Parks, Wilderness & Recreation Areas
Alaska State Parks, Kodiak District
1400 Abercrombie Drive
Kodiak, AK 99615
tel: (907) 486-6339 | fax: (907) 486-3320
email dnr.pkskodiak@alaska.gov
There are six state parks in and around Kodiak Island. Ft. Abercrombie State Historical Park, Buskin River State Recreation Site, and Pasagshak River State Recreation Site are on the Kodiak road system. Shuyak Island State Park, Afognak Island State Park, and Woody Island State Recreation Site are accessible by boat or floatplane.
View the Kodiak Region, State Parks & Outdoor Recreation Guide
Afognak Island State Park
The park is known for its rugged topography, dense old-growth Sitka spruce forests, and salmon spawning habitat. Kodiak brown bear, Sitka black-tailed deer, Roosevelt elk, and the endangered marbled murrelet inhabit the park. Visitors can fish, hunt, hike, or just enjoy the pristine environment. There are two public use cabins in the park. One is on the south shore of Pillar Lake and the other is at Laura Lake, east of Perenosa Bay on the northern end of Afognak Island. Both are restored U.S. Forest Service cabins.
Buskin River State Recreation Site
Buskin River State Recreation Site borders the Buskin River and is near the state airport. The Buskin River is one of the most productive fisheries on the Kodiak road system. Visitors from around the world visit this river to fish for sockeye and coho salmon. For those that like to hike or mountain bike, there are old military roads connecting WWII structures hidden in the spruce forest on the north side of the park. Visitors can expect to see a variety of birds and wildlife including brown bears, eagles, harlequin ducks, and harbor seals. Most camping sites are suitable for RVs and there is an RV overflow area. Camping sites are available on a first-come-first-serve basis. There are two picnic shelters and a handicapped-accessible fishing platform located nearby the river.
Fort Abercrombie State Historic Park
The historic ruins of a World War II coastal defense installation coupled with the steep surf-pounded cliffs, deep spruce forests, wildflower laden meadows, and a lake containing trout offer the public a unique opportunity to learn of the events of World War II while enjoying the natural beauty of the park.
Pasagshak River State Recreation Site
The Pasagshak River, the outlet to Lake Rose Tead, is approximately three miles long and empties into saltwater at the head of Pasagshak Bay. Pasagshak River is considered one of the outstanding sport fishing streams on Kodiak Island and provides thousands of man-hours of angling annually for Dolly Varden, sockeye, pink, chum, and silver salmon. Besides seasonal salmon runs, Pasagshak Bay and area supports a rich and varied constellation of land, coastal and marine wildlife, including brown bears, whales, seals, dolphins, sea bird colonies, eagles, overwintering waterfowl, shrimp and crab. The bay is fished by commercial purse seiners.
Shuyak Island State Park
Shuyak Island State Park comprises most of the island’s 47,000 acres. The park encompasses part of a coastal forest system, unique to the Kodiak Archipelago, which contains only one tree species: Sitka spruce. Besides a virgin Sitka spruce forest, the park includes miles of rugged coastline, beaches, and protected waterways.
Woody Island State Recreation Site
The north end of Woody Island is a 112 acre State Recreation Site. The remainder of the thirteen-mile circumference island is privately owned. Woody Island was home for centuries to the Alutiiq people, who fished and hunted there before the Russians established their own agricultural colony. Life re-surged in the late 1800s with a Baptist Orphanage and a small town on the island. Woody Island has also has served as a staging ground for military communications during World War II. Now, all that’s left is a small Christian summer camp run by the American Baptists. (excerpt from the Kodiak Military History Museum web site). For further information on the history of Woody Island, visit the Kodiak Military History.
Alaska Department of Fish & Game
211 Mission Road
Kodiak, Alaska 99615
tel: (907) 486-1880
Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center
402 Center Street
Kodiak, AK 99615
tel: (907) 487-2626
The visitor center offers displays, films, information and reservations for eight public use cabins located in the refuge.