Ninilchik State Recreation Area
(Kenai Peninsula)
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version Ninilchik State Recreation Area)
Ninilchik Village
Ninilchik, whose name means "peaceful settlement by a river", is located on the
west side of the Kenai Peninsula, about 40 miles south of Soldotna. It was
settled in the early 1800's by Russian colonists. They subsided on fishing,
hunting, trapping and gardening. When Alaska was sold to the United States, many
of these settlers decided to stay on. Some of the old buildings still exist in
the Ninilchik village and many descendants of the old families still live here.
Today, Ninilchik has become a
popular staging area for world class salmon and halibut fishing. Mt. Iliamna and
Mt. Redoubt, both active volcanoes, greet visitors to the area. While your are
in Ninilchik, be sure to see the experience the historical Ninilchik Village and
the Russian Orthodox Church.
Ninilchik State Recreation Area
The Ninilchik River supports a good fishing salmon run. Please consult current
fishing regulations provided by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game for
information on seasons, closures, limits, methods and means before you wet your
line.
Ninilchik Beach - Located at mile 135 of the Sterling Hwy. This is a popular beach for razor clamming. During minus tides there is access to the clamming beds adjacent to the campgrounds. Use caution when working these two areas during incoming tides and please guard against over-exertion. There is a day-use parking area and campsites at Ninilchik Beach.
Ninilchik River - Located at mile 134.5 of the Sterling Hwy. In this beautiful forest there are developed campsites, one group picnic shelter and a hiking trail to the river. The area is home to a variety of birds and small animals. Moose are seen occasionally and there is an abundance of wildflowers.
Ninilchik Scenic Overlook - Located at mile 135.1 of the Sterling Hwy. This ia a great place to view the Ninilchik River and watch the eagles soar.
Ninilchik View - Located at mile 135.7 of the Sterling Hwy. This campground is located on a bluff above Ninilchik Beach. A stairway leads down the bluff to the beach. Bald eagles, squirrels and magpies make their home in this forest setting.
Razor Clams
The beaches from Clam Gulch to Ninilchik are the most popular areas for digging
razor clams in Alaska. The razor clam, a filter feeder, relies on plankton for
food. The life cycle of the razor clams is simple and unique. Razor clams
usually reproduce first at age four to five, and live about 14 to 18 years.
Reproduction is triggered when Cook Inlet waters reach a temperature of about 55
degrees Fahrenheit, usually between late July and early August.
Eggs and sperm are released
simultaneously into the surf, where fertilization occurs by chance. Although
this method of reproduction is not very efficient, the female clam compensates
by releasing an estimated 5 to 15 million eggs. After floating in the larval
stage for 4 to 6 weeks, the clams form a small shell and settle into the sandy
tidal beach. The clams are ready to harvest in about four years.
Clams may be dug during any minus tide, but a tide of minus two feet or lower is
recommended for best results. State law requires that all clams dug be kept
regardless of size or 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.
WARNING: Each clam tide, clam diggers may be stranded. The incoming tides
flood the area between the beach and the sandbar before the sandbar itself is
flooded, stranding unwary diggers. Watch the tide levels carefully and return
before the rapidly rising tide returns. Rescue assistance is not always
available or possible. Stranded diggers risk hypothermia or drowning in the cold
waters of Cook Inlet. Stay alert to tide levels, come in early, and be safe!
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
