Captain Cook SRA Nature Trail

The feel

This is a forest loop with access to the Cook Inlet beach in a state recreation area that most visitors to the Kenai Peninsula never see. The setting is forests, lakes, streams and saltwater beaches, with paper birch and white spruce over an understory of willow, alder, devil's club and cow parsnip.

On the beach, immense boulders dropped by melting glaciers dot the mud flats, and agate hunters work the shore. Moose, bears, beluga whales, harbor seals and bald eagles are all seen here.

What to expect

Route and terrain

Loop, 2 miles, with about 100 ft of gain. Forest path, with the Cook Inlet beach at the road's end.

Time

About 1 hour.

Parking

A daily parking fee applies. At milepost 39, the end of the road, turn left to Discovery Campground and the beach.

Fees and passes

A daily parking fee applies; the amount is on the state fee page.

Kids

Rated easy.

Hazards

Bears and moose live in the area.

Bathrooms and water

Toilets and water are available.

Season and access

Drive 25 miles north of Kenai on the North Kenai Road to milepost 36 of the Kenai Spur Highway. The park starts at milepost 35.5.

Mingo says

Time your beach walk for after the tide has ebbed, when amphipods turn up under rocks. Come in July or August if you want to see coho salmon arrive in the Swanson River.

Before you go

• Pay the daily parking fee; check the state fee page for the amount.
• Call Alaska Recreation Management at (907) 522-8368 with questions about the park.
• Discovery Campground has 53 first-come sites with no online reservations, and a 14-day limit.

Written October 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page.