ALASKA'S NATIONAL PARKS
The Last Frontier. It’s home to 8 of the country’s 63 National Parks. Of those 8, only 3 are accessible by car. In 2022 we took on the seemingly impossible task of seeing them all in one trip (spoiler alert – that didn’t happen). But we considered getting to 6 to be a success. All the rumors are true. It is wild and breathtaking and remote and beautiful and cold and even heart-breaking. Here is everything you need to know about visiting Alaska’s National Parks.
AK NP QUICKIES
One quick sentence about each park… Go!
our itinerary
I love planning trips. But this was the most challenging, complicated thing I’ve ever put together. Here is the actual calendar I used to plan out the logistics (definitely done in pencil).
Glacier Bay National Park
So cold but... Glaciers!
The Huna Tribal House
Wildlife on the day tour
Getting here:
Glacier Bay is not accessible by car. The closest big city is Juneau. From there, you have 2 options to get to Gustavus (the “gateway” to GB). You can take a short 30 minute flight, or take a ferry. Keep in mind for planning purposes the ferry does not run every day.
Lodging:
Most people choose to stay at Glacier Bay Lodge, the only option inside the park. If you have lodge reservations, they will have a shuttle to pick you up at the Gustavus airport to transport you to the lodge. The lodge itself is rustic, but clean. They offer meals and also coordinate the ferry tours.
What to do:
We chose to stay 2 nights so we could do the 8 hour catamaran day tour and also have a day for hiking and/or kayaking. The weather was cold, rainy, and cloudy so we did the short hikes available in Bartlett cove, but skipped the kayaking.
Lake Clark National Park
Flightseeing Tour
Landing on Hickerson Lake
Top 5 Least Visited Parks
How to get here:
Lake Clark National Park is accessibly by floatplane. The park website offers a list of authorized air service providers from various points in AK (Anchorage, Homer, Kenai, etc.). Ideally you’d want to fly in to Port Alsworth, which is where the visitor center is located. There’s no getting around it – getting to these remote parks is expensive. Since we opted for a day trip that included both Lake Clark and Katmai leaving from Homer, our landing here was on the more remote Hickerson Lake. We had about 30 minutes on the ground before heading off to Katmai.
What to do:
Since we landed on a remote lake, we didn’t have many “to-do” options. Getting a flight-seeing tour on the way in to the park is an experience in itself. Bear sightings are common, although we only saw one briefly as we were leaving. Landing in Port Alsworth would give you the option to go to the visitor center and even do some hiking. Fishing and rafting are options as well. Reminder that everything in Alaska is weather dependent!
Where to stay:
Depending on where you are catching your air taxi from, you have a number of options. We flew out of Homer and stayed at the Aspen Suites. There are actually a few lodging options inside the park for those who have more time and a deep budget.
Katmai National Park
Bear Safety Briefing
Bears. Catching. Salmon.
Bear Fight!
How to get here:
Katmai National Park is accessible by floatplane. The park website offers a list of authorized air service providers from various points in AK (Anchorage, Homer, Kenai, etc.). There’s no getting around it – getting to these remote parks is expensive. Since we opted for a day trip that included both Lake Clark and Katmai leaving from Homer, our landing here was on the more remote Hickerson Lake. We had about 30 minutes on the ground before heading off to Katmai.
What to do:
Once you land in Katmai, usually on Lake Brooks, you’re immediately greeted by a ranger who gives you a safety talk about bears. After that, most people head right to the Brooks Falls viewing area. What we didn’t know before going was that there is usually a wait to get on to the infamous platform. Like a restaurant, you arrive and put your name on a list and you get a buzzer to alert you when it’s your time. There is a secondary platform a little further down the river where you can wait and still get in some bear viewing. Once you get on to the main platform, you get exactly 30 minutes.
Where to stay:
Depending on where you are catching your air taxi from, you have a number of options. We flew out of Homer and stayed at the Aspen Suites. There are actually a few lodging options inside the park for those who have more time and a deep budget.
Kenai Fjords National Park
Visitor Center in Seward
Harding Icefield Trail
Ferry Tours
How to get here:
Kenai Fjords National Parks is accessible by car. The drive is approximately 2 1/2 hours south of Anchorage via AK-1 and State Hwy 9. You can also take the Coastal Classic train on the Alaska Railroad, which we’d highly recommend if you have the option. During our time in Alaska we traveled 4 sections of the Alaska Railroad, and this was by far the most scenic.
What to do:
The most common activity in Kenai is to take a ferry tour. Most are operated by Major Marine Tours. We opted for the shorter tour because we wanted more time to explore Seward and get on the hiking trails. But most people opt for the longer tour so you can get around to Aialik Bay to see the famous rock stacks in the bay.
But enough about the ferry. Do NOT miss the opportunity to hike in this park. The Harding Icefield trail quickly made it in to my list of top 5 hikes of all time. In fact, the main cover photo for this website was taken there.
