list of national parks in alaska

Volcanoes steam, salmon run, bears forage, and craggy mountains reflect in shimmering turquoise lakes. Today, shrinking glaciers bear witness to the effects of our changing climate. Proudly displaying North America‘s tallest mountain and over six million acres of land, Denali is one of Alaska’s most popular national parks. National parks are areas of land designated by the United States for the purpose of preservation and conservation. Alaska’s parks, forests, and refuges are rich and varied. Check out this list of the most popular Alaska national parks in descending order: Glacier Bay National Park. The Anchorage Interagency Visitor Center helps visitors and residents to have meaningful, safe, enjoyable experiences on public lands, and encourages them to sustain the natural and cultural resources of Alaska. Alaska is known for so much more than its extreme temperatures; the state is home to a plethora of glaciers, islands, active volcanoes, forests and majestic wildlife. With very long daylight hours, the period from mid-May to mid-September is ideal, though it's highly recommended to visit between June 15 and July 15 to avoid rain and more unpredictable weather overall. Bering Land Bridge National Preserve lies at the continental crossroads that greatly influenced the distribution of life in the Western Hemisphere during the Pleistocene Epoch. There are 59 national parks in the United States. Alaska, the largest non-contiguous state of the US, and the country’s largest state by total area is home to eight national parks. Most people know that Alaska is extremely cold, but that's only for a few months out of the year. By ... Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve. Additionally, tour guides can help arrange transportation, accommodations and park passes and provide meaningful guided experiences. Alaska's top five most popular parks by visitorship are Glacier Bay, Denali, Kenai Fjords, Wrangell-St. Elias and Katmai. Wrangell-St. Elias is a vast national park that rises from the ocean all the way up to 18,008 ft. At 13.2 million acres, the park is the same size as Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park, and Switzerland combined! The country’s largest national park represents everything that is compelling about Alaska.It is vast—bigger than Switzerland. Denali National Park. epicurean via E+ Collection / Getty Images. Browse through this list of 8 best national parks in Alaska and see it for yourself. This center and three others statewide provide trip-planning, interpretation, and education for all ages. She has spent the last five years traveling the world and living abroad and has lived in South Korea and Israel. Hikers and boaters can see carpets of wildflowers among shrubs containing wisps of qiviut from muskoxen. From the arches of Zion to the geysers of Yellowstone, there are seemingly infinite expanses of protected parks that can be explored within our nation. Those who are planning to visit the parks in Alaska can choose from eight amazing places: Even the most park-savvy travelers of the U.S. might notice some parks on the list that sound unfamiliar, though there are a few that are essentially household names. The following chart provides a list of US National Parks by state. All Alaska's national parks are open year round, but many have limited or no services available during our coldest months. Otherwise, travelers should look up each park's requirements to see what the entrance fees are and whether or not the visit requires a reservation. They have thrived for thousands of years in one of the harshest climates on Earth, hunting the bowhead, or "Agviq." Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. Both states top the list having eight each. Sitka National Historic Park/Totem Park. Chugach State Park. Nearly 40 glaciers flow from the Harding Icefield, Kenai Fjords' crowning feature. Of these, 62 have a national park designation. Hana has been writing about her travel experiences for several years and has been published in print magazines like Travel Ideas and Ensemble Vacations, as well as websites such as Tour Amigo, The Culture Trip, REI, and Orbitz. Alaska. Sugpiaq people relied on these resources to nurture a life entwined with the sea. Venture into the park to become part of the wilderness. Covering 3.3 million acres of rugged mountains, dynamic glaciers, temperate rainforest, wild coastlines and deep sheltered fjords, Glacier Bay National Park is a highlight of Alaska's Inside Passage and part of a 25-million acre World Heritage Site—one of the world’s largest international protected areas. Features of the park include six million acres of untouched terrain, an abundance of wildlife such as grizzlies and caribou and the highest peak in North America at 20,237 feet: Denali. This list includes all units managed by the National Park System, including national parks, national monuments, national historic sites, national battlefields, national preserves, and other related sites. The quiet waters and abundant glaciers of Glacier Bay National Park are a popular cruise ship destination . From sea to summit, Glacier Bay offers limitless opportunities for adventure and inspiration. Caribou, sand dunes, the Kobuk River, Onion Portage - just some of the facets of Kobuk Valley National Park. National Historic Area. Visitors discover intact ecosystems where people have lived with the land for thousands of years. It is a wild and ecologically healthy landscape unlike any other. Camping wherever possible. Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park. There’s exceptional access to five parks in … Visit Kenai Fjords National Park, Denali National Park, and hidden gems in between. The absolute best time to visit Alaska's national parks is during the summer season. The dream of a better life catapulted thousands of people to Alaska and the Yukon Territory. Explore the most popular national parks in Alaska with hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you. The Anchorage Interagency Visitor Center helps visitors and residents to have meaningful, safe, enjoyable experiences on public lands, and encourages them to sustain the natural and cultural resources of Alaska. Having grown up in Florida, I’ve learned a thing or two about my hometown parks. For 9000 years, people came to Onion Portage to harvest caribou as they swam the river. Either taking Inside Passage, a ferry system along the Pacific Coast, or driving on a highway through Canada. © 2020 USATODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, Inc. What Should I Not Miss on My Vacation to Alaska? Katmai National Park and Preserve. The Inupiat continue to use the area today. Meandering west towards Bristol Bay and the Bering Sea, the Alagnak traverses the beautiful Alaska Peninsula, providing an unparalleled opportunity to experience the unique wilderness, wildlife, and cultural heritage of southwest Alaska. While each national park in Alaska has something unique to offer nature enthusiasts, a few parks stick out more than the others. The system contains over 120 units spanning over three million acres (one million two hundred thousand hectares), making it far larger than any other state park system in the United States. Alaska’s most-visited national parks are the ones most accessible from the road system or on a cruise. In all, 24 sites in Alaska are affiliated with the National Park Service in some way, but only eight of those are considered national parks. But, the strongest element will be solitude. Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve: Directions, Noatak National Preserve: Nature & Science, Tongass National Forest: Misty Fjords National Monument Wilderness, Information on Tourist Attractions in Alaska, Alaska Cruises with Land Excursion to Denali National Park, Privacy Notice/Your California Privacy Rights. It is a vital landscape for indigenous communities who depend on the land just as their ancestors did for many generations. Hana LaRock is a freelance content writer from New York, currently living in Mexico. Alaska. One of the most iconic national parks in Alaska, Denali National Park & Preserve is home to North America's tallest peak – 20,310-foot Mount Denali. Not all states have one. Go for a scenic drive through Denali National Park. With 17 national park units and 16 national wildlife refuges, the options may seem limitless. Discover Alaska’s National Parks from the highest mountains to the harshest glaciers, in national parks like Denali, Kenai Fjords, and Wrangell-St. Elias. Established in 1980, Kenai Fjords National Park near the town of Seward, AK has some of the best of Alaska’s National Parks. They are listed below: 8. Wild rivers meander through glacier-carved valleys, caribou migrate along age-old trails, endless summer light fades into aurora-lit night skies of winter. Currently, the United States National Parks have grown in number to 58. Denali National Park. Parks. Hike the Savage River Loop Trail in Denali. There are more National Parks in California and Alaska than any other state. The NPS is controlled by the Department of the Interior and consists of everything from public lands to national forests and national monuments. At 669,000 acres it is a relatively small park by Alaska standards. Independence Mine State Historical Park. World Atlas: How Many National Parks Are There in the United States? Alaska's National Parks. Access 2918 reviews, 510 photos & 590 tips of every rv park & campground in Alaska. However, the most visited park in all of Alaska is not any of these. Alaska's top five most popular parks by visitorship are Glacier Bay… In fact, it's not even considered a national park, though it is affiliated with the NPS. Travelers come here to challenge