Here’s an overview of what you need to know.
Alaska’s 4 Most Popular And Accessible Parks
Alaska’s most-visited national parks are the ones most accessible from the road system or on a cruise. They have convenient accommodations nearby and well-developed tours that make exploring easier for the casual visitor.
Denali National Park
Getting There: 5-hour drive/8-hour train ride from Anchorage; 3-hour drive/4-hour train ride from Fairbanks.
Time: At least 3 days: 2 to get there and back, and another to explore the park.
How to do it: Personal vehicles aren’t allowed past the 15-mile mark of the 93-mile park road. Plan to take a bus tour, because you’ll want to go farther than that. Tours range from 6.5–13 hours round-trip, and offer the spectacle of endless vistas, glorious peaks, and of course the chance to see wildlife like brown bear, moose, caribou, Dall sheep, and moose. Or ride the park shuttle bus, which lets you hop on and off to hike. This option often makes you feel like you have Denali to yourself, you may not even see another person until the bus comes back to pick you up. Another option: overnight at a campground or backcountry lodge. Whichever you choose, Denali makes it easy to feel like you’re in remote Alaska. See all park tours.
Kenai Fjords National Park
Getting There: 2.5-hour drive/4-hour train ride south of Anchorage.
Time: You can do a long day trip from Anchorage, but try to allot two days.
How to do it: A day cruise is the most popular way to see the park: You’ll find calving glaciers, steep cliffs along the shoreline, seabirds, and chances to spot whales and other marine mammals. If you have more than a day, a multi-day small boat or yacht cruise allows you to really experience the area. You can kayak from the boat, linger in front of glaciers, and go ashore for hikes. The only part of the park you can get to by car is Exit Glacier. Walk right up to its face, or plan a longer hike to overlook the vast Harding Ice Field. See all park tours.
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
Getting There: To the town of McCarthy inside the park, it’s about a 7-hour drive from Anchorage and a 9-hour drive from Fairbanks
Time: At least 3 days: 2 to get there and back, and another to explore the park.
How to do it: You have 2 route options—both primitive. First is the more popular McCarthy Road, which takes you to the charming community of McCarthy. Walk across the footbridge (no vehicles allowed in town), and there’s typically a shuttle a shuttle to Kennicott —a thriving mining town abandoned long ago. In addition to touring the mine, popular activities include guided glacier hikes, flightseeing, and rafting. Your second option to reach the national park is via the Nabesna Road, on the park’s north edge, a 42-mile journey where you may not see another soul. Also a mining road, the Nabesna follows a valley between two mountain ranges, with some trails and a campground along the way. Stop to fish in the lakes, hike up a volcano, and enjoy the panorama of the Wrangells—as entrancing a view as any other in the state.
Note: Most rental car companies do not allow their vehicles on these gravel roads. These companies do: Alaska 4x4 Rentals, Alaska Auto Rentals.
Glacier Bay National Park
Getting There: This park may be on your cruise itinerary; if not, you’ll need to fly or ferry to Gustavus (easy to do from Juneau) where you can book a day cruise.
Time: If you’re on your own, spend one day cruising Glacier Bay, and add one or two more days for activities like a ranger-led hike or sea kayaking.
How to do it: Massive, calving tidewater glaciers and marine wildlife are the main draws here. Floating through a sea of small icebergs, you can hear the creaking of active glaciers, with potential for huge chunks of ice to fall splashing into the bay.
Here's a package that includes a visit to 5 of Alaska's National Parks
More Remote Parks
The rest of Alaska’s national parks are accessible by air; some feature lodges that span the range from rustic to luxurious and offer plenty of opportunities for real wilderness exploration. If you’re pressed for time, some parks make for an easy day trip from Anchorage or Fairbanks.
Katmai National Park
Getting There: Floatplane from Anchorage or Homer
Time: Day trip for bear viewing, longer for other Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes
How to do it: Katmai famous for the large brown bears that converge to feed on salmon at Brooks Falls; go in June and July to spend a magical day there. Or stay for a few days and add a tour into the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, site of the 20th-century’s largest volcanic eruption. A 1.5-hour bus ride splashes through creek beds and up to a view over miles of ash stretching toward distant volcanoes. Then hike down 800 feet to the valley floor, where the river has cut a ravine into ash and rock.
Lake Clark National Park
Getting There: Floatplane from Anchorage or Homer
Time: Day trip for bear viewing, longer to stay at a lodge
How to do it: Lake Clark offers bear viewing in an undeveloped area with fewer visitors. Here, coastal brown bears dig for clams or fish for salmon along the shore. Or head inland to visit Dick Proenneke’s hand-built cabin and spend a fascinating day learning how he survived and thrived in the wilderness for decades.
