Alaska and California are the only two states in America with eight national parks each, a staggering number when compared to the rest of the country. Remote, pristine and full of wildlife, Alaska's national parks provide numerous activities such as hiking, backpacking, rafting, kayaking, moose and brown bear viewing, hunting, fishing and mountaineering.
About 240 miles north of Anchorage, Denali National Park covers 6 million acres, with a single 92 mile long road its only entry point. Denali National Park opens every spring based on weather, but road plowing into the park usually starts in March for mid-April park access. Entrance fees are per person or per vehicle, with each providing a 7-day pass to the park. Popular activities in the park include backpacking, mountaineering, hiking and hunting. Six visitor centers provide education and information to Denali visitors, and the park, formerly known as Mount McKinley National Park, is named for the 600-mile long mountain range that includes Denali, meaning "the high one."
Denali National Park & Preserve
P.O. Box 9
Denali Park, Alaska 99755
(907) 683-2294
Located in Bettles, Gates of the Arctic National Park can only be reached via the river crossing at Anaktuvuk Pass. The park is open year round, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and is closed on holidays. Admittance into the park is free, and the environment is one of remote, primitive wilderness. Common activities include backpacking, camping, hiking and birding. The central Brooks range, which houses several species of arctic and subarctic ecosystems, is located within Gates of the Arctic National Park.
Gates of the Arctic National Park
P.O. Box 30
Bettles, AK 99726
(907) 692-5494
West of Juneau, Glacier Bay National Park in Gustavus can only be reached by plane or boat, and many visitors arrive on cruise ships, tour boats or personal watercraft. The park is open year round with limited winter services, and a visitors center with 24-hour exhibits is open from late May to early September. Entrance to the park is free, but permits are required for some activities such as rafting the Tatshenshini and Alsek rivers. The steep glaciers and ice fields of Glacier Bay National Park are the main highlight. Common activities in the park in include touring Glacier Bay by boat, exploring Bartlett Cove, fishing and kayaking.
Glacier Bay National Park
P.O. Box 140
Gustavus, AK 99826-0140
(907) 697-2230
Katmai National Park, located in King Salmon, is about 290 air miles southwest of Anchorage and on the peninsula of Alaska opposite Kodiak Island. Access to the park is limited to boats or float planes. The park is open year round, with the best time for bear viewing occurring from July to September. There is no fee to enter the park, and the most popular activity is brown bear watching, as Katmai is one of the best viewing spots for this bear in the world. Over 2,000 brown bears can be seen in the park, with most sightings occurring at Brooks Falls or Brooks River.
Katmai National Park
P.O. Box 7
King Salmon, Alaska 99613
(907) 246-3305
Located in Seward in the south-central area of Alaska, the Kenai Fjords National Park is accessible via Seward Highway, a National Scenic Byway. The park is open year round except for the Exit Glacier road in the winter and parts of the coastal back country from late fall through early spring. Public-use cabins require a fee and reservations, but access to the park and camping are free. Common activities include hiking, boat tours, fishing, mountaineering and winter activities such as ice climbing, snowmobiling and moose spotting. The highlights of this park include Harding Icefield, which contains over 38 glaciers.
Kenai Fjords National Park
P.O. Box 1727
Seward, Alaska 99664
(907) 422-0500
A remote area with no public access roads, Kobuk Valley National Park can only be entered from Kotzebue or Bettles via air taxi, by snowmobile or on foot. Open year round, the park's arctic climate from October to April can deter guests, and snow and freezing temperatures can occur year round. There are no entrance fees, and popular activities include boating, camping, hiking, backpacking, fishing and rafting. Features of the park include the Baird Mountains, Kobuk Sand Dunes and the 61 mile long Kobuk River.
Kobuk Valley National Park
PO Box 1029
Kotzebue, AK 99752
(907) 442-3890
Lake Clark National Park is only accessible by small aircraft or air taxi, with a one- to two-hour flight from Anchorage, Kenai or Homer to reach the furthest points of the park. The most popular time to visit the park is from June to September, although the park is open year round. Camping does not require reservations, and there are no entrance fees to the park. Once in the park, you can enjoy rafting, kayaking, hunting, fishing, backpacking and hiking. Beautiful features of Lake Clark National Park include volcanoes, glaciers, rivers and waterfalls.
Lake Clark National Park
240 West 5th Avenue Suite 236
Anchorage, AK 99501
(907) 644-3626
Located in the south central region of Alaska in Copper Center, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park is accessible via Highway 4 and the Tok Cutoff. The park is open 24 hours a day, as there are no entrance stations or gates. June through mid-September is the most popular visiting time, as most stations in the area shut down in the winter. There is no fee to enter the park, and popular activities within the park include hunting, sea kayaking, fishing, hiking and river trips. Wrangell-St.Elias National Park is the largest national park in the United States and houses Mount St. Elias, the second highest mountain in the United States.
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
P.O. Box 439
Copper Center, AK 99573
(907) 822-5234
