Caines Head State Recreation Area
Beaches, rainforest, coves, Fort McGilvray, cabins, and marine travel combine history with a route whose lower sections can disappear at high tide.
Artwork inspired by Byron Birdsall
A tidal coastal trail reaches World War II ruins above Resurrection Bay. Beaches, rainforest, coves, Fort McGilvray, cabins, and marine travel combine history with a route whose lower sections can disappear at high tide. The bay dictates the schedule.
Start from the tide table, not the mileage; reach Tonsina and Derby Cove only inside a safe crossing window before climbing to the fort. A wrong tide can trap hikers against cliffs. Cabins, camping, water taxi, and the long fort approach require advance planning. Its character emerges through tidal trail and Fort McGilvray; watching how those elements interact is more useful than rushing to the headline feature.
- Designation
- State recreation area
- Fort era
- World War II
- Access
- Trail or boat
Quick guide
- Start with
- Start from the tide table, not the mileage; reach Tonsina and Derby Cove only inside a safe crossing window before climbing to the fort.
- Look closely at
- Notice scale, material, and movement around tidal trail before turning to Fort McGilvray.
Know before you go
- Start with
- Start from the tide table, not the mileage; reach Tonsina and Derby Cove only inside a safe crossing window before climbing to the fort.
- Look closely at
- Notice scale, material, and movement around tidal trail before turning to Fort McGilvray.
- Connect the story
- Beaches, rainforest, coves, Fort McGilvray, cabins, and marine travel combine history with a route whose lower sections can disappear at high tide. The bay dictates the schedule.
- Plan around
- Allow Half day–multi-day. A wrong tide can trap hikers against cliffs. Cabins, camping, water taxi, and the long fort approach require advance planning.
Good to know
A wrong tide can trap hikers against cliffs. Cabins, camping, water taxi, and the long fort approach require advance planning.
Notice these
- tidal trail
- Fort McGilvray
- Resurrection Bay