floating the kenai from cooper landing to soldotna?

[bluewater]

Hi all,

Three of us want to take our kayaks for a float this weekend. Just wondering what you can share about the stretch of the Kenai River between Cooper Landing and Soldotna.

Is that part all fairly mellow?
How long is it?
This time of year, roughly how long would it take to float that stretch?
Are there plenty of take out spots along the way for paddle breaks?
Any concerns if one of our kayaks is an open-top inflatable with no rudder?
Where are the takeouts in Soldotna? Where should we park the shuttle car?

Any insights you could share, including any web links for sites that might show maps with distances, takeouts, etc., would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks a bunch.

[AlaskaHippie]

Hi all,

Three of us want to take our kayaks for a float this weekend. Just wondering what you can share about the stretch of the Kenai River between Cooper Landing and Soldotna.

Is that part all fairly mellow?
How long is it?
This time of year, roughly how long would it take to float that stretch?
Are there plenty of take out spots along the way for paddle breaks?
Any concerns if one of our kayaks is an open-top inflatable with no rudder?
Where are the takeouts in Soldotna? Where should we park the shuttle car?

Any insights you could share, including any web links for sites that might show maps with distances, takeouts, etc., would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks a bunch.

You do realize that the Kenai isn't just a river, correct? It's quite a paddle across Skilak......

[Porterwagner]

You might try lower Skilak to Bings landing- plenty of pull-outs, easy drift, and about 4hours

[bluewater]

You might try lower Skilak to Bings landing- plenty of pull-outs, easy drift, and about 4hours

Great, thanks for the tip! Any thoughts about Izaak Walton to Centennial? We'll already have a vehicle in Soldotna... also, for anyone out there who cares, I did find this useful link with map and launch areas: http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/units/kenrvmap.htm

[bluewater]

Kenai float times?

Does anyone have any idea roughly how long it would take to float the Kenai between the Izaak Walton put in and
1) the Centennial takeout in Soldotna, and (as a possible extension)
2) all the way to the Inlet at Kenai Harbor?

Thanks!

[justin262]

I took my kayak about this time of year from centenial to the bridge on bridge access rd and it took about 3 hours, real calm, stopped along the way, wern't paddling real hard at all. eagles and sea otters throughout.

[markoathout]

kenai

The lake could be problematic. My kids and wife and i just did the upper section from Kenai lake to bridge. Fun ripples for the kiddies and ice ledges for me to slide off of.

[JOAT]

As of 2 days ago the middle Kenai is still frozen, so you can't get from Sterling to Soldotna just yet... unless the ice went out yesterday.

[akpfeiff]

I took my kayak about this time of year from centenial to the bridge on bridge access rd and it took about 3 hours, real calm, stopped along the way, wern't paddling real hard at all. eagles and sea otters throughout.

Ummm--did you mean river otters??