The Caribou Hills area within Kenai National Wildlife Refuge is now open to snowmachine use.

Effective immediately, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is opening the Caribou Hills area, but all other areas of the refuge remain closed due to lack of snow cover.

“Higher elevations in the Caribou Hills have recently received snowfall allowing for this limited opening,’’ said Refuge Manager Andy Loranger.

Access to the Caribou Hills is limited because of inadequate snow and open water at lower elevations, so the refuge is advising people to park off of Oil Well Road at the roadhouse, gravel pit trail or the last pad.

“Our preference is to open all designated snowmachining areas on the Refuge concurrently, but that is not possible at this time,” Loranger said.

The refuge asks that snowmachiners familiarize themselves with the boundaries of the Caribou Hills and stay within the designated areas, respecting the closure still in effect on the rest of the refuge.

— Staff Report