Page 37 - RV Alaska

SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA
The Kenai Peninsula, only 200 miles
south of Anchorage, boasts colorful
coastal towns, glacier and wildlife
sightseeing as well as recreational
activities including sailing, kayaking
and fishing. The Kenai Peninsula
abuts the eastern edge of the
Cook Inlet, one of Alaska’s most
economically productive regions.
Due to its abundant commercial
and recreational fisheries, along
with sizable petroleum resources,
the peninsula has seen significant
development over the past several
decades. Fortunately, the nearly three
million acre region made up of the
Kenai National Wildlife refuge and
the adjacent Kenai Fjords National
Park has been set aside to protect
the area’s natural beauty from
development and provide endless
opportunities for outdoor recreation.
The Kenai Peninsula is an excellent
place for RV travel with a number of
campsites along its western edge,
most of which have access to fishing
or are located right on the shore.
Some RV parks have fish-cleaning
stations, vacuum sealing equipment,
freezers and overnight shipping
services for your catches.
The peninsula also has no shortage
of spectacular outdoor opportunities.
Kenai Fjords National Park, on the
south coast of the Kenai Peninsula,
is a 1,047-square-mile national park
where you can see black bears and
whales in their natural habitat. The
Harding Icefield, located inside the
park, is a 300-square-mile area of
glaciers, fjords and islands, and home
to a variety of marine mammals
including sea lions, sea otters and
seals. Bird inhabitants of the park
include puffins, murres and auklets.
At least 38 glaciers flow from the
icefield, eight of which reach the sea
and calve, sending chunks of ice into
the ocean in a spectacular display
of the power of nature. Kenai Fjords
National Park can be reached by boat,
road or float plane.
Visit Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula
Mile 36.8: Tern Lake Junction.
Mile 37.5: Exit to Tern Lake Day Use
Area. Area Amenities: Interpretive Site,
Picnic tables, Toilets, Drinking water,
and Parking.
Mile 44.8: Junction with Quartz
Creek Road to day-use areas and
USFS campground on Kenai Lake and
Crescent Creek USFS campground.
Sunrise Inn; gas, cafe, bar, motel.
Mile 47: Turnoff for Kenai Princess
Wilderness Lodge and RV Park.
Mile 47.2: Cooper Landing State
Recreation Site; boat launch, day-use
area.
COOPER LANDING
Mile 48.7: Cooper Landing,
Population: 361. Its central
population is situated at the tributary
of the Kenai Lake and the Kenai River.
Once part of the Russian colonial
possessions, it was named for a
gold miner by the name of Joseph
Cooper, who had discovered gold
there in 1848.
In 1938 the first drivable road was
constructed from Anchorage to
Seward. It was only by 1951 that
a road was built to Kenai and the
residents of Cooper Landing could
finally drive to Anchorage.
From the magnificent turquoise
glacial waters to the rugged and
beautiful wildlife, Cooper Landing
offers any traveller bold and
memorable adventures. Take in
some world-class fishing spots,
awe-inspiring hiking and camping
destinations, first-rate
lodges, and breathtaking
vistas.
Mile 50.7: Cooper Creek
USFS Campground.
Mile 51.9: Russian River
USFS Campground to
south.
Mile 54.2: Kenai Russian
River Access/Sportsman’s
Access Site/Kenai-
Russian River Ferry entrance.
Mile 60.2: Jean Lake Campground.
Mile 61.7: Skyline Trail.
Mile 68.7: Petersen Lake and
Kelly Lake Kenai National Wildlife
campgrounds.
Mile 75.1: Watson Lake Campground.
Mile 79.9: Access to Real Alaskan
Cabins & RV Park, as well as Bing’s
Landing State Recreation Site and
Bing’s Landing Campground & day
use area.
STERLING
Mile 80.3: Sterling, population: 6,225.
Travellers passing through can expect
a variety of restaurants and cafes,
gift shops, grocery and hardware/
automotive supply. There is also a
gas/diesel/propane station with an
ATM and convenience store, as well
as a sani-dump.
There are several events and tourist
attractions in Sterling. There is
camping at the Kenai Wildlife Refuge
sites, canoeing the Swanson River
Canoe Trail, and great fishing at the
Moose, Swanson and Kenai rivers.
And every July the Moose River Raft
Race and Sterling Days are held.
Adjacent to the Kenai National
Wildlife Refuge and also two Alaska
state parks, the Scout Lake State
Recreation Site and the Morgan’s
Landing State Recreation Area.
Scout Lake State Recreation Site is a
day-use only park. There is a picnic
shelter and a lake, which is stocked
with arctic grayling and rainbow
trout. Morgan’s Landing State
Recreation Area has a campground
and offers travellers one of the few
public access spots, perfect for bank
fishing on the middle beautiful Kenai
River. Sterling is home to the Kenaitze
Indian Tribe and a spectacular
archaeological site, containing
prehistoric Dena’ina house pits.
Taking in the scenic beauty, hiking
and camping, or simply fishing
and hunting for wildlife or history,
travellers of all kinds are encouraged
to stop in Sterling, another of Alaska’s
quaint and unique destinations.
Mile 81.3: Access to Moose
Crossing RV & Food Truck Park
on the right. 33190 Sterling Hwy,
moosecrossingpark.com -
(907) 740-0292.
Mile 81.6: Access to Izaak Walton
State Park
Mile 83.1: Access to Kenai River Red’s
RV Fish Camp,
Mile 84.3: Access to Alaska Canoe &
Campgrounds, the Scout Lake State
Recreation Site, Morgan’s Landing
State Recreation Site, and Kenai River
bank fishing access.
SOLDOTNA
Mile 140.7: Soldotna, population:
4,574. All services are available.
Junction with Kenai Spur Highway
at Soldotna Y. Westbound traffic
takes right fork north for Soldotna
businesses, then continues north
where you can find the city of Kenai,
population 7,614. All services.
Continue northbound on the Kenai
Spur Highway for the communities
of Salamatof, population 1,041 and
Nikiski, population 4,518. All services
available.
Mile 94.4: Access to Soldotna
Campsite and Centennial
Campground & Boat Launch.
Mile 94.5: Access to Edgewater
Lodge & RV Park and the Klondike RV
Park & Cabins.
Mile 106.7: Junction with south end
of Kalifornsky Beach Road to Kasilof;
Mile 107.4: Kasilof, population: 529.
has a general store.
Turnoff for Kasilof River State
Recreation Site.
Sterling Highway Log
Tern Lake Junction to Homer – 138 miles
The Sterling Highway runs through the western side of the Kenai Peninsula
and for much of goes right along the western coast offering a very scenic
drive. It leads to some of the best fishing spots in Alaska. The highway is
completely paved and in sections has passing lanes. There are many pullouts
for slower vehicle to allow for traffic to pass by.
The route ends at Homer Spit which extends 4.5 miles into Kachemak Bay
on a narrow strip of land.
WE LIVE THE
KENAI RIVER
(907) 599-0126 • cooperlandingfishingguide.com
19260 STERLING HWY, COOPER LANDING
39
37