From 22 May through 29 August 1996, a habitat inventory encompassing vegetative, substrate and trampling variables was conducted along the flowing waters of the Kenai River, Alaska. This project was initiated in response to the Alaska Board of Fisheries liberalizing the bag and possession limits for the inriver sockeye salmon fishery on the condition that there is no net loss of riparian habitat resulting from this management action. This is the baseline year of a 3-year habitat and angler count study on the Kenai River. A total of 15,770,420 habitat units suitable for rearing juvenile chinook salmon were estimated throughout four river reaches which encompassed 123.3 river bank miles, including some islands, of the Kenai River. Trampling within 10 feet of ordinary high water was significantly more prevalent on private than public property, river wide. The total count of sport anglers fishing from shore during the sockeye salmon fishery (9 July through 8 August 1996) was almost equally divided between anglers utilizing public and private property; however anglers utilizing public property were concentrated on 57% less shoreline than anglers utilizing private property. A comparison of angler counts between 1996 and an independent study conducted in 1995 showed an increase in the number of anglers fishing from islands, and in reach 3 a shift in angler use from public to private property during 1996. No correlation was found between levels of trampling provided by the habitat survey and shore angler counts conducted during the sockeye salmon fishery.