The Kenai Wilderness now contains a total of 1,350,592 acres and is managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. All of the wilderness is in the state of Alaska.

Public land becomes wilderness through legislation passed by the United States Congress in the form of public laws. For the Kenai Wilderness, this process began in 1980 when 1,350,000 acres were designated by Public Law 96-487. The following public laws also affect the Kenai Wilderness: 104-333.

The Kenai Wilderness is part of the 106 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. This System of wild lands contributes significantly to the ecological, economic, and social health of our country. Wilderness provides clean air and water, a shelter for endangered species, sacred places for indigenous peoples, a living laboratory for research, and a classroom for exploring personal values while experiencing risk, reward, and self-reliance. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities like hiking, backpacking, climbing, kayaking, canoeing, rafting, horse packing, bird watching, stargazing, and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. In an age of "...increasing population, accompanied by expanding settlement and growing mechanization," you play an important role in helping to "secure for the American people of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness" as called for by the Congress of the United States through the Wilderness Act of 1964. Please follow the regulations listed below and use Leave No Trace techniques when visiting the Kenai Wilderness to ensure protection of this unique area.

Unless otherwise specified, no motorized equipment or mechanical transport is allowed. This is true for all federal lands managed as designated wilderness.

  For more information or to contact the Kenai Wilderness, log onto the Kenai Wilderness page on Wilderness.net.

Leave No Trace principles:

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
3. Dispose of Waste Properly
4. Leave What You Find
5. Minimize Campfire Impacts
6. Respect Wildlife
7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors

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