The confluence of the Kenai and Russian rivers is a happening spot in the summer, with recreation managers balancing the access needs of fishermen, campers, hikers and maintenance crews. This week, priority will shift to heavy equipment.
Starting Wednesday, the Russian River Campground and access road will close to vehicle and pedestrian traffic until May 29 but could happen sooner as construction progress allows.
The closure gives work crews time to complete an extensive rehabilitation of the one-mile road leading to the campground, which began last August. The road is pinched between a hillside and a bend of the Kenai River. The river has been eroding the hillside and putting the road at risk. Work crews will install retaining walls above and below the road, widen the shoulder to add a pedestrian walkway, resurface the road and add a safety railing.
“That is the major part of the project, getting in those retaining walls and redoing that whole section of road from the upper parking down to the lower campground area. Now, that being said, we’re also still working on some spruce beetle mitigation and doing some maintenance on the campsites,” said Brandon Raile, public affairs officer with Chugach National Forest.
Workers already removed extensive numbers of bark beetle-killed spruce trees over the winter and spring but there are still more to go to reduce the risk of wildfire and hazardous blowdowns. Contractors will trade off dirt work for tree work as the seasons change.
“Basically, our contractors are out there before the ground freezers. And once the ground freezes, then we get our crews out there to do spruce beetle work. And then once the ground starts to thaw, the contractors get back out there,” Raile said.
Sportsman’s Landing Russian River Ferry continues operation through Sept. 4, offering access to the Russian River and angler’s trail. Access to the Russian Lakes Trail is available from the south trailhead at the end of Snug Harbor Road. Raile says reservation for the public-use Barber Cabin on Lower Russian Lake, closest to the north trailhead, will also close until road access reopens. The Aspen Flats and Upper Russian Lake cabins remain open for reservation, accessible from the south trailhead. Find those reservations and other camping alternatives in Cooper Landing at recreation.gov.
