Our Alaska Adventures

Skilak Lake and Cooper Landing

Day 60......another day on the Kenai Peninsula

Farmer's Market in Soldotna

Food Vendors with "live" music

More crafts than produce....still early here

The Kenai River originates in Kenai Lake, about 100 road miles south of Anchorage, and flows 85 miles west to Cook Inlet. For anglers, the river divides itself into 2 rivers: the "upper", which is Cooper Landing and the "lower", which is Soldotna/Kenai. We have spent a lot of time on the "lower" river but today we are headed to the "upper" river via the back roads.

The 19-mile gravel Skilak Lake Road travels through prime bear habitat...which we were hoping to encounter....but we see the beautiful lake.....well worth our time.....bears another day.....

Cooper Landing....population 293 nearly doubles each summer to support the tourism businesses and activities. The prime activity FISHING.....

Kenai River bridge

The Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge.....5-Star

Their campground is Big Rig Friendly and 5-Star

Many fish camps and guides and would be the ideal location on the Peninsula if you were here as an "angler"....with a full pocketbook

In July when the salmon run (mid-July) everything has a price tag. You pay to park, you pay to launch your boat, you pay to walk the beach and there are campsites everywhere. 400,000 annual visitors and the 54,000 people that call the peninsula home are out in force with fishing tackle and dip nets.......

This is what we see on the "lower" Kenai River from River Mile 0, the mouth of Kenai to River Mile 5 the Kenai River Flats State Recreation Site....High Tide and they are ready....come on Salmon.....

Dip Netting

Interesting sights.....interesting truck trip.....we are close to 4000 miles on truck trips.....

Day 62 with more sights of the Peninsula...The pasture at the Diamond M Ranch has turned into campsites for the anglers......there are people everywhere