| Posted in: National Parks of Alaska, Planning
Thinking About Taking An Alaska National Parks Tour?
Why We Love National Parks In Alaska
While there are 63 National Parks in the United States, individuals rarely take the time to visit the remote locations or parks and they have no idea what they are missing out on! So why make Alaska’s National Parks part of your next visit to Alaska? The reasons are endless, and while biased, we can confidently say the experiences are hard to rival in the rest of the United States.
Learn about our 14-day inclusive National Parks of Alaska tour featuring parks, wildlife, and culture here.
How Many National Parks Are In Alaska?
A cliché statement in the sports world says 8 is great. But in the case of Alaska’s National Parks, this statement could not be more accurate! In my opinion, Alaska holds some of the 8 greatest National Parks in the entire United States. It is simply up to the visitor to take the time and financial resources to visit them. Many of these park locations are so remote, they require special aircrafts, boats or have limited accessibility into. For those that make the investment in time and money, the result includes dramatic backdrops of scenery, the limited ability to elbow through crowds and some of the most magnificent wildlife found in the world.
List Of National Parks In Alaska:
- Denali National Park & Preserve
- Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve
- Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve
- Katmai National Park & Preserve
- Kenai Fjords National Park
- Kobuk Valley National Park
- Lake Clark National Park & Preserve
- Wrangell St. Elias National Park & Preserve
What’s The Largest National Park In Alaska?
Many people do not know that Alaska’s Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve is the largest National Park in Alaska at a whopping 13.2 million acres.
Best National Parks In Alaska
Picking the “best” National Park in Alaska is a hard thing to do because all 8 National Parks are so diverse and different from one another. We’ll let you decide which park is the best once you’ve taken an Alaska National Parks tour to experience them. In the meantime, here’s a bit of information about each park.
Learn About Alaska’s National Parks
All of our Alaska itineraries visit at least one National Park, if not two. Here at John Hall’s Alaska we love National Parks and see why so many other people do as well.
Denali National Park & Preserve
The vast expanse of Denali National Park is a haven for wildlife, big and small. Spanning six million acres, it offers a unique opportunity to observe wild animals across diverse landscapes, from high alpine tundra to lowland taiga forests. Home to Denali, the highest peak in North America, the park is renowned for its iconic wildlife including moose, caribou, bears, and wolves.
For those seeking an accessible adventure in Alaska, Denali National Park stands out as one of the most popular and easily visitable national parks in the region. With its well-maintained trails and roadways, visitors can explore the rugged wilderness without needing extensive backcountry experience.
Furthermore, Denali National Park offers a range of recreational activities for visitors to enjoy. Hiking, backpacking, camping, and wildlife viewing are popular activities in the park. For a more thrilling experience, visitors can also embark on a guided mountaineering expedition to summit Denali. Other exciting activities include whitewater rafting, dog sledding, and helicopter tours.
Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve
Jaw dropping scenery awaits as you explore this beautiful park. Upon landing, expect to be surprised by the beauty and peace of the Brooks Range of Alaska. This particular park may make you feel like you have landed on the moon. As another that is extremely remotely located, for those that take the time to experience this vast land, they are sure to leave with a new appreciation.
Visitors may choose to arrive out of Fairbanks for a day trip. Most of this is area is so remotely located or small, it is only accessible by small aircraft. And for those that do, the opportunities are endless. Day visitors experience the National Parks Visitor Center, beautiful rivers and take in the Athabascan culture while learning about the significance of the Caribou migration. Some may choose to float and camp a river while others take adventure to the next level with hiking among the wildlife and mountains.
Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve
Glacier Bay National Park remains one of the two most visited parks in the great state of Alaska. Whether by large cruise vessel, independent travel or even a small vessel hugging the coastal shoreline for wildlife, there isn’t an experience in Glacier Bay National Park that isn’t memorable. A regulated amount of visitors is eligible to travel into the park on a daily basis and if you’re one of the lucky few each day, the glaciers, wildlife and white thunder (as known by the original people calling the land home – Huna Tlingit) will stop visitors in their tracks.
While several large cruiselines serve Glacier Bay, there are several other ways to visit Glacier Bay National Park. Individuals may fly into the local town of Gustavus on a commercial aircraft and overnight at one of the many bed and breakfast accommodations, some even with ties of homesteading. A small, day vessel operates out of Glacier Bay Lodge, approximately 11 miles from Gustavus. Other options include smaller vessels such as overnight through private cruise companies or multi day vessels such as with John Hall’s Alaska. Every type of experience provides something unique to the park experience.
