Facility Activities

Whether you fish, boat, hike, bird, or hunt, be sure to slow down and look for wildlife and signs of wildlife like tracks, scat, and nests. Please familiarize yourself with safety in bear country. 

Fishing

Kenai National Wildlife Refuge contains ponds, thousands of lakes, several major rivers and numerous streams. Estuarine areas limited to the remote Chickaloon River flats on Turnagain Arm of Cook Inlet. Rivers include the Russian and the upper Kenai. Tustumena and Skilak lakes, at 73,000 and 25,...

Hiking
Take your pick of 2,100 miles of refreshing trails and boardwalks. Whether you want a short, easy walk or a challenging hike, you’re likely to find what you want. Some trails are paved and universally accessible. Some trails include displays on visual arts, local history and culture or environmental education.
Camping

Kenai National Wildlife Refuge has a variety of roadside campgrounds. All campsites are on a first-come, first-serve basis. There is no reservation system for refuge campgrounds. Federal Interagency Senior and Access Passes reduce camping fees by 50% in refuge campgrounds. Camping may not exceed...

Hunting

Kenai Peninsula is internationally famous for its brown bears, which come to the rivers each summer to feed on migrating salmon. In addition to brown bear, hunters come here for a variety of other large game, including moose. Formerly known as Kenai National Moose Range, Kenai National Wildlife...

Birding
From bald eagles to spoonbills, from condors to puffins, birds abound on national wildlife refuges. Refuges provide places for birds to nest, rest, feed and breed making them world-renown for their birding opportunities.
Wildlife watching
Where to Look

Alpine Tundra: In the mountains above treeline, low growing plants provide food for Dall sheep, caribou, and marmots. Golden eagles hunt small mammals from the air. Brown bears feast on berries in late summer.

Boreal Forest: Spruce and...

Boating - non-motorized

The Swan Lake and Swanson River canoe systems cover over 100 miles in the northern lowlands of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. From easy family weekend trips to weeklong adventures, paddlers of all abilities and ages will enjoy this unique wilderness experience.

What To Expect

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