Kenai National Wildlife Refuge

Kenai National Wildlife Refuge is a large protected area on the Kenai Peninsula in south-central Alaska established to conserve fish, wildlife and habitat; it covers roughly 1.9 million acres. The refuge protects a mix of mountains, bogs, lakes and river valleys important for brown bear, moose, salmon and migratory birds.

The refuge was created to preserve critical habitat on the Kenai Peninsula and has been managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to support fish and wildlife populations and compatible public uses. Over time access infrastructure and visitor information have expanded to support recreation and subsistence use.

The refuge occupies much of the central Kenai Peninsula, southwest of Anchorage and including terrain around Skilak Lake and adjacent mountain ranges; nearest regional service towns are along the Kenai Peninsula road system.

• Size: Covers roughly 1.9 million acres (about 770,000 hectares), protecting a large portion of the central Kenai Peninsula's mountains, wetlands and river systems.
• Wildlife timing: Best wildlife viewing occurs in summer and early autumn when salmon runs attract brown bears and other predators to river and lakeshore habitats.

What to See #

• Skilak Lake area: Skilak Lake area, a major inland lake within the refuge popular for boating, kayaking and shoreline wildlife viewing and offering access to backcountry campsites.