Kodiak Island Borough: Nature, Wildlife and Culture

Destinations differ in the activities they offer and how you can reach them. Deciding which topics are most important for your stay can help you review the specific details of hotel listings more effectively.

Nature, Wildlife and Landscape

Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge offers wildlife viewing, hiking, kayaking, fishing, birdwatching, and camping. It is home to 3,500 bears. The Refuge’s exhibit hall also displays the complete skeleton of a 36-foot-long gray whale. Important for planning: the Refuge is accessible only by boat or floatplane.

Afognak Island State Park also combines striking landscapes with diverse wildlife. Its rugged topography and dense old-growth Sitka spruce forests are complemented by salmon spawning grounds; Kodiak brown bears, Sitka black-tailed deer, Roosevelt elk, and the endangered Aleutian tern live there. Activities on offer include hunting, fishing, camping, wildlife viewing, hiking, biking, kayaking, and packrafting. The park’s logging roads are closed to public motorized vehicles but may be used for hiking and biking.

Shuyak Island State Park encompasses old-growth Sitka spruce forests, miles of rugged coastline, beaches, and protected waterways. At Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park, surf-shaped cliffs, spruce forests, wildflower-covered meadows, and a trout lake define the landscape. Pasagshak Bay and its surroundings provide habitat for brown bears, whales, seals, dolphins, seabird colonies, eagles, wintering waterfowl, shrimp, and crabs.

History and Culture

The ruins of a World War II coastal defense installation are located at Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park. The park was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1985. The Russian-American Magazin represents another chapter in history: it is the oldest of only four surviving Russian buildings in the United States and is still used as the Kodiak History Museum. Permanent photo, artifact, and text exhibits there tell the story of Kodiak from 1808 to the present.

At the Alutiiq Museum, you can explore 7,800 years of Alutiiq/Sugpiaq cultural heritage; the museum also offers guided tours about Alutiiq culture and history. Woody Island was home to the Alutiiq for centuries and served as a staging area for military communications during World War II. Kayaking and camping are also among the activities listed there. In Kodiak, Holy Resurrection Cathedral was built in 1945; its blue onion domes define the building’s appearance.

The Kodiak Crab Festival began in 1958 to promote the king crab industry. It is held annually from Thursday to Sunday and ends on Memorial Day. The program includes parades, a blessing of the fleet, running and kayak races, live music, and fishing and king crab competitions.

Fishing, Trails and Trip Planning

You can fish for sockeye and coho salmon on the Buskin River. Buskin River State Recreation Site is on Kodiak’s road system and a short drive from downtown and the airport. You can fish for Dolly Varden as well as sockeye, pink, chum, and coho salmon on the Pasagshak River; it is considered an excellent sportfishing river on Kodiak Island. Pasagshak River State Recreation Site provides access to the lower river for sport fishing, camping, and picnicking.

Near Island has a 4.25-mile loop trail along the island, as well as shorter and longer loop options. As the route may change due to future maintenance work, check its current condition before your visit.

Access to Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge by boat or floatplane differs, for example, from the road access to Buskin River State Recreation Site. Then review the specific details of the listings before making your choice.

Getting There in the Kodiak Region

A connecting flight via Anchorage is available for Kodiak; the flight from Anchorage takes about an hour. The Alaska Marine Highway ferry from Homer to Kodiak takes a full day, depending on the schedule, or travels overnight. You can bring a vehicle or travel as a foot passenger. Schedules can change, so it is worth checking before your trip. This regional travel information does not replace the separate access information for Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge.

Explore more destinations: Kodiak, North Slope Borough, Anchorage, Juneau, Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Aleutians West Census Area, Bristol Bay, Nome Census Area.

For the broader travel overview: Alaska.