Clam Gulch, Alaska facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Clam Gulch, Alaska
Qałnigi D’nazludt
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Waves on the rocky beach at Clam Gulch
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Location of Clam Gulch, Alaska
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| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| Borough | Kenai Peninsula |
| Area | |
| • Total | 13.35 sq mi (34.57 km2) |
| • Land | 13.34 sq mi (34.55 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2) |
| Elevation | 269 ft (82 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 207 |
| • Density | 15.52/sq mi (5.99/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-9 (Alaska (AKST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-8 (AKDT) |
| ZIP code |
99568
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| Area code(s) | 907 |
| FIPS code | 02-15320 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1412797 |
Clam Gulch (in the Dena'ina language: Qałnigi D’nazludt) is a small community in Alaska, United States. It is located on the Kenai Peninsula Borough. Clam Gulch is called a "census-designated place" (CDP). This means it is an area that the government counts for population, but it does not have its own city government. In 2020, about 207 people lived there. The name "Clam Gulch" comes from the many clams found on its beaches.
Contents
Where is Clam Gulch?
Clam Gulch is found on the western side of the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. It sits right on the shores of Cook Inlet, which is a large body of water. The community is located at 60°13′40″N 151°23′38″W / 60.22778°N 151.39389°W.
Nearby Towns and Roads
To the north of Clam Gulch, you'll find the community of Cohoe. To the south is Ninilchik. The only way to drive to Clam Gulch is by using the Sterling Highway (also known as Alaska Route 1). This highway goes northeast for about 22 miles (35 km) to Soldotna. It also goes south for about 53 miles (85 km) to Homer.
Land and Water Area
The United States Census Bureau says that Clam Gulch covers a total area of about 13.4 square miles (34.6 km2). Most of this area is land. Only a very small part, about 0.01 square miles (0.02 km2) (or 0.06%), is water.
Who Lives in Clam Gulch?
Clam Gulch first appeared on the U.S. Census in 1970 as a small village. In 1980, it was officially named a census-designated place (CDP).
Population Growth Over Time
The number of people living in Clam Gulch has slowly grown over the years:
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1970 | 47 | — | |
| 1980 | 50 | 6.4% | |
| 1990 | 79 | 58.0% | |
| 2000 | 173 | 119.0% | |
| 2010 | 176 | 1.7% | |
| 2020 | 207 | 17.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Community Makeup in 2000
According to the census from the year 2000, there were 173 people living in Clam Gulch. These people lived in 67 households, and 42 of these were families. Most of the people (92.49%) were White. A smaller number were Native American (2.89%), Asian (1.16%), or from two or more racial backgrounds (3.47%).
There were 67 households in total. In 40.3% of these households, children under 18 years old lived there. About 46.3% were married couples living together. Some households (11.9%) had a female head of household with no husband present. About 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals living alone. Only 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years old or older. On average, there were 2.58 people in each household and 3.21 people in each family.
Age and Income in 2000
The population in 2000 was spread out by age:
- 31.8% were under 18 years old.
- 5.8% were from 18 to 24 years old.
- 27.2% were from 25 to 44 years old.
- 24.3% were from 45 to 64 years old.
- 11.0% were 65 to 84 years old.
The average age of people in Clam Gulch was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were about 106 males.
The average income for a household in Clam Gulch was $37,500 per year. For families, the average income was $44,375 per year. About 7.0% of families and 8.1% of the total population had lower incomes, including 10.2% of those under 18.
Fun Things to Do in Clam Gulch
Clam Gulch is a place where tourists used to come to dig for clams on the beach during low tides. However, because the clam population dropped a lot, this activity has been closed since 2015.
Winter Activities
In the winter, many people who love snow-machines come to Clam Gulch for "poker runs." These are fun events where people ride their snow-machines to different stops to collect playing cards. In the past, Clam Gulch was also the halfway point for the Tustumena 200 Sled Dog Race, a famous race with sled dogs.
Clam Gulch State Recreation Area
The Clam Gulch State Recreation Area is a large park that covers about 495-acre (200 ha). It's located on the bluffs (cliffs) overlooking Cook Inlet. This park has more than 100 campsites where people can stay. There's also a rough road that leads down to the beach and a staircase for easier access. From the bluffs, you can see amazing views of the Aleutian Range, which includes volcanoes like Mount Iliamna, Mount Redoubt, and Mount Spurr.
See also
In Spanish: Clam Gulch (Alaska) para niños
