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Kenny Lake

A mountain view from the inside of a flightseeing excursion

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Kenny Lake is a small agricultural community of 430 residents spread out between Mile 1 and Mile 20 along the Edgerton Highway in the Copper River Basin.

About Kenny Lake

The scenic location of Kenny Lake has many visitors taking a break from the road to enjoy the view. The mighty Copper River parallels the Edgerton Highway, and 14,163-foot Mount Wrangell dominates the wilderness horizon.

Kenny Lake thrived as a trading post when Kennecott Copper Mine, located in the Wrangell Mountains to the east, was humming in the early 1900s. The small hamlet was revitalized after the mines closed in 1938 thanks to its rich, fertile soil and the Alaska Homestead Act, which brought homesteaders to the area to stake 20 acres and prove up.

Things to do

Due to its location on the Edgerton Highway, Kenny Lake is a gateway to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, the largest national park in the country at 13.2 million acres. Although the town is small, visitors will find visitor services offering accommodations, groceries and tire repair to visitors on their way to McCarthy and the national park.

Anglers are drawn to the area in early June with hopes of landing king and red salmon in the beautiful, fast flowing Klutina River or the serene, slow-moving Gulkana River.

Trails abound in the area. At Mile 12 of the Edgerton Highway is the Tonsina River Trail, a well-marked path maintained by the Bureau of Land Management that heads two miles south through the woods to a picnic area overlooking the Tonsina River. Further along the highway just before Mile 24 is Liberty Falls State Recreation Site where campers can pitch their tent or park their trailer next to a scenic waterfall.

Kenny Lake

Kenny Lake is accessible by road via the Richardson Highway. From there, turn east on the Edgerton Highway and driving approximately seven miles to reach Kenny Lake. Regularly scheduled van service connects Kenny Lake with Glennallen and McCarthy.

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Kenny Lake

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Attractions

Kenny Lake Fair +

Summer peaks during the Kenny Lake Fair that was first held in 1973 staged in August. The weekend event includes food and craft booths, games and local entertainment.
Liberty Falls State Recreation Area +

Just before Mile 24 of the Edgerton Highway is scenic Liberty Falls State Recreation Area. At Liberty Falls campers can pitch their tent or park their trailer next to a scenic waterfall and fall asleep at night to sound of rushing water.
Tonsina River Trail +

At Mile 12 of the Edgerton Highway is the Tonsina River Trail, a well-marked path maintained by the Bureau of Land Management that heads two miles south through the woods to a picnic area overlooking the Tonsina River.