Homer Baycrest Scenic Overlook
Sterling Hwy, milepost 169.6
Homer, AK
The first look at Homer, from a bench high on the hill where the whole spit, the bay, and a horizon of glaciers and volcanoes spread out below you.
The Homer Baycrest Scenic Overlook is where Homer first reveals itself. Driving south down the Sterling Highway, the road climbs a long hill, and then at a pullout near milepost 169.6 the land suddenly falls away and the entire scene opens up below you. From high on the bluff you look out over the town, the long thin Homer Spit reaching into the water, the wide blue sweep of Kachemak Bay, and a horizon crowded with the Kenai Mountains and their glaciers.
It is one of the most photographed views in Alaska for good reason. On a clear day you can pick out the shape of the spit far below, watch light move across the bay, and even see distant volcanoes rising across the inlet to the west. The overlook is a proper public wayside, with benches, viewing scopes, and gardens kept up by local volunteers, built so travelers can pull over safely and take it all in before dropping down the hill into town.
What Guests Love
- The classic first view of Homer, the spit, and the whole of Kachemak Bay laid out below
- A safe highway pullout with benches, viewing scopes, and volunteer gardens
- Watching for whales, sea otters, and sea lions in the water far below
- Snow-capped mountains and, on a clear day, distant volcanoes across the inlet
Worth Knowing
- It is a highway wayside right off the Sterling Highway about two miles above town, so it is easy to reach but exposed and often breezy, and a warm layer helps
- The big view faces roughly south and east over the bay, so mornings and clear days are best for photos and for spotting the far volcanoes
- There are benches and viewing scopes but no services here, so plan to eat and fuel up in Homer just down the hill
- It is a quick stop rather than a destination, perfect on the way into or out of town, so build it into your drive
Details
Homer, AK
Learn about Homer Baycrest Scenic Overlook
The view that opens the whole bay
The reason to stop here is simply the view, and it is a big one. From the overlook you stand a few hundred feet above the sea and look out over almost everything Homer is known for at once. Directly below is the town, and reaching out from it is the Homer Spit, the long, narrow bar of land that runs four and a half miles into the water. Beyond the spit spreads Kachemak Bay, and across the bay rises a wall of the Kenai Mountains, many of them snow-capped well into summer, with glaciers tucked in their high valleys.
Look farther west, out over the broad waters of lower Cook Inlet, and on a clear day you can make out distant volcanoes rising alone from the far shore. It is the kind of view that rewards a few unhurried minutes. Sit on a bench, let your eyes travel from the town to the spit to the mountains and back, and you begin to understand the shape of this whole corner of Alaska in a single glance.
Wildlife from an eagle's vantage
Because you are so high above the water, the overlook is a fine place to scan for wildlife from what feels like an aerial view. The waters of Cook Inlet below are rich with sea life, and patient watchers with the viewing scopes, or their own binoculars, sometimes spot humpback whales spouting, groups of sea otters floating on their backs, harbor seals, and Steller sea lions hauled out on the far rocks. Bald eagles ride the wind along the bluff, sometimes at eye level.
The overlook is a designated wildlife viewing site, and the volunteer-tended gardens and benches are set up to make a stop comfortable while you look. Bring binoculars if you have them, give your eyes time to adjust to the vast scale, and scan slowly. A dark shape in the water that turns out to be a whale, or a raft of otters drifting on the tide, is a common reward for a few quiet minutes at the rail.
Visiting the overlook
The Baycrest overlook could hardly be easier to reach. It is a signed wayside right on the Sterling Highway near milepost 169.6, about two miles above Homer, so it comes up naturally as you drive into or out of town. There is room to pull off, park, and walk to the benches and scopes, and it makes a perfect first or last stop on a Homer trip.
There are no services at the overlook itself beyond the benches, gardens, and scopes, so plan to eat, fuel up, and find restrooms down in Homer just a couple of miles away. Try to catch it on a clear day, when the far mountains and volcanoes stand out sharpest, and give yourself a few minutes to simply stand and look. It is the view that tells you the drive was worth it, the whole of Homer and its bay spread out below like a map.
Closest Boutels
The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.
Things to Do Near Homer
Homer Spit
About 7 miles
The long natural sandbar you can see from the overlook, reaching into Kachemak Bay, with a boat harbor, beaches, and sea otters.
Bishop's Beach
About 4 miles
A public beach at the edge of Old Town, wonderful for tide pooling and long walks below the bluffs at low tide.
Kachemak Bay State Park
Across the bay by water taxi
The roadless wilderness of glaciers and forest you see across the water, reached by a short boat ride from the Homer harbor.
Islands and Ocean Visitor Center
About 4 miles
A free public center in Homer with exhibits on the bay's seabirds and marine life, a good stop on a rainy day.