Hot summer days call for hours spent on the water. Kayaking is a wonderful way to enjoy these wonderful days while giving you an arm workout! Alaska has so many beautiful kayaking locations. In this article, you will find an assortment of waters that are great for kayak trips.
Leisurely Kayaking Locations
Alaska has over 3 million lakes… that is more than enough to find somewhere new to kayak every single day. Although whitewater kayaking sounds awesome, I have never tried it. My kayaking adventures are normally restricted to lakes, below are some of my favorites.
Mirror Lake
This is a lake you don’t want to miss during golden hour, it is absolutely stunning. Bear Mountain reflects onto Mirror Lake, and if you’re lucky you might see a float plane taking off or landing. It is located right next to the Glenn Highway in Peters Creek.
Fire Lake
A busy yet fun lake, Fire Lake in Eagle River offers beautiful mountain views and a wooded island to paddle towards. If you make it to the island, which is quite an attainable task, there is a rope swing! On sunny and hot days it is often filled with kids but it is incredibly fun.
Beach Lake
One of my personal favorites, a quieter lake with amazing views, Beach Lake is beautiful. It’s only a couple minutes off the Glenn Highway at the Chugiak exit, and there are great views of planes, mountains, and wildlife. I have seen moose, loons, and fish all right at the lake.
Jerome Lake
Out of the Anchorage/Matsu area, this lake is nestled mountainside on the Kenai Peninsula. Just before the Seward/Kenai road split, there are two pull-offs for the lake. I was lucky enough to have a dragonfly land on me while kayaking and enjoying the amazing views of Jerome Lake.
Matanuska Lake
Conveniently located right off the Glenn Highway near Palmer, this lake is decently sized with lots of space to paddle about. There is also an island that you can walk or kayak to, it makes the perfect spot for a picnic!
Rent a Kayak
If you want to try out kayaking but don’t have your own kayaks, here are a few places that rent them out:
Feel free to share your kayaking adventures with us by tagging @livebreathealaska on Instagram or Facebook.
