Kodiak, Aleutians & SW Things To Do

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!

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...

One of the last ranches on the island, this cattle company is run by Bill and Kathy Burton, who started their 20,000-acre lease in 1967. With 60–70 cows, 400 buffalo, 70 elk, and 14 yaks, the ranch is a place for domesticated meat and guided hunts.

Ranching was first brought to Kodiak by the Russians, who took advantage of the natural grasslands on the green, temperate  More...

Popular with Asian executives and workers visiting Dutch Harbor, the place serves up surprisingly good Chinese food, and they have a very fresh sushi bar. The ambience and décor is quite nice; it doesn't feel like a place in a remote fishing town in the middle of the ocean. The place has a good reputation, and it lives up to it. Sometimes they host karaoke!

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...

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...

The brown bears here feed on razor clams on the beach, and are consistently spotted all summer. There are males, females with cubs and juveniles, and they roam from grazing on sedges and beaches to fishing for salmon in the rivers. It is common to see a handful, and not unheard of to see 12.

Kodiak Island was a strategic outpost for both Russians and Americans, first used by Russians as the headquarters of the Russian American Company (now Kodiak Harbor). Take a tour at this museum with knowledgeable veterans and volunteers and learn the history of the Army and Navy on Kodiak Island and the Harbor Defenses front. Make sure you check out the eight-inch gun barrel, part of  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.

Easy Trail.  Also leads to junctions of Neketa Hump and Eagle Cape Trails.

Old Womens Mountain hike provides great views of Chiniak Bay, the Coast Guard base and Kodiak city and harbor.  The surrounding mountain scenery is breathtaking.  About 1/2 mile south of the airport road, take a right turn on the paved road up to "Aviation Hill."  Turn left at the entrance to the subdivision and park at the end of the road behind the Coast Guard Loran  More...

Watch for cattle as you drive through open range. You can admire the views from the bridge, or take the trail up Sharatin Cirque & Mountain and explore flowery slopes and signs of wildlife, including Mountain Goats, Pipits, and Ptarmigan.

Open since the late 1800's, the B&B Bar displays the state's oldest liquor license.  You can find plenty of cold beer and local color here.

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...

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...

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...

Surrounded by volcanoes, Airplane flats is a remote beach on the Aleutian Peninsula. It is the most westerly location on the Aleutian chain one can reach that is still connected to the mainland.

The Alagnak river, a federally designated Wild and Scenic River that originates in Katmai National Park and Preserve, is a fisherman's paradise and the most popular fishing float trip in the Bristol Bay region. From it's headwaters at Kukaklek or Nonvianuk Lake, it is a 75 mile Class I and II river with one Class III canyon that is a mile long and has a short falls, not  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.

This area, just 40-minutes by floatplane from Kodiak, was recently re-opened to the public, and restrictions are strong. There is a four-day minimum stay and an 6-person limit for those hoping to access the amazing 1.5 mile stretch of river connecting Karluk and O’Malley Lakes.  The river fills with sockeye salmon, attracting brown bears from miles around.

Enjoy hiking, camping, & picnicking on this remote beach.

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.

Loved by locals and travelers alike, this 182-acre state park has numerous trails, beaches, and rocky viewpoints. For history buffs, the trails take you past bunkers and relics from WWII outposts in the area. You’ll also find summer naturalist programs where you can learn about ecology as well as ocean and forest creatures.

You’ll find numerous paths to follow, just  More...

This is Kodiak’s most popular mountain, and for good reason: It’s a challenge, the views are stunning, and it feels like a true mountain climb—there’s a 2,073-foot elevation gain in just a few miles. A well-trod trail leads up the ridge, which you can access from the end of the airport runway. Follow an old gravel road to the northeast ridge, where a trail  More...

Forest trail connects the two cabins along the Carry Inlet.

The Pasagshak State Park provides a spectacular setting for anglers, beachcombers, hikers, and explorers. There is developed camping for both tent and RV campers, a boat launch, two modern pit toilets, and numerous picnic sites.    

Hike these scenic ridges and lush meadows

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...

This trail is mainly in the forest and passes some great beaver ponds.  It can be used to reach Eagle Cape trail from Mulcahy View Trail.

A great place to visit with the family, this extensive center includes a saltwater touch tank and interpretive displays on wildlife and the fishing industry. It’s also a base for marine research. There is a 3,500-gallon, 10-foot cylinder aquarium where you can watch the species of the cold saltwater environment surrounding Kodiak. The touch-tank will let you look, handle, and  More...

Whether or not you’re a World War II scholar, the story of the Aleutian Islands’ role in the second great war is fascinating. The military buildup, the battles, the removal and eventual return of Aleut residents. It’s all detailed at the Aleutian World War II Visitor’s Center, located in an historic Aerology Operations Building that has been renovated to its original 1940s-style façade.

Perhaps the crown jewel of Alaska bear viewing, McNeil River has only 13 permits available each day and requires a floatplane trip from Anchorage or Homer.  This location is spectacular because getting a permit means the possibility of seeing up to 70 bears at a time, gathered around the falls fishing.  Nearly 150 bears frequent the area throughout the summer! 

Follow this trail to access silver and pink salmon fishing at Twin Creek.