The Kenai boasts one of two canoe trails in the United States. The Swan Lakes Canoe trail takes you through a series of lakes (and portages), which eventually empty into the Moose River and a direct, if not long path back to civilization. The one-way trip is reported to be 60 miles. You can stay on the trail from 3 days to a week or more.
The Moose River crosses the Kenai Wildlife Refuge and into the wilderness. No cell phone signal, no one that knows to come and get you unless you left a contact. We did see a couple planes fly over and dipped their wings when we waved hello. Guess they were just checking.
We were looking for a day trip, and decided the most efficient way to accomplish that was to kayak 6 miles up the river, and kayak/float the 6 miles back to the truck. It was magical. After the first mile or two we were past all houses, then cabins, then picnic shelters finding our way through a very curvy and slow moving river. Talk about not knowing what was around the bend . . . I kept expecting to see canoeists coming from the lakes and into the final stretch, or certainly a moose would meander our way, I would have even welcomed a bear if I could get out of the way fast enough. But no, just lots of birds and two little humans in the midst of all that land and water having one of the best kayak days ever.
