- Hike: Kenai Wildlife Refuge
Kenai National Wildlife Refuge is the most visited wildlife refuge in Alaska and consists of nearly two million acres of hiking trails, fishing, and camping. I took Max hiking on the Bear Mountain Trail, which is a 1.6 mile out and back trail that leads to summit views of mountains, a lake, and a river. Unfortunately, because we did this hike in the rain and clouds we did not get to see the aerial view from the summit, but Max had a blast nonetheless. The hike is a steep 0.8 mile climb to the top and then a descent back down the same way to the bottom. Because we hiked in the September rain, the trail was very slippery with wet roots, leaves, and mud on the way down. There are only about 3 parking spaces at the trailhead, but we had the trail to ourselves, probably because it was raining. Despite its name, we did not encounter any bears on the hike.
2. Eat: Moose Crossing
Moose Crossing is in Sterling, a town over from Kenai. This stop is a great halfway point between Kenai Wildlife Refuge and Kenai, making it a perfect pit stop heading back from a hike. Moose Crossing is a small food stand with an attached, covered gazebo that has patio seating, dining tables, games, and more. The menu offers coffee, ice cream, smoothies, bakery items, and breakfast. They also have pup cups for dogs! I got a smoothie and Max enjoyed his pup cup before heading back to Kenai.
3. Explore: Kenai Beach
The sun came out just in time for our visit to Kenai Beach. Max had fun digging in the sand and exploring the rocky shoreline. We saw vehicles with four-wheel drive right on the beach, but I didn’t want to risk getting stuck, so I parked in the parking lot and walked out to the beach. From the shore, you can see white mountains tops lining the skyline where ocean meets sky. The waters here are known for Beluga whales. This is a must-see stop in Kenai.
4. Stay: Diamond M Ranch
Diamond M Ranch in Kenai is a central location for everything Kenai has to offer. Max and I stayed in their dog-friendly “bunkhouse.” The spacious studio apartment boasted a large second floor deck that looked out into beautiful trees lush with fall foliage. Below, fluffy brown bunnies hopped around the grounds. This was Max’s favorite spot. Whenever we were at the apartment, he was out on the deck watching for people, birds, and bunnies. The ranch offers options for cabins, rooms, tent sights, and RV sites. There is plenty of space on the property to walk your dog around and explore. The best part is the petting farm that sits on the edge of the property. I would walk Max by it every morning and he would sit and watch the pigs, ostriches, turkeys, goats, and bunnies before heading back to his favorite spot on the deck.
