Great Land of Alaska

Blueberry Lake is a small lake located high in the Chugach Mountains in Thompson Pass. Several camp sites are around the lake and it has some nice Grayling and Rainbow fishing.

Bonnie Lake is one of the many small lakes located in the valleys and canyons of the Talkeetna Mountains. Several homes and getaway cabins dot the shores and mountain sides around this lake, and non-residents like to visit this lake for Rainbow and Grayling fishing. Being located in the mountains, spring often arrives late and autumn early at this lake.

The flats of the western Kenai Peninsula are covered with a myriad of small lakes and ponds. This is one of the many of thousands found in this area.

A 5-mile hiking trail up one of the many valleys near Eagle River leads to Eagle Lake, a large glacier-fed lake with turquoise-colored waters.

Eklutna Lake has a variety of uses. With its many campgrounds, it's a popular destination for campers; kayakers and canoers enjoy paddling about; hikers enjoy the many trails around the lake; anglers try their chances at catching the Dollies and Char that live in this lake; and Anchorage residents obtain much of their drinking water from this lake.

Fish Lake is another Kenai National Wildlife Refuge lake, accessible by dirt road and a short hike down a small hill. The surrounding forests are a popular moose hunting area during the Autumn moose hunting season.

Hidden Lake is a scenic lake located in the foothills of the Kenai Mountains. The terrain surrounding the lake is very steep and rugged in areas, offering only a vague idea at how steep and deep parts of the lake are. The water is crystal clear and very cold. This lake is one of many Sockeye and Silver Salmon spawning areas.

Small Jerome Lake, located in a small valley alongside the Seward Highway, is one of the many scenic lakes one encounters along the highway. This lake is stocked with Rainbows and a pullout makes it a nice scenic stop for a bit of fishing or relaxing in scenic surroundings.

Located along the Parks Highway north of Willow, Kashwitna Lake is a popular stop for tour busses because of the view; on a clear day, the Alaska Range and Denali are visible in the background behind the lake, as shown in the first two pictures. Many small homes and cabins dot the northern shores of this lake, and for years Susitna Air Service was based on this lake.

Kelly Lake, another one of the many small Kenai National Wildlife Refuge lakes. Viewed from the parking and camping area of this lake, the backdrop of the Kenai Mountains makes this a nicely photographed lake.

Kenai Lake isn't the largest lake on the Kenai Peninsula, but with its striking turquoise-colored water and surrounding mountains, it's certainly one of the most scenic. The Seward highway parallels the eastern shoreline and the Sterling Highway follows a portion of the northern shore, so there are plenty of places to view this lake from. Part of the small community of Cooper Landing is situated on the shores of this lake.

Long Lake was one of my favorite fishing lakes when I lived in Chugiak. It's located in a small valley on the southern side of the Glenn Highway. The water is crystal clear and very deep.

Alaska has no shortage of lakes named Summit Lake, and this is one of them. This one, Lower Summit Lake, is located beside the Seward Highway in the Kenai Mountains. The clear waters are fed by rain, melting snow, and springs.

Lynn Lake is another lake located not too far away from Kashwitna Lake in the Susitna Valley area. On a clear day the people living around this lake have a nice view of the Talkeetna Mountains to the east and Denali to the north.

Portage Lake is a large lake formed mostly by meltwater from snow and glaciers on the surrounding mountains. Small ice bergs broken off from Portage Glacier dot this lake during the warmer months of the Alaskan summer. A visitor center, gift shop, and restaurant are located on the shores of this lake and regular boat tours of the lake and glacier operate during the summer.

Accessible only by railroad, Spencer Lake is fed by melting glacier ice. A rafting company gives short tours of the lake; visitors ride by train to the drop-off point, take a short bus ride to the lake, and then ride guided rafts among some of the ice bergs in the lake before taking a rough-water float down the river to the pick-up point along the railroad.

Summit Lake, located high in the Talkeetna Mountains, is another small snow-fed lake. This lake has some of the clearest water I've ever seen in a lake. The lake isn't very large but is in a very scenic location and is easily accessible after a short drive on a bumpy gravel road. Several hiking trails are around the lake and in the surrounding mountains.

Skilak Lake is the Kenai Peninsula's second largest lake on the Kenai Peninsula, and the weather created by the nearby Kenai Mountains makes it the most dangerous. Breakers up to five or six feet on this lake are not unheard of during periods of extreme weather. Several campgrounds are along the northern shores of this lake and boaters enjoy watersports on this lake during its calmer periods.

Spirit Lake is a semi-hidden lake between Kenai and Soldotna. Most of the surrounding land is owned by Native corporations so is inacessible, but people who have a good four-wheel drive vehicle can navigate the muddy public access road to take advantage of some of the nice fishing that this lake offers.

The Tangle Lakes system along the Denali Highway is a rewarding getaway for those willing to make the long drive. Nice campgrounds, lodges, and gas stations are available along the highway at these lakes. Huge Arctic Grayling attract many anglers to these lakes, and the intricate canoe system attracts canoers.

Tern Lake is not very deep, but its location makes it a frequently visited and photographed lake by tourists. It is located in a wide valley of the Kenai Mountains at the junction of the Seward and Sterling Highways. Salmon use this lake as a spawning area and a salmon viewing area gives visitors a good close-up view of the salmon as the swim upstream into the lake.

The Trail Lakes system, composed of Upper Trail Lake and Lower Trail Lake, is another lake system located along the Seward Highway in the Kenai Mountains. Glacial silt and sediment have colored these lakes a dull bluish-grey color. The small community of Moose Pass is located on the shore of these lakes.

Trout Lake is located deep within the Kenai Mountains. This lake is inaccessible by road but a hiking trail leads to it. A small state-owned cabin is on this lake for hikers to rent for recreational use.

A short drive along the Skilak Lake Loop road will take you past Upper Ohmer Lake. A short hike is required to reach the lake and the small recreational cabin situated on its shore. The only view of this lake from the road is impressive--part of Skilak Lake and the Aleutian Range are easily seen in the background on a clear day.

Located a few miles south of the Kenai Mountains' Lower Summit Lake, Upper Summit Lake is a bit larger and a bit more of an attraction due to the presence of a lodge and campground.

Weiner Lake is another one of the many highway-side lakes in Alaska. This one is located along the Glenn Highway high in the Talkeetna Mountains. Its small size belies the large size of some of the fish in this stocked lake. Those who know of it may be rewarded with a nice large Grayling or Rainbow.

Yugok Lake is another one of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge lakes. It's part of a canoe trail that stretches over 20 miles.

I'm sure that this small lake in Tyonek has a name, although I don't know what it is.

These small lakes and ponds located in the valley of the South Fork Eagle River may have names, but the names are not shown on any atlas that I have. They are fed by springs, snow, and melting glacier ice. The bluish tint comes from silt in the water.