Kenai River, River in Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, US

The Kenai River, called Kahtnu in Dena'ina, runs 82 miles (132 km) west from Kenai Lake in the Kenai Mountains through Kenai National Wildlife Refuge and Skilak Lake to Cook Inlet near Kenai and Soldotna. About 12 miles from the lake it passes through Kenai Canyon, roughly 2 miles of fast whitewater. The last 21 miles, the Lower River, flow gently and the final 12 miles are shaped by tides.

The Dena'ina people settled along this river thousands of years ago, using it as a route for travel and as a source of food. Later, European explorers and settlers arrived and used the area and waterway for their own purposes.

The river's Dena'ina name is Kahtnu. Each year two runs each of king, coho and sockeye salmon enter the river, plus pink salmon in even-numbered years; the September coho run is favoured by local anglers for its larger silver salmon. Sockeye are prized for eating, canning and smoking.

The Kenai River Special Management Area covers over 105 miles of river and lakes, from 4 miles inland of the Cook Inlet mouth to 82 miles upstream, with fifteen adjacent parks. The final 12 miles are strongly affected by changing tides, and the Lower River below the Sterling Highway bridge near Soldotna has the gentlest flow. The 2-mile Kenai Canyon stretch about 12 miles from Kenai Lake holds fast whitewater rapids.

A particularly large king salmon was caught here in 1985 and was one of the biggest fish ever caught at this location. This record catch made the area well-known among anglers worldwide.