Nearly two million acres in size and the most visited refuge in Alaska, Kenai Refuge is characterized by its diverse habitats and wildlife.  Moose, bears, wolves, Trumpeter Swans, and salmon are just a sampling of the variety of wildlife that call this area home. Wildlife viewing is the Refuge’s key attraction and visitors can observe these animals in alpine tundra, wetlands, and boreal forest.

World-class fishing, camping, and hiking opportunities draw people from Alaska and around the world.  The Swanson River and Swan Lake Canoe Trails are one of three such wilderness trail systems in the United States and provide an opportunity to really get into the backcountry and observe wilderness at its most pristine.

The Refuge was first established as the Kenai National Moose Range in 1941 to protect the “giant, Kenai moose”.  In 1980, the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) changed the name and purposes of the Refuge.  The Refuge now exists to protect the variety of wildlife and their habitats and to promote scientific research, environmental education and recreation.