The Trail Lakes are two lakes on the lower

Kenai Peninsula, Alaska The Kenai Peninsula ( Dena'ina: ''Yaghenen'') is a large peninsula jutting from the coast of Southcentral Alaska. The name Kenai (, ) is derived from the word "Kenaitze" or "Kenaitze Indian Tribe", the name of the Native Athabascan Alaskan tribe ...

. The lakes are near the town of Moose Pass and adjacent to the

Seward Highway The Seward Highway is a highway in the U.S. state of Alaska that extends from Seward to Anchorage. It was completed in 1951 and runs through the scenic Kenai Peninsula, Chugach National Forest, Turnagain Arm, and Kenai Mountains. The Seward H ...

. They are the home of a large salmon hatchery owned by the state of Alaska and operated by the

Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association The Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association (CIAA) is a non-profit organization based in Kenai, Alaska, that works to create sustainable salmon stocks in the Cook Inlet area. Initially the Alaska Department of Fish and Game ran most hatchery programs i ...

. The fish hatched at this facility are released into streams and lakes at various points on the peninsula, and are also the source of the salmon runs at the "fishing hole" on the

Homer Spit The Homer Spit ( Dena'ina: ''Uzintun'') is a geographical landmark located in Homer, Alaska on the southern tip of the Kenai Peninsula. The spit is a long piece of land jutting out into Kachemak Bay. The spit is also home to the Homer Boat Harbor ...

. The hatchery was at the center of a prolonged legal battle between the Wilderness Society and the

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency is "working with oth ...

. The society claimed that the hatchery was conducting commercial activity in a wilderness area, and such activity is illegal under the

Wilderness Act The Wilderness Act of 1964 () was written by Howard Zahniser of The Wilderness Society. It created the legal definition of wilderness in the United States, and protected 9.1 million acres (37,000 km²) of federal land. The result of a lon ...

.news article on lawsuit
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References

Lakes of Alaska Lakes of Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska Tourist attractions in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska {{KenaiPeninsulaAK-geo-stub