Where to stay:
There are a number of lodging options in Seward. After extensive research, we decided to splurge for the Harbor360. One of the priciest options in the area, but close proximity to the train station. And also the hub for Major Marine tours. If you want to see the view, check out this nifty Seward Harbor webcam.
Denali National Park
The Denali Tour Bus
Mt. Healy Overlook Trail
Obligatory Sign Picture
How to get here: Denali National Park is accessible by car. You can drive from either Anchorage (4 hours) or Fairbanks (2 1/4 hours). We took the Denali Star Train on the Alaska Railroad from Anchorage. It was a beautiful route, and we got to see Denali on the way (which we’re told is very rare). The train drops you off right near the visitor center and main park area.
What to do:
-Denali is tricky (or at least has been since 2021). There is one main road that goes all the way through the park that is about 89 miles long. Personal vehicles are only allowed to drive in as far as Mile 15. So, the park offers a bus system to take you all the way in.
-Unfortunately there was major damage to the road, and currently the buses are only going as far as Mile 43. We still chose to go knowing this. But I would go back just to be able to go all the way to Wonder Lake, I’m sorry we missed it.
-Doing a ‘helicopter that lands on a glacier tour’ is the #1 most recommended thing to do in Denali, and pretty much all of Alaska. There are only a few companies authorized to do it: https://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/flightseeing.htm. We didn’t do this b/c it’s crazy expensive, and we hiked on to a glacier in Wrangell St. Elias. If you drive from Anchorage to Denali, stop in Talkeetna to do this. The companies that fly from there are less expensive.
-Another popular thing to do is to see the sled dogs, but we skipped that to hike instead.
Where to stay:
-In our attempt to save $ we stayed at The Grande Denali Lodge. It was what all the reviews say – A ‘motel 6’ with a pretty exterior. If you want something nicer, definitely splurge for the $400+ per night options. Just confirm that they have a shuttle to take you in to the park if you don’t have a car.
There ARE lodges farther inside the park, but most have not been operational since they are beyond Mile 43.
Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Driving McCarthy Road
Kennicott Glacier Lodge
Hiking On A Glacier
How to get here:
-WSE is accessible by car from Anchorage… BUT: The route takes you down a (mostly) unmaintained dirt road. Most rental car companies will not allow you to take their vehicles here, but you can rent from specific 4×4 places that rent for this specific purpose.
-WSE is also accessible by plane. Many people will drive to Chitina and use Wrangell Mountain Air to fly in to McCarthy. You skip the ‘nerve wracking’ drive, and also get a flight-seeing tour of the park from the air.
-We rented a 4×4 (using Turo) and did the drive b/c we wanted the adventure. It was fun, but I’d fly next time if we went back.
What to do:
-Do the Kennecott Mine Tour
-Do the hike on Root Glacier (tour companies available with guides, we used St. Elias Alpine guides. They will provide you with spikes, and lunch if you do the full day option). A major bucket-list experience, highly recommend.
-Ice climbing is also an option, but we didn’t do it.
-There are a couple hikes you can do. We chose Bonanza Mine, which was probably the hardest, most challenging hike we’ve ever done. Sadly it wasn’t a great weather day so we didn’t even get the full view at the top.
Where to stay:
-The Kennecott Lodge is the best option in the area, but it’s still pretty old, simple, and basic. But nicely done for what it is. They offer meal packages, which is super convenient given the remote-ness of the area. Definitely upgrade to a room with private a private bathroom. We did not, and regretted it.
Other notes:
-Our guide told us that 2 weeks before we arrived the mosquitoes were so bad they were all wearing face nets. Somehow we got lucky and didn’t have that issue at all, but be prepared for that.
Kobuk Valley & Gates Of The Arctic National Parks
*These are probably the two most remote, difficult to reach National Parks in the country. We didn’t actually make it here due to time and budget constraints 🙁 But here are the notes I made while planning:
How to get here:
-Gates of the Arctic is only accessible by hiking or flying in. From Fairbanks you can fly to Bettles, Anaktuvuk Pass, or Coldfoot, and then take an air taxi from there. Coldfoot is *technically* accessible by car via the Dalton Highway from Fairbanks, but it is said to be unpaved, industrial, and does not have any services.
–Golden Eagle was especially helpful when I called, but they were booked over a year in advance.
–Kobuk is only accessible via air taxi. From Kotzbue (you can fly here from Anchorage) or from Bettles (you can fly here from Fairbanks).
What to do:
-GAAR has visitor centers and/or ranger stations in Anaktuvuk Pass, Coldfoot, and Bettles.
-Most people do ‘flightseeing tours’ of these parks, due to their remote locations and lack of official trails inside the parks.
-Kobuk is known for the caribou herds, and the sand dunes.
-You can also arrange to camp, fish, or hunt.
Where to stay:
-We were attempting to do a flightseeing tour that took us to both parks, but it was pretty pricey. Most people do each park separately and stay in Kotzebue and then Coldfoot or Bettles.
Other notes:
-Both parks are in the Arctic Circle
-If you are able to drive from Fairbanks, the official “Arctic Circle” sign is at Milepost 115 of the Dalton Highway
