View source for Kenai Peninsula

{{short description|Large peninsula in south central Alaska, United States}}
{{about|the geographic peninsula|the borough|Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska}}
{{stack|clear=true|
[[File:Wpdms shdrlfi020l matanuska river.jpg|thumb|The Kenai Peninsula in Alaska]][[File:Kenai1.jpg|thumb|Kenai Peninsula Outer Coast]]
[[File:Kenai3.jpg|thumb|Kenai River]]
[[File:Kenai5.jpg|thumb|Kenai Peninsula Bear Glacier Lake and Pacific Ocean]]
[[File:Kenai River Alaska.jpg|thumb|The Kenai River and Mountains, August 2003]]
}}

The '''Kenai Peninsula''' ([[Denaʼina language|Dena'ina]]: {{lang|tfn|Yaghenen}}) is a large [[peninsula]] jutting from the coast of [[Southcentral Alaska]]. The name Kenai ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|iː|n|aɪ}}, {{respell|KEE|ny}}) is derived from the word {{lang|tfn|"Kenaitze"}} or "Kenaitze Indian Tribe", the name of the Native Athabascan Alaskan tribe, the {{lang|tfn|'''Kahtnuht’ana Dena’ina'''}} ("People along the [[Kenai River|Kahtnu (Kenai River)]]"), who historically inhabited the area.<ref>{{Cite GNIS|1404582|Kenai Peninsula}}</ref> They called the Kenai Peninsula {{lang|tfn|Yaghanen}} ("the good land").<ref>[https://www.kenaitze.org/about/ Kenaitze Indian Tribe]</ref>

==Geography==
[[File:Lakes and mountains on the Kenai Peninsula.jpg|left|thumb|Tern Lake is located at the intersection of the two major roads for accessing the peninsula.]]
The peninsula extends about {{convert|150|miles}} southwest from the [[Chugach Mountains]], south of [[Anchorage, Alaska|Anchorage]]. It is separated from the mainland on the west by [[Cook Inlet]] and on the east by [[Prince William Sound]]. Most of the peninsula is part of the [[Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska|Kenai Peninsula Borough]].  [[Athabaskan]] and [[Alutiiq]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alutiiq / Sugpiaq People |url=https://alutiiqmuseum.org/learn/the-alutiiq-sugpiaq-people |access-date=May 7, 2023 |website=alutiiqmuseum.org}}</ref> Native groups lived on the peninsula for thousands of years prior to colonization during the [[Russian America]] era.

The [[glacier]]-covered [[Kenai Mountains]] run along the southeast spine of the peninsula along the coast of the [[Gulf of Alaska]]. Much of the range is within [[Kenai Fjords National Park]]. The northwest coast along the Cook Inlet is flatter, dotted with numerous small lakes. Several larger lakes extend through the interior of the peninsula, including [[Skilak Lake]] and [[Tustumena Lake]].  Rivers include the [[Kenai River]], renowned for [[king salmon]] fishing,<ref name=fg>{{cite web |url=http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/Static/Region2/pdfpubs/kenairiver.pdf |title=The Kenai River |publisher=Alaska Department of Fish and Game}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kenairiversportfishing.com/ |title=About KRSA |publisher=Kenai River Sportsfishing Association |access-date=2009-12-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109185555/http://www.kenairiversportfishing.com/ |archive-date=2012-11-09 |url-status=usurped }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mysticfishing.com/kenairiver.html |title=Kenai River Facts |publisher=Mystic Fishing}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ntis.gov/search/product.aspx?abbr=ADA398623 |title=Boat Waves on Johnson Lake and Kenai River, Alaska. - Final rept. |publisher=U.S. Department of Commerce |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081003212432/https://www.ntis.gov/search/product.aspx?abbr=ADA398623 |archive-date=2008-10-03 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Kenai River Salmon Runs|url=http://www.mgfishingalaska.com/kenai-river-salmon-runs/|access-date=24 August 2014|date=20 February 2014|archive-date=26 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140826120634/http://www.mgfishingalaska.com/kenai-river-salmon-runs/|url-status=dead}}</ref> and its tributary, the [[Russian River (Alaska)|Russian River]], the [[Kasilof River]], and the [[Anchor River]]. [[Kachemak Bay]], an inlet off the larger [[Cook Inlet]], extends into the peninsula's southwest end, much of which is part of [[Kachemak Bay State Park]].

It is home to both the [[Sargent Icefield]] and [[Harding Icefield]]s and the numerous glaciers assosciated with them, including [[Tustumena Glacier]], [[Exit Glacier]], and [[McCarty Glacier]].

