Kobuk Valley National Park was proclaimed a national monument 01 Dec 1978, and established as a national park 02 Dec 1980. Furthermore, you can access the Yukon River along other roadways in Alaska and Canada, such as the Dalton and Top-of-the-World highways. Most visitors arrive in Skagway on cruise ships. I’ve been dying to go to Gates of the Arctic ever since I saw a NatGeo special on it years ago!! One day, I hope to see them all. Alaska's National Parks. Okay, we admit our list of best national parks for kids is a matter of opinion. How to Get There: Kenai Fjord is one of the few national parks in Alaska you can drive to. But our opinion is based on a few key facts about summer vacations in the great outdoors. In the years since, America has amassed a total of 62 national parks, from the northern reaches of Alaska to the waters of the Florida Keys. They were formed during two periods of glaciation when large tracts of ice compounded rock to sand and left the remnants. Another popular access point is Bettles, also serviced by daily flights from Fairbanks. Connect with other national park enthusiasts by joining. Boat tours in the park will take you through the fjords to see wildlife and glaciers, but the best way to reach the remote areas of the park is by kayak. By floating the river, you’ll witness unparalleled beauty. For history lovers, there are 430 places on the National Register of Historic Places along with 634 places on the Heritage Documentation Program. How to Get There: There are no roads to the preserve. While floating down the mighty Yukon, one can’t help but imagine what it must have been like to do the same centuries before. Updates about the NPS response, including safety information, are posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus. It includes the central section of the Kobuk River, the 25-square-mile (40.3 km) Great Kobuk Sand Dunes, and the Little Kobuk and Hunt River and dunes, which were created by the grinding action of ancient glaciers and carried by wind to the valley. Keep in mind that the weather in this region is very unpredictable and makes traveling to Aniakchak extremely difficult. Katmai for the bears catching salmon in the waterfalls. Things to Do: Backpacking, birding, camping, flightseeing. Things to Do: Backpacking, camping, fishing, flight-seeing, floating, hiking, hunting. Gates of the Arctic National Park is easily one of the wildest places I have ever been to. This includes national parks, rivers, monuments, preserves, and historical parks. Getting There: 2.5-hour drive/4-hour train ride south of Anchorage. Where to Stay: There are three hotels in Nome. Get our latest sent right to your inbox. You can also take the Alaska Railroad from Anchorage to Seward. Kenai Fjords National Park is idealistic to every thought we’ve ever had about Alaska—vast glaciers, mountains, blue water and lots of animals define the icy land. Steeped in history, the extremely challenging hike also showcases incredible scenery. Naturalist, hunter, and conservationist, Sheldon first traveled here in 1906 and again in 1907 with a packer and guide named Harry Karstens. In fact, in total, there are 16 national parks in Alaska. How to Get There: Most visitors take an Alaskan cruise through the Inside Passage. Support the villages as much as possible. There are a lot of national parks and they are spread out across 28 states and 2 US territories. You can also visit the Morris-Thompson Cultural Center in Fairbanks or the visitor center in Eagle. Did you know that there are 15 national parks and 24 state parks in Alaska? The preserve interprets the history of this important link and the impacts it has had on our lives today. Things to Do: Fishing, hiking, totem pole viewing, view artists’ works, Where to Stay: Westmark, Aspen Suites, Sitka Hotel, Totem Square, Longliner Lodge, Speak to a Park Ranger: Call (907) 747-0110. Discover Alaska’s National Parks from the highest mountains to the harshest glaciers, in national parks like Denali, Kenai Fjords, and Wrangell-St. Elias. 2.Gates of the Arctic National Park You can also access the park by boat via multiple rivers, though this will also require an initial flight. I just saw a bunch of photos from a work friend’s trip to Denali National Park last summer, the whole area looks amazing. In recent years, Katmai has ‘gone viral’ due to the grizzly bear webcams installed at the Brooks Camp area of the park. Before visiting, please check with individual parks regarding changes to park operations. Gates of the Arctic National Park is located in Central Brooks Range, about 200 miles northwest of Fairbanks, Alaska . This also means that help can be very far away. Things to Do: Backpacking, birding, boating, camping, cycling, fishing, flight-seeing, hiking, mountaineering, mushing, skiing, sled dog kennels, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, stargazing, wildlife viewing, Park Entrance Fee: $15 per person, valid for 7 days, Where to Stay: McKinley Chalet, Denali Bluffs, Grizzly Bear Resort, Grande Denali Lodge, Touch of Wilderness, Speak to a Park Ranger: Call (907) 683-9532. NPS Photo. Alaska Tourism; Alaska Hotels; Alaska Bed and Breakfast; Alaska Vacation Rentals; Alaska Vacation Packages; Flights to Alaska; ... National Parks, Nature & Wildlife Areas, Bodies of Water. One Alaska Native community is located within the boundary of the park, and its residents and those of eight other adjacent communities use the park for subsistence hunting, fishing,trapping, and gathering. Glacier Bay National Park. Parts of the state are also located in rainforest climates, so expect wet conditions and fog. You can also hike to Exit Glacier and Harding Icefield, both located just outside the town of Seward. On my backpacking trip, we saw hundreds of caribou antlers, two wolves (one pictured poorly above), two foxes, long-tailed jaegers, and much more. Things to Do: Backpacking, day tours, fishing, floating, hiking, hunting, mountaineering, wildlife viewing, winter activities, Where to Stay: McCarthy Cabins, Sawing Logzz, Klutina Kate’s, Caribou Cabin, Speak to a Park Ranger: Call (907) 822-5234. Travel options from mid-May through September include scheduled and charter air services, a passenger ferry, cruise ships, tour boats and charter boats. Denali may be one of Alaska’s most popular national parks, but it is certainly worth traveling too. 