Alaska region guide
Icefields, salmon rivers and fjords — Alaska's playground, by road.
Overview
The Kenai Peninsula hangs off the south side of Anchorage, bounded by Cook Inlet on the west and the Gulf of Alaska on the east. Its spine is the Kenai Mountains, and draped across their southern half is the Harding Icefield — roughly 700 square miles of ice that feeds nearly 40 glaciers, many of them flowing straight into the fjords of Kenai Fjords National Park.
What makes the Kenai unusual in Alaska is how reachable it is. Two paved highways cross it, the railroad runs to Seward, and towns like Homer, Soldotna and Cooper Landing have lodging, guides and charter fleets. You can watch tidewater glaciers calve in the morning and be standing in the Kenai River by evening.
People come for the fishing above all — the turquoise Kenai River and its tributary the Russian host some of the most famous salmon runs in the world, and Homer calls itself the halibut fishing capital of the world. But the hiking is just as strong, from the icefield overlooks above Seward to the multi-day Resurrection Pass Trail and the glacier lakes across Kachemak Bay.
Sub-regions
A working harbor town at the edge of a fjord-cut national park.
The end of the road, with glaciers across the bay and halibut below.
Cooper Landing and Soldotna — the heart of Kenai salmon country.
Alpine meadows, backcountry ski terrain and a gold-rush village.
Mountain ranges
The Kenai Mountains run the length of the peninsula's eastern side, a continuation of the Chugach. They are steep, heavily glaciated and cut by deep valleys that hold lakes like Kenai, Skilak and Tustumena.
Notable peaks
Terrain
Alpine ridges above dense spruce and hemlock forest, with brushy subalpine zones of alder and willow.
One of the largest icefields entirely within the United States, the Harding covers roughly 700 square miles of the Kenai Mountains and feeds nearly 40 glaciers, including Exit, Bear and Aialik glaciers.
Notable peaks
Terrain
An undulating plateau of ice and snow, crevassed at its edges. Crossing it is an expedition requiring glacier travel skills.
Hiking & backcountry
Strenuous · 8.2 mi round trip, ~3,000 ft gain
Climbs beside Exit Glacier to a view across the icefield. Snow lingers into July; bears are common.
Access: Exit Glacier Nature Center, near Seward
Easy · About 2 mi round trip
Short, family-friendly walk to views of the glacier's toe; signs mark its retreat over the decades.
Access: Exit Glacier Nature Center
Moderate · 39 mi one way
Classic 3–5 day traverse with public-use cabins along the way; also popular with mountain bikers.
Access: Hope (north) to Sterling Highway near Cooper Landing (south)
Moderate · About 7 mi one way to the lake
Climbs through forest to an alpine lake basin with big views of Resurrection Bay.
Access: Lost Lake Trailhead, Mile 5 Seward Highway
Easy · About 3.5 mi one way
Flat walk to an iceberg-dotted lake below Grewingk Glacier in Kachemak Bay State Park.
Access: Water taxi from Homer to Glacier Spit or Rusty's Lagoon
Fishing
River
Home of world-record kings, big sockeye and silver runs and trophy rainbows. King fishing is often restricted — check current emergency orders.
River
Clear tributary of the Kenai near Cooper Landing; famous early (June) and late (July) sockeye runs.
River
Smaller river south of Soldotna with king, sockeye and silver runs and a popular dipnet fishery.
Lake
Large glacial lakes; trout and Dolly Varden near inlets and outlets.
Saltwater
Halibut charters from the Homer Spit, plus saltwater kings and silvers.
Saltwater
Halibut, rockfish, lingcod and silver salmon out of Seward.
| Run timing | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| King salmon | ||||||||||||
| Sockeye salmon | ||||||||||||
| Pink salmon (even years) | ||||||||||||
| Silver salmon | ||||||||||||
| Halibut | ||||||||||||
| Rainbow trout |
Peak FairApproximate — runs vary year to year.
Hunting
Main species
Terrain
Coastal mountains, river valleys and the lowland forests and wetlands of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.
Seasons
Most big-game seasons run from August into the fall; moose generally late August to September. Antler restrictions and permit hunts are common on the Kenai.
Seasons, bag limits and permit rules change every year. Always check current Alaska Department of Fish and Game regulations before you plan a hunt.
Wildlife & scenery
Getting there & around
The Seward Highway runs 127 miles from Anchorage to Seward; the Sterling Highway branches west at Tern Lake to Cooper Landing, Soldotna and Homer.
The Alaska Railroad's Coastal Classic runs Anchorage–Seward daily in summer.
Short hops from Anchorage to Kenai (ENA) and Homer (HOM).
Homer and Soldotna are bases for flightseeing and bear-viewing trips across Cook Inlet.
Taxis from the Homer Spit cross Kachemak Bay to the state park, Halibut Cove and Seldovia; Seward taxis serve remote coves of Resurrection Bay.
Seasonal guide
Jan
Skiing, dark days
Feb
Backcountry skiing
Mar
Spring corn snow
Apr
Shoulder season, quiet
May
Trails melting out, first halibut
Jun
Russian River sockeye, long days
Jul
Peak salmon & glacier cruises
Aug
Silvers & ripe berries
Sep
Fall colors, silvers, moose hunts
Oct
Rainy, quiet, fall trout
Nov
Early snow
Dec
Aurora on clear nights
Gallery
