Here in southcentral Alaska, we’re lucky enough to call the beautiful and wild Chugach National Forest our backyard. The Chugach (pronounced “chew-gatch”) National Forest is home to many well-known Alaskan adventure destinations, and is the nation’s second-largest national forest, spanning over 5.4 million acres. The Chugach National Forest is also the largest contiguous wetland area on the U.S. West Coast.
This huge national forest spans three distinct landscapes – coastal Prince William Sound, with 3,500 miles of shoreline; the dense forests and alpine meadows of the Kenai Peninsula; and the Copper River Delta, a spring migration stop for millions of shorebirds in the wetlands of the delta. Visitors to Prince William Sound can explore the lush rainforests along the coastline via watercraft or floatplane. With hundreds of glaciers, islands, marine wildlife and dramatic mountain views, this area is a bucket-list destination. The Copper River Delta is woven from six glacial river systems and is remote; the area is accessible via boat, ferry or plane from the small town of Cordova. Home to iconic Alaska animals like bears, moose and mountain goats as well as tons of resident and migratory seabirds, this area of Alaska is an important stopover on migration routes and as nesting grounds. More than two million salmon spawn in this river every year, making it an important habitat for this precious resource.
Our trips primarily visit and explore the Kenai Peninsula areas of Chugach National Forest. This area of the Forest also boasts unbeatable fishing, and draws both local Alaskans and visitors alike. Our Kenai Riverside Lodge is situated along the shoreline of the famous Kenai River. The Kenai (pronounced keen-eye) flows from the Chugach National Forest into the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, just downriver from Kenai Riverside Lodge. The Kenai River draws strength from many tributaries in the Chugach National Forest and boasts an unusually productive watershed that has produced several world record king salmon, as well as huge runs of sockeye salmon, large rainbow trout and Dolly Varden.
If you wish to explore parts of Chugach National Forest on your Alaska adventure, Kenai Riverside Lodge serves as our home base for many of our Alaska Adventures, Lodge Packages and our Kenai Riverside Fishing trips.
More information about this national treasure can be found on the U.S. Forest Service website (including a great map showing the different areas of the Forest) and from our friends at Travel Alaska.