Explore the wonders of Resurrection Bay! Learn about the area, look out for wildlife, hike under a canopy of sitka spruce in the temperate rainforest, and enjoy a break on a secluded beach. You’ll be sure to feel inspired on this short but meaningful tour!
Quick Details
Kayak, Hike and Explore the Coastal Rainforest of Resurrection Bay
Check out the video to learn more about our Caines Head Day Trip!
As our most active tour, our Caines Head Day Trip is the most immersive way to get to know Resurrection Bay. You’ll have all day to paddle the western coastline of the fjord, soaking up views of the surrounding mountains and landing on secluded beaches. Depending on your adventure goals and the day’s conditions, you’ll take a break from paddling to stretch your legs with a hike. Walk along a remote forest trail to visit a 90-foot waterfall or an historic WWII fort marking the gateway to Resurrection Bay. The possibilities are countless while exploring the bay and coastal rainforest with your knowledgable guide.
Highlights
- Combine both paddling and hiking on a full day adventure
- Maximize time spent adventuring on our most active tour
- Explore the hidden gems of Resurrection Bay that few visitors see
Adult Tour Info
- Group tours are capped at 6 guests (ages 14+)
- Meet other like-minded adventurers
- Larger parties will be privatized. For reservations for more than 6, select Family Tour option
Family Tour Info
- Children ages 6+ are allowed
- All parties with children ages 6-13 will be privatized with your own guide
- A minimum of 4 guests is required. Families with fewer than 4, please call us
- For parties of greater than 6, select Family Tour option
More Tour Info
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Join us at our downtown office 15 minutes prior to the start time of your tour to meet your guide, gear up, and get ready for the trip. Next, we will drive as far south as the road allows to the launch beach at Lowell Point (3 miles from our shop), unload our gear, and prepare the kayaks. Your guide will provide a safety and paddling talk to ensure everyone feels comfortable in their boats before you launch into the turquoise green waters of Resurrection Bay.
We’ll paddle the coastline between Lowell Point and Caines Head, all protected land lush with coastal temperate rainforest. Sitka spruces provide nesting opportunities for bald eagles, salmon return to the creeks that empty from the canyons, and if you’re lucky you may even spot some of our local marine mammals (otters, sea lions, seals, and porpoise). With the whole day on the water, there are many options for our destination and our guides love to tailor the trip to the group at hand and whatever conditions the day brings.
You’ll explore the history of the area – from the traditional use of kayaks to the eerie remains of wartime efforts; wander through coastal rainforest and the magnificent ghost forest left at Tonsina Point by the 1964 earthquake; and (if time allows) land on North Beach for a great hike to Fort McGilvray, an intriguing location that offers views of Resurrection Bay and the barrier islands on a clear day.
With a full day of adventuring behind us, we’ll land around 3:30 pm for the ride back to the kayak shop. While this trip offers a lot of flexibility, a typical day involves up to 4-5 hours of kayaking and 2-3 hours of hiking. If you’re traveling as a family, we often use the flexibility of this trip for multiple stops at beaches along the coast and take shorter hikes, as well as leave time for tidepooling, skipping rocks, and sipping hot cocoa.
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Responsible travelers drive sustainable practices in the travel industry. With travel contributing up to 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions annually, it’s time for us think about our impacts.
Purchase carbon offsets for your flights to AK through our partner Offset Alliance, and your contributions will go directly to protecting a biodiverse coastal rainforest on Afognak Island, southwest of Seward. This rainforest acts as an important carbon sink, capturing 2.6 billion pounds of CO2.
We’ll support your decision to travel responsibly by sending you a discount code for 10% off of this tour. Click here to offset and save. -
- Enthusiastic and Knowledgeable Guide
- Locally Made Lunch
- Snacks and Hot Drinks
- High Quality Rain Gear (if needed)
- Transportation From Downtown Office
- All Kayaking Gear
- Personal Floatation Device
- Spray Skirt
- Neoprene Mitts
- 10 Liter Dry Bag
- Stable Double Kayak & Paddle
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Seward is located in the northern tip of the largest coastal rainforest in the world, and we see a lot of rainy days here. Our tours run rain or shine, so we ask you to wear synthetic layers of clothing, and avoid cotton (including jeans) because it gets really cold if wet. We also require you to have a waterproof rain jacket and rain pants, as this is a full day tour in a potentially very cold and wet environment. If you do not have your own rain gear, we offer high quality, commercial grade Helly Hansen rain pants & Columbia Outdry rain jackets for you to borrow at no extra cost. However, if your Alaska vacation includes any other outdoor activities, we strongly advise purchasing your own rain gear for your trip. You’ll no doubt need both a rain jacket and rain pants throughout your time in Alaska.
Please wear footwear that you’re comfortable walking in, will keep you warm, and you don’t mind potentially getting a bit wet (closed-toe water shoes, running shoes, and hiking boots are all fine options). We have rubber boots to lend if needed, but these don’t insulate as well and we’ve found people are most comfortable in their own shoes. Your guide will launch and land your kayaks from shore and will work hard throughout the day to keep your feet warm and dry.
We also provide pogies (neoprene mitts for your hands while kayaking) which will keep your hands warm and comfortable while you’re out there. You’ll want to be sure to have your own reusable (non-disposable) water bottle, sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat.
You will receive a trip-specific packing list upon booking, which will go into great detail about what else to bring. Keep an eye out for it in your confirmation email!
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For all tours without a water taxi (Resurrection Bay Half Day Tours and Caines Head Day Trips), guests will receive a full refund for cancellations made more than 1 week prior to your trip date*. Within 1 week, your trip fees are nonrefundable.
*Full refunds include: trip fees, add ons, and taxes & fees, minus $10 per person booking fees for all half & full day trips & $25 per person booking fees for multi-day trips*
For more information regarding our cancellation policies, click here.
We strongly advise purchasing a travel protection plan (see Travel Insurance below).
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Why is travel insurance so important?
In today’s dynamic travel environment, it’s important to protect your travel investment so you can relax and enjoy your trip. Unforeseen events such as flight delays, a sudden sickness or injury, or even baggage loss could impact your travel plans. Cancellation fees can range up to 100% of the trip cost, depending on the date and particular trip for which you’ve been holding spaces. For your convenience, we’ve partnered with GoReady Travel Insurance to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected. For more information on available plans, click here.