Friends of Kachemak Bay State Parks

A non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing, preserving and protecting the resources of Kachemak Bay State Park.

Kachemak Bay State Park is Alaska’s first State Park, and was established in 1970. Encompassing over 380,000 acres of land and water on the southwestern arm of the Kenai Peninsula, the parks includes much of the shore of Kachemak Bay, part of the Kenai Mountains, Nuka Island, waters in Kachemak Bay and the Gulf of Alaska, lands on the west side of Nuka Passage, and lands on the north side of Kachemak Bay on the Cottonwood/Eastland Creek area.

Outdoor recreation opportunities are important to Alaskans and visitors. Recreation and natural resource values are high in Kachemak Bay State Park. These activities include fishing, boating and kayaking, picnicking, recreational clamming, coastal and upland hiking, skiing, climbing, hunting, and berry picking.

The Friends has been a 501c3 organization since 1999, and has participated in many projects over the years to promote and enhance the Park’s natural values, as well as the visitor experience. As is the case with many public recreational areas, there is never enough money to fully support the necessary maintenance and protection of well used facilities, nor is there the flexibility in government budgets to respond quickly to changing priorities and immediate local needs. The Friends help meet those needs by funding capital projects, encouraging visitors to the Park, assisting with trail maintenance, and conducting community outreach.