“It’s incredible, so remote and beautiful” exclaimed Teiichi Watabe, after his second visit to Kodiak. “And the fishing,” added this avid angler from Japan. “There’s nothing better.” These are sentiments long-time island resident Chan Johnson wholeheartedly shares. “For a lover of the outdoors,” he says, “Kodiak has everything. Along with some of the best hunting and fishing in the world; there’s also great hiking, kayaking, even surfing.”
What a lot of potential visitors might not realize — perhaps because it is an island — is just how big Kodiak actually is. In fact, Kodiak Island, one of many that make up the Kodiak Archipelago, is more than 3,500 square miles in size and is covered by a vast expanse of ancient rainforest. It is also populated by diverse wildlife that includes mountain goat, blacktail deer and, of course, the Kodiak brown bear. The surrounding waters also support an incredible array of sea life. Whether taking a wildlife cruise or just looking out to sea from the rocky shoreline, it is possible to encounter sea otters, sea lions, seals and whales, often to the accompaniment of gulls bickering overhead or to the haunting cry of a lone eagle riding the thermals somewhere among the clouds.
“Kodiak is also a great place for seafood,” Johnson, a commercial fisherman, likes to remind potential guests. Home to the largest fishing fleet in Alaska, Kodiak gives visitors a firsthand glimpse into the real lives of the men and women who make their livings on the sea. Whether walking the docks and striking up a conversation with one of these buccaneers, or visiting the town’s maritime museum, guests come away with a greater understanding not only of the people who catch and process this vast resource, but also of how important this industry is to Alaska and the rest of the United States.
Attractions:
Fishing and Hunting
Fishing might just be Kodiak’s biggest attraction, luring anglers from around the world for some of Alaska’s best fresh and saltwater fishing. Charter companies offer regular ocean excursions out of Kodiak and the surrounding villages for halibut, salmon, cod and rockfish. Whether fishing along the road system or choosing to fly or hike to more remote locations, freshwater anglers have the opportunity to target all five species of salmon, rainbow trout, steelhead and Dolly Varden.
There are also full-service lodges around the islands that cater to both fishermen and hunters. Many lodges and outfitters will provide drop-offs for deer hunters or will assist visiting hunters in arranging the more restrictive elk, mountain goat and bear hunts.
Where: Kodiak and the surrounding islands
When: See fishing and hunting regulations
Cost: One-day nonresident sport fishing license fee $20
Phone: 907-486-5176 (Kodiak sport fishing recording)
Web: www.kodiak.org
For Kodiak Island hunting and sport fishing regulations: http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/regs/dept_regs.php
Camping
There are many places along the road system or on area beaches where camping is permitted. It is essential, however, that campers are aware of private property and do not trespass. There are also a number of private campgrounds that can accommodate recreational vehicles that have made their way to the island via the Alaska State Ferry System. Kodiak also has several state-run campgrounds, including the Buskin River State Recreation Site, Fort Abercrombie State Historic Park and the Pasagshak River State Recreation Site. The Pasagshak and Buskin sites are literally right next to a couple of the road systems and are the best bets for salmon fishing.
For those who prefer solid walls rather than tents, there are a number of options for public use cabins. The Afognak Island State Park and Shuyak Island State Park have six cabins available between them, and The Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge has eight public use cabins within the refuge. Because of demand, reservations for all of these cabins should be made far in advance.
Where: Kodiak and the surrounding islands
When: Year-round
Cost: KNWR cabins start at $45 per night; Shuyak and Afognak cabins start at $60 a night
Phone: 907-486-2600 or 888-408-3514 for Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge
Web: www.recreation.gov KNWR: www.dnr.state.ak.us/parks Alaska State Parks
Bear Viewing
It’s estimated that more than 3,500 Kodiak brown bears, a subspecies of the grizzly bear, inhabit Kodiak and the surrounding islands. Many visitors choose to book one of a variety of flightseeing trips, including the 50-minute flight to the Frazier River, where substantial numbers of these bruins gather to feast on returning salmon. These largest of Alaska’s brown bears can also often be spotted in August along the road system streams, gorging themselves on salmon.
Where: Around the island
When: July-September
Cost: Half-day trips start at $450 a seat
Phone: 907-486-4782
Web: www.kodiak.org
ATV Excursions
Numerous trails and old logging roads are open to ATVs, and several outfitters offer trips into the backcountry for fishing or sightseeing.
