Stepping off the boat onto solid ground, the Grewingk Glacier Lake hike begins. Up a wooden ladder to a vertical trail, the start to this hike can be brutal. However, once you are over the hump it’s all downhill to Grewingk lake. Arriving at Grewingk Lake is a special event as the beach often has ice chunks and icebergs floating close to shore.
Hiking to Grewingk Glacier Lake is an ideal way to see a glacier that pours into the lake on the Kenai Peninsula. This 12 mile round trip hike can be done in a day, or over several days if you would like to carry your overnight gear. The catch, you need to take a water taxi to the trailhead.
Read on to discover how to get to this hike, a personal experience of this hike, what to bring, and so much more!
Grewingk Glacier Lake from the sky. Photograph by Dalton Johnson
GREWINGK GLACIER LAKE HIKE OVERVIEW:
Distance: 12.6 miles round trip
Time needed: 5-6 hours
Elevation change: 2,100 feet
Type of terrain: Well maintained trail
Difficulty of hike: Strenuous
Our Experience at Grewingk Glacier Lake
Unsure what was in-store for us, we boarded our water taxi just after breakfast. Our captain was friendly and greeted us with a smile and a map. “Where are you all headed?” He asked. After sheepishly saying Grewingk Glacier Lake because we had no idea how to pronounce it, he responded, “You’re in for a treat.”
Once a few more souls loaded up, we headed out of the harbor and across Kachemak Bay. I was in awe. The views. The wildlife. The… everything. A calm day on the bay allowed us to see a more than my heart could have imagined and getting to talk with many of the fellow riders, we were reassured that Grewingk Glacier was a good hike. Phew!
As the boat came close to shore, scrapped our way to a stop and the captain got a ladder out for us to climb off of. “I’ll see you all in a 6 hours. Give me a call if you want an earlier, or later pick up.” And off the captain drove.
The wooden staircase was easy to find and we began the labor of love working up the steep cliffside. This felt as though it took forever to reach the saddle. Twisting and turning up the hillside we went, until, finally, we began our descent towards the lake. I kept an eye out between the trees to see if I could see anything, but nothing. The trees were thick.
As the hike continued downhill, we eventually made it to a flat, rocky terrain that was once apart of the terminal moraine. We were getting close to the lake. After a quick bathroom stop in a pit toilet, we made it to the waters edge.
WOW! Icebergs floating at the waters edge, loads of green surrounded this glacially carved lake, and the Grewingk Glacier way off in the distance.
WHERE IS GREWINGK GLACIER LAKE?
Gerwingk Glacier Lake is located in Kachemak Bay across the from Homer, Alaska. To reach the trailhead, you will need to charter a water taxi, I suggest Mako Water Taxi, across the bay. Taking the water taxi is an awesome experience because you see so much wildlife along the way. On our ride, we saw a raft of otters, a couple of whales, and a few eagles.
Click here for direction to Grewingk Glacier Lake Trailhead
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO HIKE GREWINGK GLACIER LAKE?
Hiking Grewingk Glacier Lake takes about 6 hours to hike out and back and the water taxi is roughly 1 hour, so this hike is a full day adventure. With that said, several hikers bring camping supplies and stay at Grewingk Glacier Lake for 1 to 2 nights.
IS GREWINGK GLACIER LAKE hike kid friendly?
If you decide to bring kids on this hike, be ready to carry them. Okay, maybe the hike isn’t that bad, but I wouldn’t bring a kid who is not an avid hiker because there isn’t much of a turn around point, nor good views of the lake along the trail. Additionally, if you have to turn around because your kid decides they are done, you now have to wait for the water taxi to come get you and that could be a while.
What to bring while hiking GREWINGK GLACIER LAKE?
While there is no specific gear required to hike to Grewingk Glacier Lake, I suggest you bring a modest day hiking kit that includes:
Hiking shoes
A day pack
2L of water
Snacks
Sunscreen
Rain jacket (you are in Alaska)
Bug spray
Other Adventures Near GREWINGK GLACIER LAKE Hike:
Backpack to Red Mountain
Fishing Charter from Homer Spit
Sea Kayaking in Halibut Cove
Hiking up the ladder to the steep trail to Grewingk Glacier near Homer, Alaska. Photograph by Dalton Johnson
Now that you have discovered how to get to this hike, read a personal experience of this hike, and what to bring to hike Grewingk Glacier Lake, it’s your turn to get out into this beautiful world!