==Towns and cities==
The peninsula includes several of the most populous towns in Southcentral Alaska, including [[Seward, Alaska|Seward]] on the Gulf of Alaska Coast, [[Soldotna, Alaska|Soldotna]], [[Kenai, Alaska|Kenai]], [[Sterling, Alaska|Sterling]], and [[Cooper Landing, Alaska|Cooper Landing]] along the Cook Inlet and Kenai River, and [[Homer, Alaska|Homer]], along Kachemak Bay, along with numerous smaller villages and settlements.

==Transportation==
[[File:2018-11-04 MV TUSTUMENA - IMO 6421086 18-09-04.jpg|thumb|The ferry {{MV|Tustumena|3=2}} approaching Homer]]
Homer marks the terminus of the paved highway system of [[North America]], while nearby [[Anchor Point, Alaska|Anchor Point]] is the most westerly point on the contiguous highway system.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Journal of the Bicentennial Seward's Folly Expeditionary Force and Drinking Society |last=Christian |first=Phillip |publisher=lulu.com |year=2012 |isbn=978-1105853340 |location=Raleigh, North Carolina, United States |pages=47}}</ref> Seward is the southern terminus of the [[Alaska Railroad]]. The [[Seward Highway]] connects Seward to Anchorage, while the [[Sterling Highway]] connects the large population centers to the Seward Highway. The [[Kenai Spur Highway]] connects Soldotna, Kenai, Nikiski and [[Captain Cook State Recreation Area]],

Commercial airports with service to Anchorage are located in [[Kenai Airport|Kenai]]<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.faa.gov/airports/planning_capacity/npias/reports/media/2011/npias_2011_appA.pdf 
 |title=2011–2015 NPIAS Report, Appendix A 
 |format=[[PDF]], 2.03 MB 
 |work= National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems 
 |publisher=Federal Aviation Administration 
 |date=October 4, 2010 
 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927084535/http://www.faa.gov/airports/planning_capacity/npias/reports/media/2011/npias_2011_appA.pdf 
 |archive-date=September 27, 2012 
}}</ref> and [[Homer Airport|Homer]].<ref>{{FAA-airport|ID=HOM|use=PU|own=PU|site=50320.*A}}</ref> Smaller airports are located in [[Soldotna Airport|Soldotna]],<ref>{{FAA-airport|ID=SXQ|use=PU|own=PU|site=50713.2*A}}. Federal Aviation Administration. effective April 8, 2010.</ref> [[Seward Airport|Seward]],<ref>{{FAA-airport|ID=SWD|use=PU|own=PU|site=50696.*A}}. Federal Aviation Administration. effective 30 June 2011.</ref> and [[Seldovia Airport|Seldovia]].<ref>{{FAA-airport|ID=SOV|use=PU|own=PU|site=50693.*A}}, retrieved 2007-03-15</ref>

The [[Alaska Marine Highway]] services Homer and [[Seldovia]].<ref>[https://dot.alaska.gov/amhs/communities.shtml Alaska department of Transportation Marine Highway routes]</ref> Seward is a major cruise ship port.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://crew-center.com/seward-alaska-cruise-ship-schedule-2018|title=Seward, Alaska Cruise Ship Schedule 2018 {{!}} Crew Center|website=crew-center.com|date=May 10, 2017 |language=en|access-date=September 20, 2018}}</ref>

==Natural resources and economy==
The peninsula also has [[natural gas]], [[petroleum]], and [[coal]] deposits, as well as abundant commercial and personal-use fisheries. [[Tourism]] is a major industry, along with outfitting and guiding services for hunters and fishers. The Kenai Peninsula is known as "Alaska's Playground".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Nikiforuk |first1=Andrew |title=Empire of the Beetle |chapter=The Alaska Storm |year=2011 |editor-last=Pulling |editor-first=Barbara |publisher=Greystone Books |page=5 |isbn=978-1553655107}}</ref> [[Kenai National Wildlife Refuge]] encompasses nearly two million acres of the peninsula.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kenai National Wildlife Refuge {{!}} U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service |url=https://www.fws.gov/refuge/kenai |access-date=2025-04-23 |website=www.fws.gov |language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Kenai Peninsula}}
{{Portal|Alaska}}
{{Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska}}
{{Alaska}}
{{Coord|60|10|N|150|15|W|region:US-AK_type:adm1st_source:gnis_scale:2000000|display=title}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Landforms of Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska]]
[[Category:Peninsulas of Alaska]]
[[Category:Regions of Alaska]]
[[Category:Landforms of Chugach Census Area, Alaska]]
[[Category:Kenai Mountains-Turnagain Arm National Heritage Area]]
[[Category:Kenai Fjords National Park]]
[[Category:Denaʼina]]