This amazing landscape stretches across south-central Alaska, from the salty waters and snowy peaks of Prince William Sound to the fabulous salmon and trout streams of the Kenai Peninsula, covering an area the size of New Hampshire. It is one of the few places left in the world where glaciers still grind valleys into the hard rock of the earth. The Chugach National Forest has 96 separate watersheds, with 30% of the forest covered in ice. There are 41 public use cabins and more than 500 miles of trail to be explored.
All five North American species of Pacific salmon are found in the Chugach: King, Red, Silver, Chum, and Pink. The Prince William Sound is also the farthest north that cutthroat trout and yellow cedar are found. Approximately 500,000 people visit the Chugach for recreation each year. The Chugach has two public information centers: Begich Boggs Visitor Center in Portage Valley and Crooked Creek Information Center in Valdez.
