Kenai National Wildlife Refuge by PA2AKgirl
This refuge is large. 1.97 million acres large. While much of it is wilderness, you will drive right through a part of it on the Sterling Highway. Of course, there are parts that are worth mentioning as separate tips, so this is just going to be the overview of the Refuge. There are many trails you can hike, places to fish or paddle and lots of wildlife. If you want to know when to go to see certain animals, the refuge has a great list of places to go and what to see. The hikes range from easy to very difficult, from short to multi-day. There are bears in the area so if you're hanging out near the water or camping in the Refuge, make sure you're smart about it. The weather has always been agreeable when we visited but be prepared for anything--especially if you are hiking and camping. Bring a compass and a good topo map as well as the right clothing, bug repellent and a first aid kit. There is a visitors center before the turnoff for Skilak Lake Loop road--it says that it's open from Memorial Day to Labor Day but it was open when we visited the 3rd week of September last year. We didn't stop in this spring when we visited, so I can't say about before Memorial Day.The Kenai NWR is worth visiting multiple times as it is so large and it totally changes with the seasons.