We turned the corner and pointed our headlights for Cooper’s Landing. We didn’t totally have a destination, but knew we wanted to explore the Kenai Peninsula. We got lucky. As we passed Cooper’s Landing, Kristin suggested we take a left down a dirt road to quickly check out this massive lake we just saw. Bumping down the road, we found beaches, free camping, great hiking, and a magical place called Kenai Lake.
Kenai Lake is the largest lake on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. Covering 21 square miles, this glacially fed lake has brilliant blue water and is a hub for water enthusiasts. The banks of the lake offer great camping while the water is clean and is a great place for family outings. Many visitors fish on Kenai Lake during the summer months, or bring floats to hang out in the cool water.
Read on to discover camping spots, fun beaches, directions to Kenai Lake, and so much more!
Sunset light landing on the mountains while flying over Kenai Lake and Rainbow Lakes. Photograph by Dalton Johnson
1) Swimming at Kenai Lake
Kenai Lake is a wonderland for those who enjoy swimming. The water is clean and there are several beaches where water enthusiasts head to play in the water. Kenai Lake is family friendly and a splendid place for kids to swim. When I was at Kenai Lake, almost everyday I would see new faces and families showing up to play in the water. Most would bring some inflatable device to sit in the water while basking in the summer sun. During the summer months, Kenai Lake can be a cool reprieve from the warm summer days.
Tips for a good time at Kenai Lake:
Bring some snacks, as you will want to be here all day
Go for a hike nearby, then take a dip into the water to cool down
2) Discovering Freedom at Kenai Lake
I never thought I would have the opportunity to go Alaska in my lifetime, it just seemed out of reach. Being from California, Alaska seemed so far away and way to pricey to visit. But, in 2022, I received a phone call that went a little something like:
“Hey Dalton! I heard you can climb mountains and hold a camera while doing it. Is that true?”, Bill questioned.
“Yeah, that is very true.” I responded
“Do you have any interest in making a movie on North Americas tallest mountain?”
“I’ve never made a movie before, but that sounds rad!” I quickly answered.
”Cool, let’s do a training trip to see if you will cut the mustard.”
I passed, Alaska here I come!
Kristin enjoying a the moody afternoon lakeside at Kenai Lake in Alaska. Photograph by Dalton Johnson
Fast forward five months, I arrived in Alaska to shoot a documentary, but this story doesn’t cover Denali. If you want to read about my time on Denali, head over to the blog series about climbing Denali here.
Once off of Denali, safe and sound, I knew that I needed to spend more time in the area to just understand what made Alaska so desirable. So, I had my girlfriend, Kristin, fly up to Alaska so we could spend some time, work a few freelance photography jobs (Kristin would be the model), and explore Alaska by van for three and a half months.
Want to learn more about vanlife in Alaska? We put together this series of helpful blogs and vlogs on vanlife in Alaska, check it out!
So, where does Kenai Lake play into all of this?
During our time in Alaska, we somewhat made Kenai Lake our “home base” as the lake is centrally located on the Kenai Peninsula, has free camping, great swimming, and a meditative atmosphere that allows you to regroup, meanwhile remain in a beautiful location. So, Kristin and I found ourselves parked lakeside for 4 to 6 days while traveling the Kenai Peninsula.
Our days at Kenai Lake were simple. We would wake up to a slow morning of coffee and journaling, if it wasn’t raining outside we sit by the lake. When the rain was full on, we would get in our bathing suits, brave the rain, and go for a cold dip into this gorgeous, blue lake. After a long morning, we would both do some yoga, maybe go for a run, and explore the surrounding area by foot. Living in a van can feel stuffy if you are in it to long. Then, we would both do some work, mostly editing image, or videos, into the early evening. At that point, both of our bellies would be grumbling, so we would make dinner and enjoy it lakeside.
Overall, our time next at Kenai Lake was focused on recharging our batteries as we traveled all over the map, doing random adventures. Still, I look back with fond memories at our time lakeside.
The blue waters of Kenai Lake are created from glacial silt that is collected in this lake as glaciers in the distance melt. Photograph by Dalton Johnson
3) The water of Kenai Lake is blue beyond belief
Kenai Lake is glacially fed, which means all of the water in lake comes from the melting glaciers nearby. As the glaciers melt, they tear into the earth creating glacial silt. When glacial silt and water mix, you get a brilliant blue colored water. As you can see from the image above, the water of Kenai Lake is a blue unlike anything else, this is from glacial silt.
One downside of this glacial silt is that after you go swimming, you are coated with a very thin layer of mineral, so you don’t feel clean and refreshed. However, this mineral coating is good for your skin!
4) Camping at kenai Lake
Kenai Lake is a hot spot for free, and paid, camping along the Kenai Peninsula. There are several beaches that you can pull into along the north-west shoreline and camp. You will often find locals here on the weekend with a tent and a bonfire, especially during salmon season. Located close to Cooper’s Landing, Kenai Lake also provides a variety of paid camping options as well. Either way, the longer you can spend lakeside at Kenai Lake, the less you will want to leave.
My camping suggestion:
There is a free beach camping that is perfect for 3-4 vehicles at this beach along Kenai Lake. When we parked here, there were several Alaskan locals who would come on the weekend with the family. During one of our visits, the beach was totally overrun by wedding, but the people were super kind and offered to make room for us.
This spot is not suitable for RV’s and I would suggest having 4-wheel drive if the dirt road is wet. If the road isn’t wet, a high clearance 2-wheel drive vehicle would get the job done.
5) Kenai Lake Overview:
Where is Kenai Lake?
Kenai Lake is located on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. You can access this lake from either of the two main highways, Sterling Highway and Seward Highway, but is most often accessed from Cooper’s Landing off of the Sterling Highway.
Click here for directions to Kenai Lake
How big is Kenai Lake?
Kenai Lake is a very large lake that covers 21.58 square miles and is 22 miles in length. This lake is most known for its “zig-zag” shape that winds between mountains. To put this into perspective, this would be 20 central parks, or half the size of San Francisco.
How deep is Kenai Lake?
Kenai Lake has a max depth of 540 feet. To put this into perspective, a traditional SCUBA diver can not go to the depth of 500 feet with standard oxygen.
How was Kenai Lake Made?
Kenai Lake is a natural lake created by glaciers receding. As the glaciers receded they gouged the earth leaving behind this massive lake where now the glacial melt collects in a brilliant blue.
What fish are in Kenai Lake?
When fishing at Kenai Lake, you will find a diverse grouping of fish you can catch. The species available include silver, pink, king and red salmon, rainbow trout, Arctic char, Dolly Varden, lake trout, steelhead, kokanee and grayling fish.
Other adventures to do near kenai lake
Kenai Lake is centrally located on the Kenai Peninsula, so you can access many great adventure from this lake. Some of my favorites were:
Now that you have discovered camping spots, fun beaches, places to swim, and directions to Kenai Lake, it is your turn to get outside and dip into this glacially fed lake. Please, if this blog was helpful for you, or you have additional information to share, drop a comment below to help out fellow adventurers within this community.
