USFWS · Alaska

Kenai Wilderness

For almost 100 years, the Kenai Peninsula has attracted hunters of moose, Dall sheep, and other wild game. In 1941, President Roosevelt designated more than 1.7 million acres as the Kenai National Moose Range. Since then, the Moose Range was expanded and renamed the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. Kenai Wilderness makes up well over half of the refuge. The area comprises the western slopes of the Kenai Mountains with their ancient glaciers rising from sea level in the northern portion of the Wilderness to 6,612 feet in the southern portion, nine river systems (many originating from the expansive Harding Ice Field), and the spruce-birch lowland forest that extends to the shores of Cook Inlet.

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).

Wilderness1.4 million acresUSFWSAKDesignated 19803 campgrounds within 10 mi1 trail
Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Kenai Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net

Facts

Where each comes from ↓
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
StateAlaska
Size1.4 million acres
Designated1980, by Congress
Center point60.19° N, 150.51° W
Night skyAbout as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 19)

Boundary map

4 outlines

Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground

The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Kenai Wilderness10°20°30°40°50°60°January: 1.32 inches of precipitationFebruary: 1.81 inches of precipitationMarch: 0.91 inches of precipitationApril: 0.94 inches of precipitationMay: 0.96 inches of precipitationJune: 1.68 inches of precipitationJuly: 2.44 inches of precipitationAugust: 3.22 inches of precipitationSeptember: 3.45 inches of precipitationOctober: 2.77 inches of precipitationNovember: 1.78 inches of precipitationDecember: 1.78 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 14.9°F averageFebruary: 19.9°F averageMarch: 23.9°F averageApril: 36.8°F averageMay: 45.9°F averageJune: 53.5°F averageJuly: 57.6°F averageAugust: 55.6°F averageSeptember: 47.2°F averageOctober: 34.7°F averageNovember: 21.8°F averageDecember: 16.8°F average0 in1 in2 in3 in4 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Sterling 6Sw, 25 miles from the center point at 292 feet, station USC00508731 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 23 inches a year. The station sits about 2,300 feet lower than the center point, so temperatures on the ground run cooler.

Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

None of the 3 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.

FS · 0.4 mi
Russian River
Reservable83 sites
FWS · 1.2 mi
Hidden Lake Campground
Reservable25 sites
FS · 3.2 mi
Cooper Creek South
Reservable30 sites

Trails

Trailhead Atlas →

1 named Forest Service trail enters this wilderness, 17 miles in all.

TrailMiles
Resurrection River Trail ↗17

Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Park System units within 30 miles · Park Atlas
National Park · 8 mi
Kenai Fjords National Park
Park Unit · 23 mi
Alaska Public Lands
National Register listings within 15 miles · 16 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

Guidebooks for Alaska

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Kenai Wilderness?

1.4 million acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Kenai Wilderness?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Kenai Wilderness in?

Alaska.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Kenai Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1980.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at Kenai Wilderness?

Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.

Source: Where to camp

How do I get to Kenai Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 60.194° N, 150.512° W. Kenai Fjords National Park is 8 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Which national parks are near Kenai Wilderness?

Kenai Fjords National Park (8 mi) and Alaska Public Lands (23 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.

Source: Nearby on the other atlases

Are there historic places near Kenai Wilderness?

The National Register has 16 listings within 15 miles, including Berg, Andrew, Cabin and Cooper Landing Historic District.

Source: Register Atlas

Sources

  • Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
  • Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
  • Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
  • Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
  • Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
  • Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.