This summer, my trip to south-central Alaska and Kenai Fjords National Park left me eager to see more of the state’s incredible landscapes. As a travel writer, as soon as I got home I did what I do best: I started researching more must-see destinations by surfing National Park Service websites and reading online forums.
If Alaska’s epic landscape and wildlife have you dreaming of wild, rugged, and wide-open spaces, here are some of the most beautiful places to put on your bucket list.
Some are so remote that they are only accessible by bush planes. But don’t let that stop you.
Kenai Fjords National Park
Northwest Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park / Ashlee with a piece of iceberg
I’m starting this list with places you can drive to. If you’re from the Lower 48, fly into Anchorage and rent a car. From Anchorage you can drive two and a half hours south towards the Kenai Peninsula, to the small town of Seward.
About 20 minutes from Seward, national park enthusiasts can drive to a small parking lot and take a short day hike to see the famous Exit Glacier. For a strenuous 8.2-mile hike, head to the Harding Icefield. Both trails can be accessed from the Exit Glacier Nature Center parking lot.
If you have more time, I recommend cruising the park all day with Kenai Fjords Tours to see glaciers, fjords, whales, and more. I did the tour that went all the way to the Northwest Glacier, and it was one of the most memorable trips of my life.
Denali National Park and Preserve
Blueberry Hill overlooking Mount Denali
Four to five hours north of Anchorage (depending on road conditions and traffic), Denali National Park and Preserve is home to the tallest mountain in the US, Denali, which stands at an elevation of 20,000 feet.
June to early September are the best months to visit if you want to see large wildlife such as moose and bears. You also have a better chance of seeing the mountain and not hiding in the clouds.
Only a small part of the road through the park is accessible to private vehicles. Plan a summer bus tour and stay in cozy accommodations near the park to see more.
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve
Root Glacier in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
The first time I visited Wrangell-St. Elias National Park was on Discovery Channel’s “Edge of Alaska” (2014 – 2017). It’s a reality TV show about the people who live in the small town of McCarthy, near Kennecott.
Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark is the most visited part of this park. You can take a tour of the ghost town. If you like hiking, book a guided tour to Root Glacier.
Wrangell-St. Elias is also the largest national park in the US. The National Park Service says it is the size of Yellowstone, Yosemite and Switzerland combined and has one of the largest concentrations of glaciers in the world. So there’s more to the park than Kennecott.
From Anchorage it is about a seven to eight hour drive to the Kennecott area.
Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve
Gates of the Arctic National Park
Visiting the Gates of the Arctic requires planning, as there are no roads leading into the park. It is known as one of the last remote places on earth; fewer than 10,000 people visit it annually. Backpacking and air travel are popular activities there. The Arrigetch Peaks of the Brooks Range are iconic.
To reach the park, you can fly from Fairbanks to one of the small communities (Bettles or Anaktuvuk Pass) or drive north to Coldfoot on the Dalton Highway.
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
Margerie Glacier in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska.
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve can only be reached by plane or boat. You’ll see some of the most spectacular landscapes in the world: sparkling blue glaciers, chunks of clear icebergs and snow-capped mountains. You may also see spouting humpback whales and fishing brown bears on the coast.
If you’re not traveling by cruise ship, plan a day cruise on a catamaran. Glacier Bay Lodge is the only hotel in the park.
Katmai National Park and Preserve
Brown bear tries to catch salmon in the Brooks River
When I think of Alaska, I often think of huge brown bears standing in a river trying to catch fish jumping out of waterfalls – Katmai National Park is that place. Photographers and nature lovers flock during the summer months to watch the bears fishing along the Brooks River.
Katmai National Park is not accessible by car and only by plane or boat. If you want to see the brown bears, stay at the Brooks Lodge. You get there by seaplane. There is a lottery to stay at the lodge.
Don’t miss a scenic flight to the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes.
Kobuk Valley National Park
Kobuk Valley National Park
Kobuk Valley National Park in northwest Alaska calls to those looking for an off-the-grid experience backpacking or paddling the Kobuk River. Bears, wolves and caribou are some of the big game species you may encounter during your visit. The park has no roads or campsites, so the best way to get there is by bush plane.
The Great Kobuk Sand Dunes are one of the park’s highlights for adventure seekers. They are the northernmost dunes in the world, located 80 kilometers from the Arctic Circle.
Lake Clark National Park and Preserve
An Alaskan brown bear in Lake Clark National Park
Lake Clark National Park is known for its scenic mountain views, coastal meadows, pristine lakes and streams, and coastline. Witness the volcanoes and glaciers. It is also the headwaters of one of the largest salmon runs in the world.
To reach the park you have to take an air taxi. You can go hiking in Port Alsworth, raft on one of the scenic national rivers, or spot bears along the Cook Inlet coast of Chinitna Bay. If you love the outdoors, plan to spend a week here; there is much to discover off the beaten track.
