Chugach National Forest, National forest in south-central Alaska, United States

Chugach National Forest is a vast forest in south-central Alaska that covers Prince William Sound, the Kenai Peninsula, and surrounding coastal areas. It stretches across multiple river valleys and mountainous terrain with deep-water bays.

The area was settled by the Alutiiq thousands of years before Russian fur traders arrived in the mid-1700s and trapped sea otters. The United States bought Alaska in 1867, and gold was found in 1888. On 23 July 1907 President Theodore Roosevelt created Chugach National Forest from part of a forest reserve first designated in 1892.

The forest lies on the traditional land of the Alutiiq, who settled the area thousands of years ago. Russian fur traders arrived in the mid-1700s and trapped sea otters, and after the 1867 US purchase of Alaska, gold was found in 1888. Today the forest draws over 7 million visitors a year, including kayakers, birders and anglers.

The forest can be reached via the Seward Highway and other regional roads, with visitor information available at ranger offices in nearby towns. Facilities are spread across different sections, so plan where you want to explore in advance.

The Kenai Peninsula section alone holds between 3,000 and 5,000 bald eagles, roughly the same number as live in the entire contiguous United States. The Copper River Delta, part of the forest, is the largest contiguous unit of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network and hosts over 20 million birds a year. Dall sheep can be seen here too: Chugach is the only national forest where they occur.