Gates of the Arctic National Park
Getting There: 1.5-hour flight from Fairbanks
Time:
How to do it: Here you’ll find even more remoteness, with no amenities or cell service. The wide-open tundra makes it easy to hike for miles here. Visit the small native village of Anaktuvuk Pass to get a sense of life in the north, or plan a float trip on one of six Wild and Scenic Rivers.
Big-Budget
Other remote national parks and preserves can be challenging to visit, requiring more time, a flexible schedule, and a budget that can cover charter flights and backcountry guides. You’ll find no services of any kind; if you don’t have backcountry experience, we can recommend guides who will take you or show you the ropes so you can go on your own.
Kobuk Valley National Park
Getting There: Charter plane from Kotzebue or Bettles – about $500 round-trip, with another flight into the park adding some $2,600 for 2–3 people.
Time: Can fly in for the day,
How to do it: Kobuk is also situated north of the Arctic Circle. Your reward for the high price tag is truly remote Alaska, and the prospect of seeing caribou migrating from the Brooks Range to the Seward Peninsula, or camping on Arctic sand dunes that can be 200 feet tall.
Go Beyond The National Parks
While the national parks are fantastic, don’t feel like you’re missing the Alaskan experience if you don’t have the chance to visit them. Many preserves, public lands and state parks provide equally wild spaces and spectacular views. For example, Anchorage is nestled along the edge of Chugach State Park, and several convenient trailheads give immediate access to the park. The nearby Chugach National Forest further expands your options: hike to Thunderbird Falls, canoe on Eklutna Lake, go berry-picking, get great views of Anchorage from Flattop Peak, stroll through a temperate rainforest near Girdwood, or walk up to Byron Glacier and search for ice worms.
Visitors to Fairbanks appreciate the Chena River State Recreation Area and its 100 miles of trails and year-round public-use cabins. Snowmachining, skiing, and dogsledding are popular winter pastimes here; canoeing, fishing, and camping are summer highlights.
A short water taxi from Homer, the Kachemak Bay Recreation Area offers backcountry experiences just off the road system. Use the 80 miles of trail to find lakes, ridges, glaciers, valleys, and meadows, with campsites, public-use cabins, and yurts for rent along the way. Wildlife and marine mammals are common, giving you chances to spot bear, moose, whales, and more. A popular destination is Grewingk Glacier, a glacial lake that’s popular for its easy hiking and marvelous views.
And in Southeast Alaska, the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve offers a rare opportunity to see and photograph the world’s largest congregation of bald eagles—up to 3,000 from October to February.
FAQs
How many National Parks in Alaska can you drive to? ›
3 National Parks are accessible by road; Denali, Kenai Fjords, and Wrangell St. Elias. The other 5 require a boat or air taxi.
How many national park lands are in Alaska? ›Within this vast landscape, Alaska hosts 15 national parks, preserves, monuments and national historical parks. Much of this land is protected as wilderness, and altogether these unique landscapes make up about 30 percent of the nation's wilderness areas.
How much of Alaska land is national park? ›National Parks in Alaska
Alaska's most famous and iconic public lands are our national parks. The state is home to about 60% of the United States' total national park lands at 56 million acres. There are 8 national parks in Alaska: Denali National Park & Preserve.
In addition to the 15 national parks, one wild river, and 120 state parks, (including recreation areas, and historic parks), Alaska is home to 16 national wildlife refuges and two national forests. In all, Alaska contains over 322 million acres of public lands.
Which Alaska national parks are not accessible by car? ›Denali National Park and Kenai Fjords National Park are both accessible by train and bus. Kenai Fjords National Park & Glacier Bay National Park can be accessed by cruise ship and ferry.
What is the least visited National Park in Alaska? ›And one Alaska park that was among the least visited in 2021 – Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve – has catapulted out of the list with a 500% increase in visitors, thanks to a more robust return of cruises. But visitation still hasn't reach pre-pandemic levels, Christian said.
What is the largest national park in the US not in Alaska? ›Largest National Park Outside of Alaska: Death Valley is the largest national park outside of Alaska. Largest National Park: The largest national park is Wrangell St. Elias National Park in Alaska at over 20,000 square miles. Wrangell St.
What is the largest national park in Alaska USA? ›The uncontested heavyweight champion of the National Park System is Alaska's Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve. At 13.2 million acres, it's larger than Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park, and Switzerland combined.
What state has the most land for national parks? ›That state with the most national parks is California, with nine of the nation's 61 national parks within its borders. The total acreage of these nine national parks in California is more than 6.3 million acres.