Kenai Fjords National Park
For the extreme experience, guests are recommended to visit by private day vessel out of Seward, Alaska. Located on Alaska’s playground, the marine wildlife includes a variety of species of whales, birds and even mammals hugging the water and mountains. With the home to 13 major tidewater or hanging glaciers, the rugged and jagged mountains will hug your vessel as you visit these nature wonders formed thousands of years ago. A National Park build for any age, activity and especially for families.
Whether it’s a day vessel or a small vessel to one of the remote lodges located around the boundaries of Kenai Fjords National Park, spending time in this National Park is the second most accessible in Alaska but also the most diverse experience available and a budget friendly price point.
Kobuk Valley National Park
Kobuk National Park is the least visited National Park of Alaska and often times, the most challenging to get to. However, for those who take the time to experience the park, it is sure to be filled with once in a lifetime memories and surprises. After a commercial flight to the town of Kotzebue, the largest remaining population of In, guests will travel via small aircraft approximately an hour and half to Kobuk National Park covering the lands, mountains, rivers and woods deep in the heart of Alaska. Once there, the guests land on the beautiful sand dunes created thousands of years ago hidden in the heart of Alaska. This gem is tucked in between rivers and forests.
Whether you step out of the aircraft for a short time or choose to be one of the adventurous ones to camp on the dunes, wildlife will be plentiful. Keep your eyes open for moose and bear however one might even be surprised with wolf.
Return to Kotzebue to take in the rural Alaska lifestyle and to take in a new appreciation of the culture, sustainable living or love of the land and state shared by the locals.
Katmai National Park & Preserve
With a reputation that proceeds itself, Katmai National Park is home to thousands of bears with one goal – waiting for the salmon run to feast on the most luxurious meal they have waited for in months. This experience provides visitors with an understanding of how residents live among the bears lifestyle. Instead of a forceful takeover, Alaskan’s embrace the wildlife throughout the state, which visitors experience firsthand as thousand-pound Grizzley bears stake claim among each other for the best spot in the river. Moms and cubs playfully entertain visitors while the National Park provides education and safety to the visitors, understanding rightfully so, we are in the bears environment and must fully respect that.
However what’s most surprising is the captivating beauty that exists in the travels to and from combined with the stories of the locals on why they value Katmai National Park so much. Visitors may choose to arrive through a day flightseeing trip out of Anchorage, through a ferry with service out of local King Salmon or by overnighting at one of the local lodges, one of which is tucked right in the heart of Katmai National Park.
Lake Clark National Park & Preserve
Nestled in a remote corner of Southwest Alaska, Lake Clark National Park & Preserve is a hidden tapestry of pristine wilderness, attracting adventurous visitors with its stunning natural landscapes and unique wildlife experiences. Only accessible by boat or small aircraft, this secluded wonderland promises a captivating Alaskan adventure far from the beaten path.
A treasure trove of natural beauty, Lake Clark National Park & Preserve offers an unspoiled environment where the tumultuous roar of volcanoes and the gentle babbling of mountain streams provide the soundtrack to an array of visual marvels.
Wrangell St. Elias National Park & Preserve
In the vast wilderness of Alaska, Wrangell St. Elias National Park & Preserve stands as a monument to the rugged beauty and untamed spirit of the north. This park is not just a destination; it’s an odyssey into the heart of nature’s splendor. Here, adventurers and solitude seekers alike will find a sanctuary where the threads of history, geology, and extreme landscapes weave an epic tapestry.
This park largest unit in the U.S. National Park System and boasts breathtaking high peaks and massive glaciers. From the towering Mount St. Elias at 18,008 feet to the shores of the Gulf of Alaska, Wrangell-St. Elias offers a truly stunning natural experience.
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve is a vast expanse of untouched wilderness covering over 13 million acres. This makes it larger than the country of Switzerland! It was established as a national park in 1980 to protect its diverse ecosystem and cultural heritage.
Overview: Thinking About Taking An Alaska National Parks Tour?
In closing, we urge visitors to take the time and resources. If this is truly a once in a lifetime experience to visit Alaska, see what makes Alaska so unique. A large part of that includes the diversity in experiences of these beautiful lands. Many will come with incredible surprises such as the local residents, Alaska’s Indigenous Cultures and a level of appreciation for the breathtaking, yet peaceful scenery, covering this beautiful state.
Let us help you plan an adventure of a lifetime! Learn more about our National Parks of Alaska tour here.