BEARFOOTING IN COOPER LANDING
Cooper Landing Services |
According to a study conducted by a university professor in Anchorage, the happiest people in Alaska live in Cooper Landing. And it’s no wonder.
Centrally located, surrounded by green mountains and turquoise lakes and rivers, Cooper Landing is one of the most exciting places to stay in Alaska - full of opportunity for varied adventures. The Native people who lived here called the Kenai Peninsula the “Good Land,” which it is. And there’s no better part of it than Cooper Landing. Getting To Cooper Landing
Cooper Landing is 100 miles from Anchorage. Go down the Seward Highway, and turn onto the Sterling Highway, following the signs to Homer.
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Things To Do In Cooper Landing
THE HOMER SPIT
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ISLANDS & OCEAN CENTER
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BOARDWALKS IN HOMER
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Cooper Landing is the ultimate vacation destination -- surrounded by Alaska, where vacation is king. Cooper Landing got its start as a town and then as a staging point, when big game trophy hunters arrived in the area looking for gigantic Kenai moose and dall sheep. Now, however, Cooper Landing is known primarily for its fishing.
See The Kenai River. The Kenai isn’t quite like any other river. Even in Alaska. It’s only 82 miles long -- short by Alaskan standards. It starts at the incredible blue Kenai Lake, in Cooper Landing and drains from east to west, from Kenai Lake to Skilak Lake, then on down the Sterling Highway to the ocean at the town of Kenai.
Go For A Hike. Exciting former Gold Rush Trails (including the Resurrection Pass & Russian Lakes Trail) cross through Cooper Landing. Ranger stations are in Girdwood & Seward. Call 907-224-3374 for more information. Be sure to watch for bears when you're on Cooper Landing's local trails!
Go Boating In Cooper Landing. You can go rafting, canoeing, or drifting down the Kenai River. If you don’t have a boat, you can take a trip with a number of rafting companies. If you're going fishing or boating in the Kenai, note that the rivers of Cooper Landing are heavily protected.For instance, any type of boat is allowed on one part of Cooper Landing's rivers, but another allows only boats with no motors. And there are places where only white water rafts and kayaks are allowed. Fishing regulations also vary, so be sure to pick up the Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary for the area in which you will be fishing. The Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary is available at a local Fish & Game office or sporting goods stores in the Cooper Landing area.
Catch A Fish. The Kenai River has it all; it’s close to Anchorage. It’s easy to get to -- you can actually drive there. And, it has enormous fish. Rainbow trout, caught in Cooper Landing, are huge. They look almost as big as a red salmon from anywhere else. Plus, it’s thrilling to be fishing in Alaska, beside such a beautiful river. If you really want to be successful, find one of the Kenai’s many fishing guides. They’ll tell you exactly what you have to do to have the best luck. There are 37 species of fish in the Kenai River watershed, 15 of them in the area above Skilak Lake, including Cooper Landing.
Take The Russian River Ferry Across The River. Actually, there are two great rivers here. The Russian River comes into the Kenai, and you can take the famous Russian River Ferry across the Russian River, and stand on the bank over there, participating in a decades-old sport called “Combat Fishing.” While combat fishing, be sure to practice etiquette. Pull in your line if your neighbor has a fish and hollers, “Fish On!” to let him bring his fish in. Be careful not to swipe someone with your fly while casting; the nearby hospital in Soldotna has an alarming display that shows (on a lifesize dummy) where fishing flies and lures lodged in their patients’ faces, on their heads, and elsewhere. Actually, Combat Fishing on the Russian River has calmed down quite a bit; people are generally friendly and courteous.
Visit the Local Museum. People who know the history of the place will take you around the museum - and show you the Cooper Landing Post Office in the museum yard. The post office building was used until just recently. It’s the oldest building in Cooper Landing, and on the National Register of Historic Places.
See The Kenai River. The Kenai isn’t quite like any other river. Even in Alaska. It’s only 82 miles long -- short by Alaskan standards. It starts at the incredible blue Kenai Lake, in Cooper Landing and drains from east to west, from Kenai Lake to Skilak Lake, then on down the Sterling Highway to the ocean at the town of Kenai.
Go For A Hike. Exciting former Gold Rush Trails (including the Resurrection Pass & Russian Lakes Trail) cross through Cooper Landing. Ranger stations are in Girdwood & Seward. Call 907-224-3374 for more information. Be sure to watch for bears when you're on Cooper Landing's local trails!
Go Boating In Cooper Landing. You can go rafting, canoeing, or drifting down the Kenai River. If you don’t have a boat, you can take a trip with a number of rafting companies. If you're going fishing or boating in the Kenai, note that the rivers of Cooper Landing are heavily protected.For instance, any type of boat is allowed on one part of Cooper Landing's rivers, but another allows only boats with no motors. And there are places where only white water rafts and kayaks are allowed. Fishing regulations also vary, so be sure to pick up the Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary for the area in which you will be fishing. The Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary is available at a local Fish & Game office or sporting goods stores in the Cooper Landing area.
Catch A Fish. The Kenai River has it all; it’s close to Anchorage. It’s easy to get to -- you can actually drive there. And, it has enormous fish. Rainbow trout, caught in Cooper Landing, are huge. They look almost as big as a red salmon from anywhere else. Plus, it’s thrilling to be fishing in Alaska, beside such a beautiful river. If you really want to be successful, find one of the Kenai’s many fishing guides. They’ll tell you exactly what you have to do to have the best luck. There are 37 species of fish in the Kenai River watershed, 15 of them in the area above Skilak Lake, including Cooper Landing.
Take The Russian River Ferry Across The River. Actually, there are two great rivers here. The Russian River comes into the Kenai, and you can take the famous Russian River Ferry across the Russian River, and stand on the bank over there, participating in a decades-old sport called “Combat Fishing.” While combat fishing, be sure to practice etiquette. Pull in your line if your neighbor has a fish and hollers, “Fish On!” to let him bring his fish in. Be careful not to swipe someone with your fly while casting; the nearby hospital in Soldotna has an alarming display that shows (on a lifesize dummy) where fishing flies and lures lodged in their patients’ faces, on their heads, and elsewhere. Actually, Combat Fishing on the Russian River has calmed down quite a bit; people are generally friendly and courteous.
Visit the Local Museum. People who know the history of the place will take you around the museum - and show you the Cooper Landing Post Office in the museum yard. The post office building was used until just recently. It’s the oldest building in Cooper Landing, and on the National Register of Historic Places.
Cooper Landing's Population & Character
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This is a great little town. It sprawls along the highway, with the river running alongside it. The views are spectacular. The water is turquoise blue. The fishing is fantastic, and the people are friendly and helpful.
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