Surprise Ridge State Marine Park

Like many of the marine parks that dot the Alaskan landscape, Surprise Ridge State Marine Park is full of rugged terrain marked by shockingly beautiful scenery. The park is ideal for groups that are looking to do some intense hiking and wildlife viewing.

Geography

Surprise Ridge is adjacent to the Surprise Cove State Marine Park, and the two complement each other beautifully. Surprise Ridge has some of the most challenging hiking available in the area. As the name suggests, the park is 240 acres of trails that wind all the way around the cove. These trails take hikers to scenic overlooks where they can see impressive vistas overlooking the bay on the western side.

Climate

The park sits deep in southern Alaska, which means the temperature rarely drops to totally inhospitable levels. However, it is still Alaska, so even those that intend to visit in the summertime should pack layers of clothes. The park rests near a bay of the Atlantic, and the sea breezes during the autumn and winter months are often brutal. One should always pack rain gear to combat the rainstorms that blow in off of the ocean.

Activities

For Surprise Ridge, the most common activity is hiking the trails. There are no campsites throughout the park, due to the difficult terrain. For those that want to stay longer than a day, Surprise Cove does offer some tremendous camping opportunities, especially for groups. Boating and fishing are also common.

By itself, Surprise Ridge makes an excellent day trip. However, it works best in conjunction with a visit to the Surprise Cover Marine State Park. Visitors can spend one day hiking and then allow their bodies to heal with a day of sailing on the cove.