement.

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Viewing Tip

Visit the 19-acre Lowell Point State Recreation Site during high tide to catch sight of marine mammals and shorebirds. Return at lower stages or minus tides to view intertidal life.

Helpful Hints

Consult tide tables before hiking toward Caines Head; a portion of the trail can only be crossed during low stages of the tide. Stay on the trail to avoid cliffs and private property. Take a flashlight if you plan to explore the Fort McGilvray site. Cabin information at http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks.

Getting There

Take the Seward Highway—which becomes Third Avenue—through Seward until it ends (facing the Alaska SeaLife Center). Turn right on Lowell Point Road, drive 3.5 miles.