Shoup Bay State Marine Park

As Shoup Glacier recedes, it is changing the terrain around Shoup Bay State Marine Park.

Shoup Bay is remembered for the 150-foot tidal wave that is said to have surged in and out of the bay three times during the 1964 earthquake near Prince William Sound.

Shoup Bay Marine State Park, one of 14 state facilities in mountain- and glacier-bound Prince William Sound, is located five miles southwest of the Port of Valdez. The primary access is by boat, although an 11-mile trail from Valdez to the park is available.

Those who visit witness an area that is quickly evolving and changing as the Shoup Glacier recedes, exposing new land.

Most recently, the glacier has created a brackish lagoon connected by a tidal river. Black-legged kittiwake have established a rookery here, supporting some 20,000 birds.

Mountain goats and black bears live in the steep mountain walls that surround the park. Bald eagles and arctic terns are sometimes seen.

Hiking is excellent; most explorers simply wander as they will across the open glacial area. There's also good rock climbing on the exposed rock walls in the glacial valley.

Anchorage is fair to poor in the bay but good for small boats in the lagoon, which can be reached only during high tide. Group and individual campsites and public-use cabins are found around the lagoon and perimeter of the bay.

Access to the McAllister Creek Cabin is by private boat, floatplane or commercial water taxi service only. The Kittiwake and Moraine Cabins can be reached overland by the new hiking trail from Valdez, as well as by water. Call Alaska State Parks Public Information Center at 907-269-8400 for reservations.

The park is open all year, but the best months to visit are May-September.