3 Great Backpacking Trails near Seward, Alaska

A few days ago, I wrote about how Lost Lake is the best of the backpacking trails near Seward, Alaska. I’ll stand by that, but the other backpacking trails nearby are so good, I couldn’t make a statement like that without also describing the competition. Here’s a pros/cons-style look at three backpacking trails near Seward, and what makes each of them special — or challenging.

1. Caines Head

I see the trip to Caines Head (or technically, the north beach of Caines Head) as the quintessential Alaska beach hike. So why isn’t it my pick for the best of the backpacking trails near Seward? One word: Underwater. That’s what happens to parts of this trail at high tide, and if you’re not used to the tides here, you might be surprised by how quickly they move and how high they come up.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do this hike! It just means that you have to plan ahead. Check out this information from Alaska State Parks about timing your hike with the tide.

Click through to my post about Caines Head if you want more details about the hike itself; it’s also hike 80 in Day Hiking Southcentral Alaska.

1.5 (kind of): Tonsina Point

I couldn’t write about Caines Head without also calling out Tonsina Point, which is really the first 2.2 miles (one-way) of the hike to Caines Head. I tend to prefer longer trails for my backpacking outings, but if you’re a fan of short, chill overnight hikes or looking for a kid-friendly backpacking trip, Tonsina Point is a fantastic candidate.

There are lots of places to pitch your tent in the grass, or on the rocky beach if you’ve checked the tide tables to make sure you won’t wash away. There’s a picnic pavilion and a bearproof food locker that is a little broken down, but still more or less serves its intended purpose. And there’s even a new-ish Tonsina public use cabin if you want to camp in style.

Click through to read my post about the trail to Tonsina Point.

2. Ptarmigan Lake/Creek

I see Ptarmigan Creek — or Ptarmigan Lake, if you rather — as a glorious day hike. But it doesn’t pop up on my mental radar as one of the best backpacking trails near Seward for three reasons: First, the lake can be a little sludgy near the shore; the lakeshore gets quite brushy, too; and last but biggest (literally), this trail is almost as popular with bears as it is with people. Might have something to do with the fish…

With that said, there are designated backcountry campsites available here. I’m not 100% certain, but I believe they do have bearproof lockers.

Click through to read my post about the hike to Ptarmigan Creek/Lake, which is also hike 72 in Day Hiking Southcentral Alaska.

3. Lost Lake

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: If I had to choose just one of the backpacking trails near Seward, it’d be Lost Lake. I’m not the sort to set up camp and lounge around — I’d rather be off and exploring again — but the country around Lost Lake is so beautiful, I’d willingly linger here for a couple days just to soak it all in.

And of course there’s plenty of room to roam on the tundra, although Leave No Trace ethics give the good advice of sticking to established foot trails or rocky ground whenever possible. Why? So this place will stay as beautiful as it is now, that’s why.

Click through for more details on hiking Lost Lake, which is also hike 74 in Day Hiking Southcentral Alaska.

Bonus Backpacking Trails Near Seward?

I single these three trails out as the best backpacking trails near Seward because, well, they’re flattish, they’re long enough to be interesting, they all have freshwater sources that are easy to reach, and they even have bearproof lockers.

But don’t be afraid to cast your net a little farther afield. For example, nearby Carter Lake (about 33 road miles from Seward) makes an excellent backpacking destination too, and can even be made into a thru-hike that exits at the trailhead for Crescent Creek, as long as you don’t mind one serious stream crossing along the way.