Shoup Bay State Marine Park

Paddle around a quiet lagoon with the impressive Shoup Glacier at one end and icebergs that have calved from the glacier, marvel at the lively black-legged Kittiwake Rookery, and take in the feeling of being somewhere remote -- even if you’re only 5 miles from town.

You can reach Shoup Bay State Marine Park by a 5-mile kayak or water taxi ride from Valdez. There are three public use cabins available to rent that each sleep up to 8. McAllister Cabin is the easiest of the three to reach—and bonus, it’s also the most secluded from the other two cabins, thanks to its position just outside the bay. The other two cabins—Moraine and Kittiwake are located inside the bay on the lagoon. You must time your arrival with the tides. If it’s going out, the flow is enough that it’s nearly impossible to paddle through. A boat can make it through at high tide if it has a shallow draft. On the Eastern end of the lagoon you’ll find several campsites, as well as around the perimeter of the bay.

You can also reach the park on foot (the only marine park in the state you can) via the Shoup Bay Trail. But note that the trail is only maintained for the first few miles, and experience in backcountry hiking is a must to hike the trail all the way to the park.