Clam Gulch State Recreation Area
(Kenai Peninsula)
(Printer
version Clam Gulch State Recreation Area)
Clam Gulch, as the name implies, is famous for the hundreds of thousands of razor clams harvested annually from the sandy beaches adjacent to the State Recreation Area.
Situated on the bluffs overlooking
scenic Cook Inlet, the recreation area offers visitors a panoramic view of the
Aleutian Mountain Range and its three tallest peaks - Mount Iliamna, Mount
Redoubt and Mount Spurr.
Wildlife in the area includes moose, bald eagles, gulls and many small birds and
mammals. A wide variety of wild flowers may also be found within the recreation
area, including the lupine, Jacob's ladder, wild geranium and the prickly rose.
About Razor Clams
The razor clam, a filter feeder that relies on plankton for food, is found on
sandy tidal beaches from the Bering Sea to Southern California. However, there
are only eight known major concentrations of clams on the Pacific Coast, with
four of those in Alaska. The beaches from Clam Gulch to Ninilchik are the most
popular razor clam beaches in the state.
The life cycle of razor clams is simple and unique. Razor clams usually
reproduce first at age four or five and live about 14 to 18 years. Reproduction
is triggered when Cook Inlet waters reach a temperature of about 55 degrees F,
usually between late July and early August. Eggs and sperm are released
simultaneously into the surf, where fertilization occurs randomly. Although this
method of reproduction is not very efficient, the female clam compensates by
releasing an estimated five to fifteen million eggs.
After floating in the larval stage for four to six weeks, the clams form a small
shell and settle into the sandy tidal beach. The clams are ready for harvest in
about four years.
Digging Clams
Clams may be dug during any low tide, but a tide of minus two feet or lower is
recommended for best results. Consult a tide book for times of minus tides.
To locate razor clams look for small round dimples or holes on the surface of
the sand. Once a dimple has been located use a clam shovel to dig a small hole
about six inches from the dimple and search through the sand until you find the
clam. Be careful when handling the clams as they are "razor" sharp. State law
requires that all clams dug be kept regardless of size and condition. Anyone 16
years or older must have a valid Alaska sport fishing license to dig clams.
Contact the Department of Fish and Game for the daily limit of clams per person.
Source: Alaska State Parks.
For more information on Alaska State Parks, visit the Alaska State Parks web site.
Alaska
National Parks
Denali National Park,
Kenai Fjords National Park,
Lake Clark National Park,
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
Alaska State
Parks by Region
Anchorage,
Interior Alaska,
Kenai Peninsula,
Kodiak,
Mat-Su
Valley,
Prince William Sound,
Southeast Alaska,
Southwest Alaska
Alaska State Parks by Name
Anchor River State Recreation Area and Stariski SRS,
Birch Lake
State Recreation Site,
Caines Head State Recreation Area and Resurrection Bay State Marine Parks,
Captain
Cook State Recreation Area,
Chena
River State Recreation Area,
Chena
River State Recreation Site,
Chilkat Bald
Eagle Preserve,
Chugach State Park,
Clam Gulch
State Recreation Area,
Deep Creek
State Recreation Area,
Delta
Junction Area State Parks,
Denali State Park,
Haines Area State
Parks,
Harding
Lake State Recreation Area,
Independence Mine State Historical Park,
Kachemak Bay State Park and State Wilderness Park,
Kasilof Area State
Parks,
Kenai
River Special Management Area,
Kodiak Area State
Parks,
Nancy Lake State Recreation Area,
Ninilchik
State Recreation Area,
Point Bridget
State Park,
Salcha
River State Recreation Site,
Sitka Area State Parks,
State Marine Parks in Prince William Sound and Resurrection Bay,
Summit Lake
State Recreation Site, Tok
Area Parks,
Totem Bight
State Historical Park,
Upper Chatanika State Recreation Site,
Wickersham State Historic Site,
Wood-Tikchik
State Park
