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A sweeping expanse of
tundra coaxes caribou into the open, offering one the easiest places
to view the "wandering deer of the North" in Alaska.
Caribou
Savannah Sparrow
White-Crowned Sparrow
NOTABLE SPECIES
Caribou
Moose
Sandhill crane
Blackpoll warbler
Savannah sparrow
Fox sparrow
White-crowned sparrow
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 FIELD NOTES
Once extinct on the Kenai Peninsula, caribou were
reintroduced in the 1960s and 1980s in five areas. The Kenai
Lowlands Herd that frequents the Marathon Road and Kenai Flats
areas in spring and summer originated from 21 animals released
near Sterling in 1966. By 2005, the herd numbered about 135
animals and had not been hunted in more than a decade. In spring,
the animals move from the Moose River-Skilak Lake area down the
Kenai River valley. Although most groups number between 10 and 15
caribou, gatherings of more than 100 have been seen in the tundra
off Marathon Road in June. Moose are also common in this area, and
large flocks of sandhill cranes forage on the tundra in spring,
with a few birds remaining to nest.
HABITAT
The saturated tundra off Marathon
Road is dominated by grasses, Labrador tea, dwarf birch and
willow, and lichens and mosses, interspersed with patches of black
spruce. Drier ground supports white spruce and birch forests.
ECONOMIC CONNECTION
Marathon Road leads to industrial
sites in what became Alaska’s first modern oil field. The Kenai
airport borders the site to the west.
VIEWING TIP
Drive the road slowly in June and
July, watching for caribou and moose in the open areas after
emerging from the forest. Listen for blackpoll warblers in trees
near the first gate.
HELPFUL HINTS
Take binoculars or a spotting
scope. Respect private lands. Watch for industrial traffic from
the oil field. This area can be buggy.
 GETTING THERE
Take the Kenai Spur Highway to
Kenai and turn north on Marathon Road, which is the first road to
the east of Airport Way, next to a car dealer.
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