Always be considerate of
fellow travelers on the highways. Sudden and unexpected stopping to view wildlife
will surprise those traveling behind you, and may result in a collision.
Please
remember that you are the visitor. Keep a respectable distance while watching
wildlife. Female moose and sow bears are fiercely protective of their offspring
and may react aggressively when approached by a human.
| Likelihood of Being Seen | Types
of Wildlife | Areas on or Near the Kenai Refuge Where
Most Frequent Sightings Occur | Specific Time of Year
(if applicable) |
Very Likely | Salmon | Russian
River Falls (take Russian Lakes Trail); Hidden Creek Trail (mouth of creek); Upper
Kenai River highway pullouts, Crooked Creek Hatchery | Mid-June
through Mid-August |
| | Songbirds | Visitor
Center Nature Trail; Seven Lakes Trail (along Kelly Lake) | June-July |
| | Bald Eagle | Upper
Kenai River, esp. from Kenai Lake to Outlet of Skilak Lake | Year
Round Nov.-Jan.(best months) |
| | Moose | Swanson
River Road; Swan Lake Road; Skilak Lake Road, Ski Hill Road | Year
Round |
| | Trumpeter
Swan | Canoe System Lakes; Lower Moose River & Watson
Lake; Lower Kenai River at the outlet of Skilak Lake | June-August,
April & September; April |
| | Snow
Goose | Kenai River Flats area along Bridge Access Road | April |
| Fairly Likely | Dall
Sheep | Skyline Trail, Fuller Lakes Trail, Round Mountain
(with scope/binoculars from Russian River Ferry Access Area) | April-September |
| | Caribou | Kenai
River Flats area along Bridge Access Road, Marathon Road | April-September |
| | Sandhill Crane | Kenai
River Flats along Bridge Access Road, Marathon Road | June-September |
| | Beluga Whale | Mouth
of Kenai River during incoming tides while whales follow salmon runs, Captain
Cook State Recreation Area (36 miles from Soldotna) | June-September |
| | Loons &
Grebes | Canoe System Lakes | June-August |
| | Gulls &
Terns | Canoe System Lakes | June-August |
| | Muskrat | Canoe
System Lakes and especially Upper Swanson River | June-September |
| Infrequent | Black Bear | Swanson
River Road, Swan Lake Road, Skilak Lake area; Kenai
Refuge Trails; Skyline, Fuller Lakes, Skilak Lookout, Hidden Creek, Kenai
River, U.S. Forest Service Trails: Russian Lakes, Resurrection | April-October |
| | Brown Bear | Kenai
Refuge Trails: Skyline, Fuller Lakes, Hidden Creek, Kenai River, U.S. Forest
Service Trails: Russian River, Resurrection | April-October |
| Rare | Wolf | Marathon
Road, Swanson River Road, Skilak Lake Road | Year Round
(winter best) |
| | Lynx | Swanson
River Road, Skilak Lake Road | Year Round (winter best) |
