Kodiak, Aleutians & SW Things To Do

This trail will take you to silver and pink salmon fishing at Little Creek. At extreme low tides, the lagoon can be crossed to reach the 508 trailhead or salmon fishing at Big Creek.

The town’s most recognizable building, with iconic blue onion-like cupolas capped by crosses, this cathedral was established in 1794. That’s the year Russian monk St. Herman arrived in Kodiak. A benevolent force in the colonization and exploitation of the Aleuts and Alutiiqs, he was known for his care of the sick and dying during Western-introduced epidemics, as well as  More...

A museum without walls, this organization has been working since 1996 to preserve and recognize the island’s maritime history. Their displays around town include 14 interpretive signs at St. Paul Harbor as well as three satellite exhibits. Check out the large, full-color panels that showcase the work of the Coast Guard, fishermen, and the species of fish they seek. The satellite  More...

It’s rare when a National Wildlife Refuge has an amazing visitor center, but this one is a must-see. Kids and adults will love the displays, including the complete skeleton of a grey whale. You can learn about the grey whale migration from Baja to the Bering Sea, the food they eat, their evolutionary developments, and the seven-year process of discovering and transporting the  More...

Take the left fork in the road after the bridge and follow it down to the Trident Basin floatplane harbor.   Park your car there and walk back up the road a little way until you see a small turnout on the south side of the road.  The trail begins here.  This is an unimproved trail, and although rough and a bit muddy in places, it is well worth the effort.   More...

Only limited access is allowed to this military reservation.  Access the trails through the pedestrian gates in the fence at the end of Woodland Drive.  Walk along an old road to the cape.  There are nice short hikes along the sea cliffs and a northeasterly beach.  This area is especially recommended on stormy nd rainy days when easterly gales will unveil the  More...

This is a quick hike to do. You can get great views of the surrounding area and to the top in less than an hour. There is also a spur trail within 200 feet of the trailhead. It can get wet during the spring because of the snow runoff.

Forest trail connects the two cabins along the Carry Inlet.

The Coast Guard's "Morale, Wellbeing, & Recreation Center" is a great facility with access to a wealth of programs and activities to help you make the most of what Kodiak has to offer. Check out the golf course, go for a swim at the MWR pool, see the latest movie at the Billiken Theatre, or grab a bite to eat - this center has it all! Just be sure to call for hours!

One of the float plane landing sites near downtown, Trident Basin, is a great place to watch planes coming and going from remote villages, hunting camps, or fishing lodges. Alaska is a land lacking roads, so businesses and individuals get around by plane, and this state has more private planes than any other. Residents and visitors rely on these machines for daily life, whether  More...

Hike these scenic ridges and lush meadows

One of the easiest beaches to access from town, this park has a nice overlook and excellent waterfront with picnic sites. In late July through September, you can fish from the beach for silver and pink salmon. Wander down the beach to a small creek (on the left side) that is filled with salmon in late summer. Surfers ride storm waves here, and some locals even scuba dive in the cove  More...

This rocky, mountainous and remote island is Alaska’s best place for observing and photographing Pacific walruses as they rest on the rocky shorelines in the hundreds or even thousands during summer.  Visiting is only for the adventuresome as it involves travel in small planes and boats, and overnight stays on the island involve camping in a remote setting; but for those willing, it is an unparalleled wildlife and wilderness experience.

Hundreds of pink salmon run up this creek during the summer. You can watch them at the culvert as hundreds of them hurry past on their way to spawn. Peak times for viewing is mid-July to late-August.

Whether it’s your first or last stop on the island, make sure you visit this museum, which offer the best insight into the island’s heritage. Not only will you find an impressive collection here, but also a great staff; they’ll share stories about village life, continued traditions, and archaeology projects.

With 100,000 artifacts, some 50,000 photos, and a  More...

Skiff Passage is river-like during high tides, but goes dry at low tides.

This is where the walrus head from August through November, as they move north in preparation for the winter pack ice. Visit only if the walruses have already left Round Island.

This is a very scenic and easy hike with great birding and flower viewing. During April and early May this is a prime location to view migrating gray whales. You can choose to make a short hike out of it or an all day excursion. Drive past the Road's End restaurant on a narrow, potholed road to a creek going under the road through a large culvert. This is Chinak Creek. Pink  More...

