Alaska Wildlife
Viewing Trails

Whales, bears, birds, moose and more…. Alaska's reputation for interesting and abundant wildlife is deserved, but the numbers and variety must be considered in context. Alaska encompasses over 586 thousand square miles ~ one-fifth the area of the lower 48 states ~ and stretches a distance equivalent to that between Jacksonville, Florida and San Francisco, California. You won't find all wildlife in all places or at all times.

There is help for planning your next Alaska wildlife viewing adventure. Alaska Wildlife Viewing Trails are themed itineraries or routes that highlight some of the best opportunities to see wildlife, whenever you visit.

The Kenai Peninsula Wildlife Viewing Trail is a driving itinerary that includes 65 wildlife viewing sites divided into four regions. The Kenai Peninsula features all of Alaska's habitat types except Arctic tundra within a relatively small area so you may see everything from caribou and Dall sheep to puffins and sea otters. Most sites are on public lands and can be explored on your own for free (or a small parking fee). Some sites are good for a brief stop and scan as you drive by, others invite you to spend some time hiking, biking or canoeing. Visit www.kenaipeninsula.org to view the guide online (free) and for details on ordering a printed copy ($8.95 + shipping).

The Alaska Coastal Wildlife Viewing Trail spans Alaska's south coast from Ketchikan to Dutch Harbor/Unalaska in three segments: the Inside Passage (Southeast), Prince William Sound (Southcentral), and Southwest (Kodiak, the Alaska Peninsula and eastern Aleutian Islands). This unique trail is best explored by traveling between ports on the Alaska Marine Highway state ferries, watching for wildlife enroute, and then spending time ashore in and around some of the port communities. This route has been designated an All-American Road by the National Scenic Byways Program. You'll find Inside Passage information at http://www.wildlife.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=trails.coastal_trail and can purchase the 82-page guide to Alaska's Inside Passage for $5.95 from regional and online bookstores.

For more information about Alaska's wildlife viewing trails contact:
Beth Peluso
Watchable Wildlife Coordinator
Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Division of Wildlife Conservation
1255 W 8th Street
PO Box 115526
Juneau, AK 99811-5526
(907) 465-4190