The Kodiak Refuge Visitor Center is a crossroads of conservation and education. Located in downtown Kodiak, the Center is a year-round facility that aims to connect people with the special place that is Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge.
Located at 402 Center Ave, Kodiak.  Free admission.
Open hours: 
Memorial day to Labor Day: open daily from 9am-5pm
Winter months: Tuesday, Thursday-Saturday, Noon-5pm; Wednesdays 10am-5pm
Call (907) 487-2626 for the Information Desk.

If you enjoy getting outdoors and looking for wildlife, Kodiak provides incredible opportunities for viewers and photographers!  From birding to bear watching, visitors come from all over the world to enjoy observing species in their wild habitat. For more information about these activities in the refuge, please follow the link below. 

National Wildlife Refuges serve many purposes, and one of our most important roles is as classrooms to teach about wildlife and natural resources.  Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge offers a number of environmental education programs for a variety of audiences.

Is your school, youth, environmental or other group interested in learning more about the wildlife, plants, habitats and ecology of Kodiak?  Contact or visit the refuge Visitor Center to check on program availability and reservation policies.  Follow the link to learn more about program schedules and resources, including Salmon Camp, our popular summer science day camp.

The refuge currently maintains nine public use cabins, each available for advance reservation. Cabins are equipped with oil stoves for heating, pit-style toilets and separate meat caches. Cabins are only accessible via boat or floatplane, and some cabins have reduced access in the winter due to ice.  For more information or to reserve any of these cabins follow the link below.

Hunting is a popular activity on the refuge. With elk, Sitka black-tailed deer, mountain goats, and bears, Kodiak Refuge offers a lot of hunting possibilities. For more information about regulations and to obtain a license, visit the Alaska Department of Fish and Game website.  Contact the refuge for more information about subsistence hunting on federal lands, including subsistence elk and deer hunts on the refuge, or to obtain a designated hunter permit.

Hunting is an important wildlife management tool that we recognize as a healthy, traditional outdoor pastime, deeply rooted in America’s heritage.  Hunting can instill a unique understanding and appreciate of wildlife, their behavior, and their habitat needs.  As practiced on refuges, hunting, trapping and fishing do not pose a threat to wildlife populations, and in some instances are necessary for sound wildlife management.  

Popular fishing destinations such as the Karluk, Uganik, and Ayakulik Rivers offer world-class fishing opportunities for salmon, steelhead, and rainbow trout. For public access to Koniag Easement Land (pdf) along Karluk River and Karluk Lake, you must obtain a free refuge permit. While unguided visitors can obtain a permit by contacting the refuge at our toll-free number (888)-408-3514, guided visitors can obtain a permit from commercial guiding services authorized to operate on Koniag Easement Land.

Refuge permits are not required for recreational use of lands along the Ayakulik or Uganik Rivers. Angling use of the area is, however, managed under a system of voluntary guidelines during peak seasons.  Please review these guidelines for the Ayakulik and Uganik Rivers prior to planning your visit.  For detailed fishing information, including licenses, visit the Alaska Department of Fish and Game website.