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NATURAL ATTRACTION

Vast and varied, Alaska’s national parks promise adventure at every turn

Imagine spotting the peak of Mt. McKinley on a crystal clear day or being within mere feet of a grizzly bear (from the safety of a tour bus). It could easily be you, on a visit to one of Alaska's spectacular national parks. Majestic mountain peaks, glistening glacial expanses, magnificent wildlife roaming free--the seemingly endless natural wonders of this great state come alive.

“The parks represent the sweep of American history and natural abundance, and are as varied as they are vast.” says John Quinley, spokesman for the Alaska Region of the National Park Service, which oversees 15 national parks covering 51 million acres, or 13 percent of the state's total 375 million acres. They offer plenty of action, from ranger-led hikes and educational programs to camping, backpacking and boating adventures. 

Like spotting the “big five” of Alaska wildlife (caribou, Dall sheep, moose, grizzly bears, and wolves), experiencing at least one of Alaska’s glorious national parks is a highlight of any visit. Here are five of the best:

WONDER ON THE WATER. Perhaps no other location in Alaska is better known than Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, a water-focused marvel.

Glacier Bay is the result of a rapidly receding glacier. A 1794 survey crew described the bay as a 5-mile indent. By the time the great naturalist, John Muir, measured it in 1879, the bay had grown to 30 miles — and it’s about 65 miles today. Glacier Bay was declared a national monument in 1925 and was designated as a national park in 1980.

About one-fifth of the park is actually water and most visits involve the water and marine life (whether from a large cruise ship , a small boat or a kayak). Many visitors also enjoy camping, hiking and mountaineering in some sections of the park, which features pristine coastal beaches and snow-capped mountain ranges towering more than 15,000 feet.

Wildlife includes endangered humpback whales, threatened Stellar sea lions, harbor seals, and sea otters.

NATURE’S BOUNTY. An Alaska cornucopia can be explored at Kenai Fjords National Park, which is comprised of three remarkably varied sections: the coastal fjords, where tidewater glaciers meet the sea; the immense Harding Icefield; and a newly emerging rainforest.

The easiest section to visit is Exit Glacier, with a half-mile-wide river of ice and the new Kenai Fjords Nature Center. The huge Harding Ice Field measures more than 700 square miles and is the largest of four remaining U.S. ice fields completely within U.S. borders.

PEAK EXPERIENCE. In a state of national park superlatives, Denali National Park & Preserve tops them all. Denali is literally the high point of a visit, thanks to towering peaks including the challenging Mt. McKinley, North America’s highest summit at 20,320 feet.

Activities in this expansive park are almost as endless as the views. Bus tours, bike rides, or long walks down the 90-mile Denali Park Road are quite popular. Other options include hiking, camping, rafting, fishing and flightseeing. World-class wildlife watching is part of a visit to the subarctic ecosystem that is home to grizzly bears, wolves, Dall sheep and moose.

SIZE MATTERS. When it comes to sheer size, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve reigns. At more than 13 million acres--larger than Rhode Island and Vermont combined--it’s the largest national park.

It's not visited nearly as frequently as many others, probably because of its rugged nature. The trails are unmarked, its travel services and facilities are limited, and visitor access into the sprawling park is via two gravel roads: the 42-mile Nabesna Road traversing the northern portion, and the 60-mile McCarthy road running directly into the heart of Wrangell-St. Elias. Best bets include a drive along one of the two roads, a visit to the old mining town of Kennecott, flightseeing, hiking, biking, and lots of wildlife viewing.

GREAT GETAWAY. As one of the most remote national parks in the nation, Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve is accessible mainly by air taxi from Fairbanks. Hardy hikers often walk in from Dalton Highway, which reaches to within five miles of the park. The park has no roads or facilities within it, but park officials say Gates of the Arctic is home to about 1,500 Native Alaskans who maintain a subsistence-level way of life while continuing long-held cultural traditions.

Visitors to the Gates of the Arctic are rewarded with pristine wilderness. Life the other national parks, it gives an awe-inspiring sense of the spirit of the Great Land.

FIVE TO TRY NOW

GLACIER BAY NATIONAL PARK & PRESERVE
Location: Southeast Alaska near Gustavus
Size: 3.3 million acres

KENAI FJORDS NATIONAL PARK
Location: South-central Alaska near Seward
Size: 669,983 acres

DENALI NATIONAL PARK & PRESERVE
Location: Interior Alaska, near Healy and Cantwell (240 miles north of Anchorage and 125 miles south of Fairbanks)
Size: More than six million acres

WRANGELL-ST. ELIAS NATIONAL PARK & PRESERVE
Location: Eastern portion of interior Alaska, along the Canadian border
Size: More than 13 million acres

GATES OF THE ARCTIC NATIONAL PARK & PRESERVE
Location: In the Brooks Range, the northernmost mountain range in the country.
Size: 8.5 million acres