Summit Lake State Recreation Site
(Mat-Su Valley)
(Printer
version Summit Lake State Recreation Site)
Summit Lake State Recreation Site is located at mile 19 of
Hatcher Pass Road, approximately 2 miles past the Independence Mine State
Historic Park turnoff. Hatcher Pass Summit is in the park at an elevation of
3,886 feet. Road access to the park is limited to the summer months, usually
July thru late September.
Summit Lake is a small cirque lake, or tarn, reaching a depth of 20 feet. This
cirque was the beginning of a long-gone, alpine glacier. The surrounding terrain
is all glacially carved. North of the lake, the uneven ground is caused, not by
boulders, but by frost action in combination ground moisture and soil type.
There is a trail around Summit Lake, and along the bluff above, and west, of the
lake. The views from the bluff viewpoint are outstanding, including the Willow
Creek Drainage, the Susitna Valley, and the western arc of the Alaska Range.
Best viewing is on a clear morning. The scenic viewpoint is a popular launch
site for paragliders in the summer, who can ride the updrafts for several hours
on a good day.
Above, and east of, Summit Lake, is April Bowl. This very small valley also has
a cirque lake and several small ponds. This area is popular in the winter.
Winter recreation includes back country skiing, snow boarding, and snowshoeing.
The park is open to snowmachines when snow depth allows. Avalanches occur
regularly on the steep slopes in the area. Please use extreme caution when
winter recreating in the park and the Hatcher Pass Area.
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
