Vacation Country Trip Planner
Travel Guide - Sterling, Alaska
For many more towns, maps, and photos please check out the Vacation Country Travel Guide publication in our bookstore.
Location: between Sterling Highway mileposts 80 thru 88. 10 miles east of Soldotna.
The Moose River is centrally located in Sterling, a great birding area for migratory swans, sand hill cranes, and one of the exits of the Swan Lake canoe trail system.
Sterling is a small rural town with great river access points to the Kenai River at Bing's Landing State Recreation Park, Izzak Walton State Recreation Park (located at the confluence of the Moose River and the Kenai River, this is a favorite flyfishing location when the salmon run is in, and Morgan's Landing State Recreation Park.
One of Sterling's best kept local secrets is the vast Swan Lake canoe trail system and campgrounds. You can just paddle on the lakes or portage and loop all the way thru to the Moose River, a multi-day trip. Also located nearby is the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. Several businesses specialize in canoe trips (single or multi day trips) and rentals for this beautiful area. There are many local business scattered all thru this area from lodges, resorts, cabin rentals to B&B's, fish guilds, flying services, RV parks, a hostel, laundromat, cafes, gas stations, furniture store, US Post Office, senior center, community park, liquor store, tackle shop, hair salon, bar, fur factory, diamond willow, and antler carving shops.
Soldotna is approximately 10 miles further west on the Sterling Highway, and approximately 26 miles east is the famous Russian River Salmon Fishery, and ferry service to some of the worlds best bank fishing. Skilak Lake loop road just 10 miles east of Sterling has Jim's Landing, a favorite spot to launch rafts for the Kenai River Canyon Run which ends up in Skilak lake (be sure to have a motor on that raft or a power boat pick-up waiting for you because Skilak lake upper boat launch is 6 water miles away and in bad weather looks more like ocean swells than lake swells). There is a Lower Skilak boat launch and campground too, along with Hidden lake campground.
Hiking areas abound between Sterling and Cooper Landing, like Skyline Trail Mile 61.3 of the Sterling Highway, Fuller Lakes trail at mile 57.2 of the Sterling Highway, Skilak lookout Trail at mile 58 of the Sterling Highway, Kenai River Trail under a mile down Skilak lake Road east entrance, Hideout trail just two miles down Skilak Lake Road east entrance, and the Russian Lakes Trail to lower Russian Lake, which is handicap-accessible. The Resurrection Trail leads hikers from Sterling all the way to Hope and is dotted with several cabins along the route. Its entrance is one mile before the Russian River. For more information on the trails contact the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge of the Chugiak National Forest 907- 262-7021 or the Seward Ranger District at 907-224- 3374.
For many more towns, maps, and photos please check out the Vacation Country Travel Guide publication in our bookstore.