Where: Around the island
When: May-October
Cost: Varies
Phone: 907-486-4782
Web: www.kodiak.org
Kayaking
Kayaking these pristine waters offers perhaps the most up close and personal view one can have with the marine life of the area. Outfitters and guides can accommodate novice to advanced paddlers and offer from half day to multiday trips.
Where: Around the island
When: Year round
Cost: Varies
Web: www.kodiak.org/things-to-do/outdoor-activities/kayaking.html
Indoor Tide Pooling
Guests can visit the Fisheries Research Center on Near Island for a hands-on science lesson that includes feeding sea life. They can also learn about creatures that inhabit the surrounding ocean, only on a small scale with the center’s “touch tank” and saltwater aquariums.
Where: 301 Research Court
When: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
Cost: Free
Phone: 907-481-1800
Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge
This downtown visitor center offers interactive exhibits, much of it on the natural history of the refuge as well as the surrounding area.
Where: 402 Center St.
When: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Cost: Free
Phone: 888-592-6942
Web: www.kodiakwildliferefuge.org
Kodiak Maritime Museum
The Kodiak Maritime Museum is all about the rich history of Alaska’s commercial fishing industry and its maritime history. It also offers guided walking tours of the harbors and cannery row.
Where: Downtown Kodiak
When: Year-round
Cost: $25 per person for a 90-minute tour
Phone: 907-486-0384
Web: www.kodiakmaritimemuseum.org
The Alutiiq Museum
The perfect place to explore the rich Native culture and traditions of Kodiak and the surrounding area.
Where: 215 Mission Road
When: Summer hours, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; weekends 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; closed Tuesdays
Cost: $5; age 16 and under, free
Phone: 907-486-7004
Web: http://alutiiqmuseum.org
The Baranov Museum
Anyone interested in the history of Kodiak, especially its Russian influence, will want to pay a visit to The Baranov Museum.
Where: 101 Marine Way
When: Summer hours, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday- Saturday
Cost: $5; age 12 and under, free
Phone: 907-486-5290
Web: www.baranovmuseum.org/
Kodiak Events
Kodiak Crab Festival
The Kodiak Crab Festival is by and large the island’s biggest celebration. Held each year on Memorial Day Weekend, this celebration of seafood has evolved into a multiday affair featuring a parade, concerts, kayak and bike races, an ultramarathon, carnival booths and a midway. There is also, of course, a plethora of seafood available, including a multiethnic culinary marathon of dishes inspired by the large local Filipino community.
When: May 23-May 27
Where: Downtown Kodiak
Cost: Free
Phone: 907-486-5557
Web: www.kodiak.org
Community Archaeology
Volunteers can join an archaeological field crew exploring Alutiiq history. The Alutiiq Museum’s Community Archaeology program is one of many programs conducted throughout the summer. Other events at the museum include lectures, carving workshops, and an Alutiiq language club.
Where: Around Kodiak and at the museum
When: Throughout the summer
Cost: Free
Phone: 907-486-7004
Web: http://alutiiqmuseum.org
Spruce Island Pilgrimage
Each Aug. 9, hundreds of people make the pilgrimage to Spruce Island, which is now the site of the village of Ouzinkie as well home to two monastic communities. Visitors travel there to celebrate Father Herman, the first canonized Russian Orthodox saint in North America. Visitors tour several chapels and historical sites, and some also hike to the top of Mount St. Herman. Chartered tours of Spruce Island are possible year-round.
Where: Spruce Island
When: Aug. 9; visitors leave from the small boat harbor
Cost: Free
Phone: 907-486-3524
Web: www.dioceseofalaska.org
Kodiak State Fair and Rodeo
Along with a weekend farmer’s market from June through September, with venders selling local produce, baked goods, jams and herbs, the Fairgrounds in Bells Flats also hosts the Kodiak State Fair and Rodeo. Held annually on Labor Day Weekend, cattle and bulls are brought over from the mainland for events like barrel racing, pole bending, calf roping and bull riding. There is also a wild cow milking and a rodeo queen contest.
Where: Fairgrounds in Bells Flats
When: Labor Day Weekend
Cost: Check the website
Phone: 907-487-4440
Web: http://www.kodiakrodeoandstatefair.com