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. A List of All 62 National Parks in the U.S. Ranked by Their Popularity in 2019, Bear Safety in National Parks: Everything You Should Know. Speak to a Park Ranger: Call (907) 459-3730 or visit the Morris-Thompson Cultural Center in downtown Fairbanks. The town of Kennecott hosted a large copper mining operation, pictured above. Denali National Park is located in southcentral Alaska. 14 reviews. The State Park sys­tem began in 1970 with the cre­ation of De­nali State Park, Chugach State Park and Kachemak Bay State Park, three of the largest and still most pop­u­lar parks in the state sys­tem. Remote Aniakchak National Park Plan Your Visit. Non-Federal Land – 68,143.79 national park. I’m Riley, and I think it’s safe to say that I kind of love national parks. This vast 6 million-acre wilderness also harbors abundant wildlife in a landscape that ranges from lush forests to harsh alpine tundra, with opportunities for: Alaska National Parks. And of course, we’ve also included tips for safety along the way. The park is a sprawling 6 million acre wilderness home to towering mountain peaks, grizzly bears, pristine rivers, and stunning long valleys. Where to Stay: There are no lodges inside the park. Tips for Visiting the National Parks in Alaska, How to Get to the National Parks in Alaska, Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, 10 Local Tips for Visiting Denali National Park to Make Your Trip Spectacular, The Expert Travel Guide to Denali National Park, Travel Guide for Gates of the Arctic National Park, All 62 National Parks Ranked by Popularity, View all posts by Riley (The Parks Expert), Things to Do in Yosemite Valley: The Heart of Yosemite National Park, Olympic National Park Itinerary: How to Spend Three Days in Olympic National Park, 15 of the Best Hikes in Acadia National Park: Exploring Mount Desert Island, 15 Best Hikes in Sequoia National Park That Will Inspire You. Daily flights are available from Anchorage to Kotzebue or Fairbanks to Bettles. Denali Adventure & Exploration. Orientation To Denali National Park Plan your Visit. One day, Riley hopes to visit all 422 national parks. By clicking on or navigating the site, you agree to allow us to collect information using cookies. Planes with the appropriate wheels can land directly on the dunes. If you hope to spend more time here, fly or take a ferry to Gustavus. From Anchorage, it is about 2.5 hours to Seward by car. The Alagnak River corridor runs from neighboring Katmai National Park to the Bering Sea along the Alaska Peninsula. Flights to Kotzebue leave daily from Anchorage. “ Beautiful landscape and lots of wildlife (including bears). Where to Stay: Lake Clark maintains multiple public use cabins. 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. The Yukon Quest sled dog race also passes through, utilizing the Slaven’s Roadhouse as a dog drop point and rest stop. Luckily, Anchorage is in the center of it all and offers many ways to enjoy the parks. Gates of the Arctic National Park is located in Central Brooks Range, about 200... 3. Here, you can find evidence of humans dating back 5,000 years. The park had been proclaimed as Wrangell-St. Elias National Monument on 01 Dec 1978. The most beautiful national park trails can become a real drag for both parents and kids during periods of extreme summertime heat. You could see bald eagles, mountain goats, puffins, and a variety of marine life as you travel through the park by boat. Wrangell-St. Elias is the largest national park in the country, and together with Glacier Bay and two Canadian parks, it forms one of the largest internationally protected areas. You never know what to expect on a journey to this untamed land. Some of the Alaska Centers provide park passes for both Interagency Federal Recreation Sites and Alaska State Parks. While getting there remains the biggest challenge, the visit will certainly be rewarding. How to Get There: The visitor center is located at 214 Front St. in Nome. Its main attraction, the 6-mile wide caldera pictured above, formed during a volcanic eruption over 3,500 years ago. This is especially true if you hope to get up-close-and-personal with these ice sheets before it’s too late. When you start visiting the U.S national parks the list of 62 national parks can be daunting. Alaska (8) Denali; Gates of the Arctic; Glacier … Cape Krusenstern National Monument Plan Your Visit . These look amazing! To reach Nome, take a commercial flight from Anchorage. The largest national park in the United States is the size of Maryland. The wilderness that comprises Lake Clark National Park and Preserve is a composite of ecosystems representative of many diverse regions throughout Alaska. Here is a complete list of all the national parks in Alaska, how to reach them, things to do there, and more. 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2020 list of alaska national parks