Caines Head State Park

Trail to Callisto Cabin, Derby Cove Cabin and North Beach

http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aktrails/ats/ken/caineshd.htm

Distance: 8.5 miles to the fort. About 5 miles to Derby Cove and 4.5 to Callisto.

Baby Jogger accessibility: No way, don’t even think about it. Take the water taxi if you don’t want to pack the babe.

Difficulty: Easy at low tide. Scary at high tide. Be sure to plan your hike carefully around the tide tables.

Cool things for kids: This trail covers lots of different ecosystems which keeps the hike interesting. Beaches are always a big lure for kids. There are rocks to throw, crabs to find under rocks, sea stars to check out and more rocks to throw in the water. You can stop and camp at Tonsina or continue to Callisto Canyon and down past Derby Cove (a low tide hop from Calllisto to Derby) to North Beach and on to the old Ft. McGuillory. The abandoned fort is fun to explore with kids–especially school agers. Be sure to pack your head lamps if you are going there. It gets super dark inside. There is also a trail to South Beach and yet another up the Alpine trail. So lots of cool day hikes to do once you arrive. You’ll have plenty to do just playing on the beach though if you prefer a more mellow trip.

Special Notes: THE BRIDGE IS OUT AT SOUTH TONSINA CREEK AND WON’T BE REPLACED TILL SUMMER 2010 OR EVEN 2011. BE PREPARED TO CROSS A REALLY, REALLY COLD RIVER.

Trail Shots: Check out the slide show for shots of the trail!