Alaska Peninsula
King Salmon, AK 99613-0277
Plan Your Visit
Alaska Peninsula National Wildlife Refuge presents a breathtakingly dramatic landscape made up of active volcanoes, towering mountain peaks, rolling tundra and rugged, wave-battered coastlines.
The Bristol Bay side of the refuge consists primarily of tundra, lakes and wetlands. From these coastal lowlands, the land rises to steep glaciated mountains, forming the spine of the refuge, and then plunges to steep cliffs and sandy beaches on the Pacific side. As is the case with most of Alaska's coastal refuges, salmon provide the principal nutrient “engine" for Alaska Peninsula, supporting the people and wildlife that depend on them. When the salmon are running, Ugashik Lakes and the streams that surround them attract brown bears in great numbers.
The refuge offers a variety of recreational opportunities including sport fishing and hunting, observing/photographing wildlife, hiking, backpacking, boating and camping. Refuge lands are remote and accessible only by small aircraft, boat, or rugged cross country hiking. There are no roads or maintained trails and help can be hours away if something goes wrong. Please prepare accordingly.
Be sure to familiarize yourself with the essentials for travelling in Alaska's bear country.
Activities
Services
The King Salmon Visitor Center provides information and educational services highlighting the natural and cultural resources and recreation opportunities on the Alaska Peninsula, including Becharof and Alaska Peninsula National Wildlife Refuges. This visitor center is operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in conjunction with the National Park Service, Bristol Bay Borough, and Lake and Peninsula Borough. Alaska Geographic supplies the bookstore, which raises funds for outreach and education.
About
Established on December 2, 1980, the Alaska Peninsula National Wildlife Refuge encompasses a dramatic landscape of volcanoes, mountains, and tundra that supports the world's largest sustainable sockeye salmon fishery. The refuge is managed as a complex alongside Becharof National Wildlife Refuge and the Seal Cape area of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. Its rich history includes indigenous occupation dating back 10,500 years and a legacy of early Russian exploration and commercial fishing development.
Learn more about:
Conservation in Color: Alaska's Wildlife
