Kodiak Island

Rich in culture, natural resources, wildlife and scenic beauty, Kodiak stirs the hearts and souls of all who are lucky enough to experience this unique island.

Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1941 to preserve and protect the pristine habitat of the brown bear and other wildlife. The refuge comprises more than two-thirds of Kodiak Island and a small portion of Afognak Island.

Kodiak is the largest island in the Gulf of Alaska. A thirty mile span of notoriously treacherous ocean, the Shelikof Strait, separates the island from the Alaska mainland.

Spruce forest blankets lowlands in the eastern third of the archipelago, while to the west, tundra prevails. A backbone of mountains rising to over 4,000 feet runs the length of Kodiak Island. Eight hundred miles of coastline with associated shallows and marshes exist on the Kodiak Refuge alone.

In winter the area is important to sea ducks and other water birds whose combined populations number well over a million birds. A wide variety of upland and marine habitats, and temperatures moderated by the Gulf of Alaska, give Kodiak the greatest diversity of wintering birds in the State.

Summer brings nesting birds from land and sea. Bank Swallows arrive from South America and puffins fly in from deep North Pacific waters. Many breeders are year-round residents. While Kodiak is not in a major migratory bird pathway, a variety of migrants can be seen in small numbers.

Kodiak Island is a gem waiting for your exploration with an America Outdoors outfitter, who provide kayaking and other recreational opportunities for an experience of a lifetime!