Sadie Knob Trail

The feel

Sadie Knob is the alpine ridge you can see from Homer, between Sadie Cove and Kachemak Bay. From North Eldred the trail climbs through spruce forest, flowery meadows and along a subalpine lake before it breaks above timberline.

Up top it is marked only with rock cairns or orange trail markers, and it follows the ridgeline to Sadie Knob at 2100 feet. From there you get 360 degree views of Kachemak Bay, Sadie Peak, Sadie Cove, Eldred Passage and the Cook Inlet volcanoes, with mountain goats, black bears and eagles around.

What to expect

Route and terrain

Out and back, 6.3 to 8.4 miles, with 2100 to 2200 ft of gain. Spruce forest and meadows, then a cairn-marked alpine ridge with vertical cliffs and rugged country. The north route is 1.6 miles.

Time

About 5 hours out and back, with about 3 hours to reach Sadie Knob.

Parking

No road access. Arrive by water taxi at North Eldred, at the north end of the beach north of Anisom Point.

Kids

Rated hard.

Hazards

Clouds often shroud the knob and cut visibility to under 50 feet. There is no trail tread in the alpine, and hikers can stray down wrong ridgelines. The State trail report calls the trail Difficult with unknown conditions.

Cell signal

Many areas of the park have no cell phone service.

Bathrooms and water

A latrine at North Eldred. Water: seasonal creeks at both trailheads and Quiet Creek near mile 1.7 on the north trail; none on the summit.

Season and access

Reached by boat or plane only. Please respect private property south of the Eldred trailheads.

Mingo says

Choose a clear day, since the views are the point. If clouds close in, wait for them to lift before you move.

Before you go

• Arrange a water taxi from Homer to North Eldred.
• Fill up at Quiet Creek near mile 1.7, since the summit has no water.
• Follow the cairns and orange markers above timberline.
• Camp at North Eldred or in the alpine areas with no open fires.

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