07/29/2026
Skilak Lake Road on the Kenai Peninsula is known for a high volume of bear activity, from frequent sightings to occasional bear attacks. The exact number of bears that live in this area is unknown, but it’s clearly a healthy population. Hunting opportunities are also limited in parts of this area, making it a great place for photographers hoping to capture images of bears inside the woods rather than the coastal bears most people associate with Alaska.
This was my first time driving Skilak Lake Road with the intention and expectation of seeing a bear for photography. Sure enough, I not only saw one, but I also almost ran into one when it suddenly jumped out in front of my vehicle.
I was able to stop, put my vehicle in park, open my door, and step out and look it right in the face as it walked around the front bumper. I raised my camera as it started running across the road and climbing over fallen trees, I quickly adjusted my settings, and I managed to capture this single shot before it ran off into the forest. It all happened so fast that I’m actually surprised the image came out this sharp.
I wanted to share this experience and also offer a couple of pointers for anyone visiting this location, based on my experience after spending many years baiting and observing bears.
One end of Skilak Lake Road has large areas that were cleared by wildfires, while the other remains heavily forested. Yes, bears roam throughout the area, and you can certainly find one in the open. But a bear’s natural instinct is to seek cover. If you’re trying to find one, think woods, not open ground.
Bear p**p, also known as bear s**t, is one of the best ways to narrow down a bear’s location. I only found three piles of bear s**t along the entire 19 mile road, and this bear was encountered within very close proximity to them. I didn’t find any s**t on the road closer to the Sterling/Soldotna side.
Skilak Lake Rd
Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