For a gentle stroll on a surfaced path, Kodiak's Biking & Walking Path begins at the corner of Benny Benson and Rezenof Road, and parallels Rezanof northward 2 miles to the entrance to Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park.  This is a relatively flat path used by joggers dog walkers, bikers and walkers, that travels past Mill Bay Beach, a French pastry and coffee shop and the  More...

Drive over Anton Larsen Pass and down the other side until you come to the Red Cloud River Bridge.  Park in the turnout to the right just beyond the bridge.  Cross the road and walk past the cottonwood trees where you'll find a faint trail leading through tall grass toward the mountains.  This trail can be hard to follow as it meanders through wet areas, thick vegetaion  More...

Good sushi in a great setting. The exterior is drab, the interior isn't special, but the view overlooking the channel is lovely—fishing boats and sea lions. With Alaska seafood coming in fresh, the sushi is great. It may not be up to snuff if you're visiting from a major metropolis, but the salmon, sablefish, halibut and crab is really good. The seaweed salad is a great starter,  More...

This spot sees a good number of walruses in the summertime, with more visiting in recent years. While Round Island has consistently more walruses, Cape Seniavin’s access is easier

Spend just a few hours at the Museum of the Aleutians and you'll walk away with a broad understanding of this remote island chain, its hardy and inventive Unangan people, and its compelling World War II history.

Trailhead is at eastern end of beach.  Path winds its way up to one of the higher elevations on the island: 508 feet.  Spectacular views of Big Bay, northern Shuyak, the Barren Islands and the Katmai Mountains can be seen from the rock outcrops at the end of the trail.

One of the best spots to check out WWII relics, there’s a short trail from the parking area on the side of the road. The forest trail follows the lake’s edge, and there’s a “T” in the trail about 75 yards from the trailhead. Go right and follow the road around. The battery is on the left near the top of a hill. You’ll find the magazines first. There  More...

Used during WWII and up to 1967, this airstrip was a remote “dispersal” station for planes, in case of an attack or bad weather. There are no buildings out here anymore, but the strip is still partially cleared with the old metal grate plankings of the runway still in place.

This trail leads to a wide beach on the outer coast. Afognak Island and the Katmai Mountains can be seen from there on clear days.

One of the area’s more popular hikes (or drives, as there’s a road to the top), Pillar Mountain offers a moderate, 2.5-mile climb to an alpine summit overlooking town. Your heart, lungs, and legs may burn, but you’ll have great views and see excellent wildflowers, as most of the trail is above treeline. You’ll recognize the peak, since it dominates the sky  More...

A popular place for viewing wintering Emperor Geese.

The Kanektok River is located in the Togiak National Wildlife Reserve of Southwest Alaska and flows westward 85 miles from Pegati Lake and into the Bering Sea at the city of Quinhagak. It starts in the scenic Ahklun Mountains then spills out across the Kuskokwim lowlands and is a fly fisherman's paradise. It is a world class fishing destination and sees quite a bit of fishing  More...

Mayflower Beach is a black sand and stone beach with views across the bay to forested hills and mountains. Listen to the waves crash against the shore and smell the fresh ocean smell. Beachcombing, picnicking, & hiking are all great things to do in this area.

Located in the oldest standing building in Alaska, this museum is filled with artifacts, photography, and artwork recording the history of Kodiak. You’ll find exhibits from the time of the Alutiiq and Aleut Natives, to king crabbing and daily life in the 1980s, all the way up to the present. Their focus, though, is Russian-American history and the island’s early American  More...

Brown bears are plentiful and people are few at these meadows, beaches, and rivers that are a 1-hour flight from Homer, King Salmon, or Kodiak. The bears here have learned to catch salmon in ocean surf, which makes for a highly unique bear viewing situation! The salmon, caught in tidal rollers, are tossed around by waves, while the bears dive in the shallows, seizing dinner.

The large parking area opens to trails in the summer and snowmobiling and ski terrain in the winter. The popular trail to Pyramid Mountain starts here; this is the highest mountain close to town. If you tackle this hike, you’re in for a climb, but a large portion of the trail is in the alpine, with beautiful flowers and tundra. You’ll be climbing 2,400 feet in elevation in  More...