Alaska is home for 8 National Parks. Alaska national parks are best to visit in summer and give the perfect weather for hiking and climbing . Three of the eight Alaska national parks are accessible by road Wrangell-St Elias National Park, Denali National Park, and Kenai Fjords National Park other national parks are only accessible by small plane, usually a float plane
Alaska gives you an adventure experience from mountaineering to hiking. Each national park has plenty of activities to offer. If you are an adventure seeker head to Alaska.
Kenai Fjords National Park
Kenai Fjords National Park is a coastal fjord and island with outflowing glaciers located in south-central Alaska. Nearly 40 glaciers flow from the Harding Icefield, these glaciers are the major attraction of Kenai Fjord. made from snow that has compressed over time.
Even though the park has a rough landscape it is the perfect destination for hikers. If you love watching the wildlife, Kenai Fjords has land mammals, marine mammals, and 191 bird species. As you hike along Kenai Fjords you can get to see marine mammals. You get to sea otters and sea lions playing and sunning on rocky shores, and even whales breaking the surface of the sea. If you are a photographer there will be plenty of shots to capture. You at least need two days to explore Kenai Fjords.
Places to Visit in Kenai Fjords National Park:
- Exit Glacier
- Fox Island
- Harding Ice Field Trail
- Pederson Glacier
- Six Mile Creek
- Clam Gulch
Kobuk Valley National Park
Kobuk Valley is located in the Arctic region of northwestern Alaska. The park is a completely unique destination with stunning landscapes. The park is the most loved by adventurers as there are no man-made trails. Kobuk Valley is where half a million caribou migrate through, their tracks crisscrossing sculpted dunes. The park is also home to the largest herd of wildlife in Alaska.
Kobuk Valley is the least visited national park in the US. As the park has fewer numbers of visitors you get to enjoy the beauty of nature without any crowds like other national parks. The park has birch forests along the mountains and even sand dunes.
Places to Visit in Kobuk Valley National Park
- Great Kobuk Sand Dunes
- Kobuk River
Katmai National Park
Katmai National Park is located on a peninsula in southern Alaska. It is one of the best places for bear watching and also America’s largest protected population of brown bears. Besides brown bears, the park protects moose, caribou, red fox, red squirrel, beaver, and more. The park also has marine mammals like sea otters, hair seals, and sea lions.
Most of the visitors come to Katmai via floatplane and even in small aircraft. The park offers plenty of adventurous activities like paddling in Katmai’s rivers and lakes. The park gives you the best backcountry adventure.
Places to Visit in Katmai National Park
- Brooks Falls Trail
- Cultural Site Trail
- Lake Brooks Road
- Naknek Lake
- Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes Road
- Dumpling Mountain Trail
Glacier Bay National Park
Glacier Bay is located in southeastern Alaska. The nearest city to Glacier Bay in Juneau, but there are no roads connecting the park to the city. The park covers 3.3 million acres of dramatic mountains and massive glaciers. The lowest elevation found in Glacier Bay is 0 feet at the Pacific Ocean
The park has impressive tidewater glaciers, a rich abundance of fish, wildlife, and plants. Glacier Bay has the world’s most amazing scenery and wildness.
Places to Visit in Glacier Bay National Park
- Explore Bartlett Cove
- Forest Loop Trail
- Tlingit Trail
- Halibut Point Whale Watching
- Beach Trail
Gates of the Arctic National Park
Gates of the Arctic is located in northern Alaska. There are no roads or trails into the park, so you need to fly or hike into the park. The park is open 24 hours a day, is open year-round, but the weather can change every time. When you visit Gates of the Arctic make sure to check the weather. The park gets extremely cold and will be challenging to hike and explore the park.
Places to Visit in Gates of the Arctic National Park
- Koyukuk River
- Kobuk Wild River
- John River
- Boreal Mountain
- Kugururok River
Denali National Park
Denali National Park is located in the central area of the Alaska Range. The best time to visit Denali is summer when you can explore most activities, and also the perfect weather for hiking. The park is a vast wilderness that is mostly untouched by humans. Mountain climbing is the favorite activity at Denali.
The park offers world class mountaineering and climbing. If you are planning for mountain climbing the average group size should be 5-6 climbers. You get to climb countless peaks and ice walls throughout the park rewarding you with breathtaking views. For adventure seekers Denali is the perfect destination.
Places to Visit in Denali National Park
- Savage River Loop Trail
- Mount Healy Overlook Trail
- Horseshoe Lake Trail
- Wonder Lake
- Triple Lake Trail
- Mckinley Station Trail
- Mountain Vista Trail
Wrangell St Elias National Park
Wrangell St Elias National Park located in the Eastern region of South-central Alaska. The park contain some of the greatest glaciers and largest volcanoes. It’s also the largest National Park in the United States with 13.2 million acres to explore. Wrangell-St Elias is one of the three Alaska national parks you can drive. If you don’t want to take on driving you can fly or hike into the park.
Places to Visit in Wrangell St Elias National Park
- Root Glacier Trail
- Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark
- Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve Visitor Center
- Nabesna Road
- Mount Blackburn
Lake Clark National Park and Preserve
Lake Clark National Park is another Alaska National Park that is in a remote roadless national park. The park is lland of volcanoes and glaciers, like Katmai. The best time to visit the park is summer from June through September. To travel to Lake Clark National Park you need to take a flight, as there are no road ways. Kayaking or Canoeing are the major attraction in Lake Clark.
Places to Visit in Lake Clark National Park
- Tanalian trails
- Port Alsworth
- Kontrashibuna Lake
- Priest Rock cabin