Scuba Diving in Alaska, United States
Destination guide
Scuba diving in Alaska, United States
Alaska, United States has 6 public dive sites on PickADive. Use the list below to compare mapped sites by depth, access, difficulty, ratings, and reviews before opening a site page.
- Public sites
- 6
- Indexed destination pages
- Reviews
- 0
- Catalog review count
- Rating
- Building
- Reviews are still growing
- Common access
- Shore
- 4 dive sites
Seasonal patterns
Best months, historically in Alaska, United States
Not enough sites in Alaska, United Stateshave historical seasonal data yet to summarize typical months across the area. Open an individual site page for its own seasonal history — this fills in as more sites gain coverage.
Best dive sites in Alaska, United States
Showing 1–6 of 6
Smitty's Cove
Alaska · 3–30.5 m
Smitty's Cove is the classic Alaska shore dive, located in Whittier on Prince William Sound about an hour from Anchorage via the Anton Anderson tunnel. The protected cove holds a collection of sunken features including a train car, an old pier, an airplane, WWII-era debris and artificial reef structures (cement reef balls and pyramids), all hosting dense invertebrate life. Anchorage dive shops use it year-round for training, with the best visibility (up to 70 ft) in fall and winter.
IntermediateShore entry
Shrine of St. Therese
Alaska · —
The Shrine of St. Therese, about 22 miles north of downtown Juneau on Glacier Highway, is the city's best-known shore dive and freedive site. A rocky causeway connects the shore to Shrine Island, and the surrounding rocky reef supports giant Pacific octopus, crabs, nudibranchs and frequent in-water encounters with Steller sea lions. The site sits on Catholic shrine grounds within the Tongass National Forest setting, and visitors are asked to be respectful of the property.
IntermediateShore entry
MV Leschi Wreck / Shotgun Cove Verified
Alaska · 3–17 m
The MV Leschi is a former Lake Washington/Puget Sound ferry and later Alaska fish-processing vessel that ended up in Shotgun Cove near Whittier. It is one of the few Alaska wreck candidates with independent evidence as an actual dive site, but public condition details are sparse. Treat it as a cold-water boat wreck for self-sufficient divers with local boat support.
AdvancedBoat entry
Lowell Point
Alaska · —
Lowell Point is a black-sand beach community a couple of miles south of Seward on Resurrection Bay and the area's standard shore dive. Swimming straight out from the beach reaches a 'car reef' of sunken vehicles that has accumulated marine growth, and the surrounding bay is known for invertebrate life, rockfish and occasional encounters with sea otters and Steller sea lions. It also serves as the staging area for boat dives further out in Resurrection Bay.
IntermediateShore entry
Sunshine Cove
Alaska · Up to 27.4 m
Sunshine Cove is a designated SEAtrails underwater trail roughly 34 miles north of Juneau near the end of Glacier Highway, a wide cove framed by rocky cliffs with a small island at its edge. Reefs in the cove are loaded with nudibranchs and crabs, and Steller sea lions from the nearby Benjamin Island haulout frequently visit divers. Depths run to about 90 feet, and access is via a steep trail from a highway turnout down to the beach.
IntermediateShore entry
Plan a dive in Alaska, United States
Compare nearby sites
Alaska has 6 public dive sites in the PickADive catalog. Start with the map when coastline, nearby alternatives, and travel distance matter.
Explore sites on the mapMatch depth and difficulty
Current public data shows 5 intermediate and 1 advanced dive sites. Listed depths range from about 3m to 67m where available. Shore is the most common listed access type. Use those signals as a starting point, then confirm the plan against training, equipment, and current local guidance.
Check conditions close to the dive
PickADive can help with research and comparison, but it does not certify that a dive is safe today. Weather, current, visibility, entry, boat traffic, and local rules can change quickly.
How condition context worksCommon questions about diving in Alaska, United States
What are the best dive sites in Alaska, United States?
Use the ranked list on this page to compare 6 public dive sites in Alaska. PickADive highlights ratings, reviews, depth, access type, difficulty, and mapped location so you can move from destination research to a specific site page.
Is Alaska beginner-friendly for scuba diving?
PickADive does not yet have enough beginner-labeled public site data to summarize Alaska confidently. Review difficulty, access, depth, and recent notes on each site page before deciding.
Are there advanced dives in Alaska?
Yes. PickADive currently marks 1 dive site in Alaska as advanced or expert level. These dives deserve extra attention to depth, access, current, visibility, and local guidance.
What depths can I expect in Alaska?
Listed PickADive depth data for Alaska ranges from about 3m to 67m. Use that as a research starting point, then verify current conditions and site-specific guidance.
Can I see Alaska dive sites on a map?
Yes. Use the map link on this page to compare Alaska dive sites by location, coastline, nearby alternatives, and individual site details.