themselves via strenuous hikes or simply to take a scenic drive. One of Alaska’s most famous parks, Denali National Park shines in the winter season. Alaska has the second-most national parks in the United States by state, following California, which has nine. North of the Arctic Circle, the monument forms 70 miles of shoreline on the Chukchi Sea. Located in Interior Alaska, Yukon-Charley Rivers offers exploration in a largely untouched landscape. #2 of 3 Nature & Parks in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve “ One day, we explored the Forest Trail , Beach Trail, Campground, Tlingit Trail, and Bartlett Lake Trail. Luckily, Anchorage is in the center of it all and offers many ways to enjoy the parks. Promising to change visitors’ experiences and interaction with the wildlife around them, Denali offers 39 documented species of mammals and over 650 species of flowing plants, as well as a generous range of slopes and valleys. On the rooftop of the world, the Iñupiat Heritage Center in Barrow, Alaska, tells the story of the Iñupiat people. These numbers are just a sample of the National Park Service's work. National Park Service: Denali Fees and Passes, National Park Service: Alaska Parks List View, Princess Lodges: Most Popular National Parks Alaska, National Parks Conservation Association: Trivia Challenge – The Most-Visited National Park Site in Alaska. Featuring Simeonof National Wildlife Refuge, Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Togiak National Wildlife Refuge, Tuxedni National Wildlife Refuge, Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Becharof National Wildlife Refuge Katmai was established in 1918 to protect the volcanically devastated region surrounding Novarupta and the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. Travelers along it see the relatively low-elevation taiga forest give way to high alpine tundra and snowy mountains, culminating in North America's tallest peak, 20,310' Denali. There are currently 421 official National Park Service units in the United States, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories as of August 2019. If you were wondering how many national parks in Alaska are worth taking a tour of, there are as many as 10. This rugged, beautiful land is filled with opportunities for adventure. Parks to visit: 8 Duration of journey: Month of August, 2017 (yep, we’re planning way ahead). Whether you float the mighty Yukon River or paddle the Charley River's whitewater, your memories will last a lifetime. During this time of year, temperatures range from 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day, dropping to a refreshing 40 to 50 degrees at night. Alaska Public Lands Anchorage, AK. Today, the park remembers the trails, boomtowns, and stories of the Klondike Gold Rush. The following is a list of the ten least visited national parks through August 2009. National Parks in Alaska Two National Parks in 1 Week An itinerary connecting Kenai Fjords National Park, south of Anchorage, and Denali National Park, to the north, is probably Alaska's most popular land trip for first-time visitors. NPS Photo. By area, Alaska holds more than half of America’s national park lands. This park is Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park, and it's spectacular. Denali. Bering Land Bridge National Preserve. On an island amid towering spruce and hemlock, Sitka National Historical Park preserves the site of a battle between invading Russian traders and indigenous Kiks.ádi Tlingit. Glacier Bay National Park hosts the most visitors of any park in Alaska. Wild River. 1. Here’s a complete list of the national parks in Florida, including everything you need to begin planning your visit.. All 11 of the national parks in Florida are some of the most unique in the country. Here, too, local people and culture still depend on the land and water. Within this wild landscape, people continue to live off the land as they have done for centuries. Detail from our America National Parks map. This thousand-mile-long archipelago saw invasion by Japanese forces, the occupation of two islands; a mass relocation of Unangax^ civilians; a 15-month air war; and one of the deadliest battles in the Pacific Theater. Those who want to see the beauty of Alaska but don't have time to see it all can choose a few key places and activities to partake in: Alaska's national parks can be visited independently; however, many people choose to go with a tour to get the most of the experience. It is located near the town of Seward and the Harding Icefield (one of US’ largest ice fields) is its most prominent feature. The headwaters of Alagnak Wild River lie within the rugged Aleutian Range of neighboring Katmai National Park and Preserve. Headlines screamed "Gold!" Get a closer look at what this state has to offer than by visiting 's. 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