If you’re looking for a stunning, easy hike on a weekend afternoon, the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge is the perfect place to go. Located in Soldotna, this hike takes you out to a gorgeous lake and back in a beautiful loop. And when you hike a wildlife refuge, remember to keep your eyes peeled for some amazing animals!

The trail starts at the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge visitor center in Soldotna, Alaska.
Stephen Pfeiffer / Google Maps
Make sure you duck in before starting your hike, so you can learn a little bit about the area you’ll be walking through! They have great exhibits about the wildlife and plants you may come across.
This trail runs through a nearly two million acre wildlife refuge habitat.
Lisa Rooney / AllTrails
You’ll hike through dense forest, by a lake, and on boardwalk and packed ground. The 2.6-mile loop passes by quickly as you take in everything there is to see!
You’ll reach a stunning lake not too far into your hike.
Lisa Rooney / AllTrails
On a clear day you can see the mountains across the lake. This is a beautiful spot to rest, and look for bald eagle nests!

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There are so many picturesque spots. Make sure to bring your camera!
Lisa Rooney / AllTrails
If you find yourself wanting more, don’t worry! There are more trails around the Visitor’s Center for you to explore!
There’s also an old trappers cabin off the trail for you to admire.
Lisa Rooney / AllTrails
You won’t have to worry about any hills on this trail, either. The entire elevation gain of the trail is only 269 feet!
The trail even makes for excellent cross country skiing in the winter!
Adam Ziegler / AllTrails
In fact, many people do a lot of different winter activities on this beautiful trail. You can snowshoe or ski, and the trails are maintained very well for winter enjoyment!
Make sure this is one of your stops if you’re on the Kenai Peninsula!
Lisa Rooney / AllTrails
The Visitor Center is open daily in the summer from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. In the winter, their hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. You can find them at this Address: 1 Ski Hill Road, Soldotna, AK 99669.

You can find out more about this area on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Facebook page here.

Have you ever had a chance to hike a wildlife refuge? What did you think? Did you see a lot of animals? Let us know in the comments below!

If you’re out in Soldotna, make sure to stop off and eat at The Train-Themed Restaurant In Alaska That Will Make You Feel Like A Kid Again!

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