Hike Grewingk Glacier Lake Trail in Kachemak Bay State Park

Grewingk Glacier Lake Trail is a 6.4-mile roundtrip hike in Kachemak Bay State Park that leads you to the edge of a glacial lake, and sometimes the lake is full of floating icebergs!

This trail is rated as easy and it’s one of the best hikes in Kachemak Bay State Park. It’s best used from May to October.

In this post, I’m going to share how to hike Grewingk Glacier Lake Trail near Homer, Alaska.

This is #71 in the Southcentral Alaska 100 Hikes Challenge.

Hike Grewingk Glacier Lake Trail

Trail Summary

Traditional Land: Dena’ina (Visit Native-Land.ca to identify whose land you live, work, and play on.)
Distance: 6.4 miles roundtrip
Time: 3 hours
Elevation Gain: 180 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Dogs: Yes

Quick Tips

  • Bring bear spray
  • Carry water
  • Use the Saddle Trail to hike one-way
  • Tram requires two people

Grewingk Glacier Map

Hiking trails in Kachemak Bay State Park

Glacier Lake, Saddle, & Blue Ice Trails

How to get to Grewingk Glacier Lake from Homer

Grewingk Glacier Lake Trailhead is located across from Homer in Kachemak Bay State Park. From Homer, you will have to take a 15-minute water taxi across Kachemak Bay to Glacier Spit.

How to Arrange a Grewingk Glacier Water Taxi

A roundtrip water taxi from Homer to Glacier Spit or Halibut Cove will cost about $85 per person. There are plenty of water taxi companies to book with, which is good because sometimes they may not have any space left.

Usually, you can call to make your reservation and you won’t need to pay anything until you arrive for your trip.

Here are a few companies to book with:

  • Mako’s Water Taxi
  • Coldwater Alaska
  • True North Kayak Adventures

Grewingk Glacier Lake Trailhead

After taking a water taxi from the Homer Spit, you will be dropped off at Glacier Spit. Due to the tides and the beach, you will most likely be dropped off just south of the trailhead.

Sometimes the water taxi has trouble getting you to a perfectly dry spot and you may get your shoes wet as you climb down the ladder onto the beach.

grewingk glacier water taxi to glacier spitsaddle trail

You will have to walk north along the beach for a short distance until you find the trailhead marker. You will see a sign in the shape of a triangle with a “T” on it, and that’s where the trail starts.

If you’re staying at the Right Beach Yurt or near Right Beach, the trailhead is about a mile away. You will need to watch the tides to pass Rusty’s Lagoon.

grewingk glacier lake trail homer alaska

The Grewingk Glacier Lake Trail is a very easy trail. It’s mostly flat for the entire hike and you’ll gain less than 200 feet of elevation.

The first half of the hikes will lead you through a beautiful canopy of cottonwood and spruce trees. There was a small section of the trail that was overgrown.

glacier lake trail kachemak bay alaska

At Mile 1.4, the trail splits and you will find a trail marker. From here, you can continue another 1.8 miles to Grewingk Glacier or you can head towards the Grewingk Tram Spur Trail.

The tram takes you across Grewingk Creek and connects to the Emerald Lake Loop Trail, Humpy Creek, and Blue Ice Trail.

If you plan on taking the tram, you should know that the tram is a hand-operated cable car pulley system and the operation of the tram requires two people. If there are only two people, one person should help pull the other person across.

grewingk glacier tram and map

I hiked this trail in late August, and it was a great time for mushroom hunting.

I found tons of different species of mushrooms and fungi, including Hawks Wing (Sarcodon imbricatus), Coral Tooth Fungus (Hericium coralloides), Common Puffballs (Lycoperdon), and more.

alaska mushroom kachemak bay state park
hericium coralloides coral tooth fungus alaska

At Mile 2.7, you will see another trail marker. You are only 0.5 miles from the glacier lake at this point.

Here, the trail also connects to the Saddle Trail, which is another popular route to the lake, and it’s how to access Grewingk Glacier Trail from Halibut Cove.

Many hikers take the Glacier Spit to Saddle Trail one way by getting dropped off at Glacier Spit and picked up in Halibut Cove.

grewingk glacier trail from halibut cove

The trail ends at the gravel beach of Grewingk Glacier Lake. You can easily see the glacier and its surrounding peaks.

grewingk glacier camping alaska

It’s really fun to hike this trail later in the year when there are icebergs floating in the lake.

homer alaska glacier

It took less than two hours to hike 3.2 miles from the Glacier Spit to the lake. It was easy and the trail is beautiful.

The last time I went to Grewingk Glacier, I took a SUP tour, which was a lot of fun. This is also a great place to visit with a kayak or packraft.

Grewingk Glacier Camping

If you want to camp at Grewingk Glacier, there is a lot of space to pitch a tent on the beach. There are bears around this area so make sure to keep a clean camp, use bear-proof canisters, and as always follow Leave No Trace in Alaska.

Other places to camp nearby are Glacier Spit, Grewingk Creek, Humpy Creek, and Right Beach. Some campsites have bear-proof storage lockers that you can use to store your odorous items.

Other Hikes in Kachemak Bay

If you’re looking for more hikes in Kachemak Bay State Park, check out Grace Ridge, Sadie Knob, China Poot Lake, Moose Valley, and Emerald Lake.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get to Grewingk Glacier?

One way to get to Grewingk Glacier is to take a 15-minute water taxi and then hike 3.2 miles from Glacier Spit to Grewingk Glacier.

How long is Glacier Lake Trail?

Glacier Lake Trail is 3.2 miles one way to Grewingk Glacier in Kachemak Bay State Park.

What glacier can you see from Homer?

Grewingk Glacier is a glacier you can see near Homer.

Happy hiking!


Read More

Kachemak Bay Right Beach Yurt Review

Hike Grace Ridge Trail in Kachemak Bay

Top 15 Things To Do In Homer Alaska

Southcentral Alaska 100 Hikes Challenge


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Hike Grewingk Glacier Lake Trail in Kachemak Bay State Park, Alaska. This is the best hike near Homer in Southcentral Alaska. If you are traveling to Homer, Alaska, this is a great day hike to add to your Alaska vacation. #alaska #hiking #alaskahike #homer #travelalaska

Do you have any questions about hiking Grewingk Glacier Lake Trail in Alaska? Let me know in the comments.

About Andrea Kuuipo

I was born and raised in Anchorage and have been able to travel to many places around Alaska. As an Alaska Travel Blogger, I love sharing my favorite things to see and do in my home state to help others plan an incredible trip!

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