Who owns most land in Alaska? ›As Alaska's largest private landowner, Doyon, Limited boasts an impressive 12.5 million acres of land, which it manages on behalf of its shareholders—the Indigenous peoples of Interior Alaska.
Who owns the majority of land in Alaska? ›
On October 18, 1867, Russia sold Alaska to the United States government. As a result, the federal government owned the Alaska Territory, approximately 373 million acres - about one-fifth the size of the rest of the U.S.
What 5 states have no national parks? ›In fact, 20 states don't have any national parks at all. These include Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
What is the most remote national park in Alaska? ›Gates of the Arctic National Park includes 8.5 million acres of wildlands nearly totally untouched by tourists. This place is so remote that few people visit.
How many of the 63 national parks are in Alaska? ›Join National Park Trips
California has the most with nine, followed by Alaska with eight, Utah with five, and Colorado with four.
Today there are approximately 222 million acres (90 million ha) of federal land in Alaska - that's about 60 percent of the state. And of that vast acreage, there are about 57.5 million acres (23.3 million ha) of designated wilderness, along with some 16.5 million acres (6.7 million ha) of proposed wilderness areas.
What is the easiest National Park in Alaska? ›Denali National Park and Preserve
With six-million acres of breathtaking land, and home to the 20,310 ft. peak of Denali, The Great One, Denali National Park is easily one of the most quintessential Alaska experiences, and one of the easiest parks to get to as it is accessible by road and rail.
Only 20 percent of Alaska is accessible by road. Despite a land mass of 586,412 square miles, Alaska only has 12 numbered highways. This means most of Alaska is wilderness – untamed, untouched wilderness, rare to find anywhere else in the US.
Can you park on the side of the road in Alaska? ›040 Parking not to obstruct traffic. No person may park any vehicle upon a street other than an alley in such manner or under such conditions as to leave available less than ten feet from the center of the roadway for free movement of vehicular traffic.
What is the most untouched national park? ›While not located in the United States, the US territories of American Samoa National Park are arguably the most remote.
What is the most famous park in 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.
What is the easiest national park to visit? ›
Yellowstone National Park, United States
Yellowstone is easily one of the most famous and top-visited parks across the country, making it a great place for beginners to get their feet wet *cough*not in the burning hot waters *cough*.
Delaware is the only state in the country that does not have anational park, national monument, national historic site or anyother unit of the National Park Service.
What is America's smallest national park? ›Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas
Hot Springs is the smallest of the 61 national parks in the country. The Arkansas park is so small – just 5,550 acres – that it could fit into Wrangell-St. Elias National Park nearly 2,400 times.
- Largest: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, AK, at 13.2 million acres.
- Smallest: Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial, PA, at 0.02 acres.
- #10 Glacier National Park. Vistor Spending, 2013: $178.8 million. ...
- #9 Rocky Mountain National Park. Vistor Spending, 2013: $186.1 million. ...
- #2 Denali National Park & Preserve. Vistor Spending, 2013: $513.3 million. ...
- #1 Great Smoky Mountains NP. Vistor Spending, 2013: $734.1 million.
The National Park. Covering an area of 972,000 square kilometres, Greenland's National Park is the world's largest – with approx. 40 inhabitants and high Arctic species of animals. Covering an area of 972,000 square kilometres, Greenland's National Park is the world's largest.
Why is Denali National Park so popular? ›Pristine parkland, magnificent wildlife, and the towering Denali are highlights of this world-famous national park. The granite peaks and snowy summits of Denali National Park and Preserve cover 160 miles of the Alaska Range and are so tall they are often lost in the clouds.
What is America's number 1 national park? ›1. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho.
What state has 1 national park? ›- New River Gorge National Park - December 27, 2020.
- White Sands National Park - December 20, 2019.
- Indiana Dunes National Park - February 15, 2019.
- Gateway Arch National Park - February 22, 2018.
- Pinnacles National Park - January 10, 2013.
Is there any free land left in Alaska? ›
Homesteading ended on all federal lands on Oct. 21, 1986. The State of Alaska currently has no homesteading program for its lands. In 2012, the State made some state lands available for private ownership through two types of programs: sealed-bid auctions and remote recreation cabin sites.
Who owns most land in USA? ›The 2022 Land Report 100, compiled each year by The Land Report magazine, released its annual list of landowners who own the most acres in the United States. The nation's largest private landowners are the Emmerson family in California who own over 2.4 million acres.
Is there any homestead land left in Alaska? ›No. Homesteading ended on all federal lands on October 21, 1986. The State of Alaska currently has no homesteading program for its lands.
Who bought Alaska for 2 cents an acre? ›Edouard de Stoeckl, Russian minister to the United States, negotiated for the Russians. On March 30, 1867, the two parties agreed that the United States would pay Russia $7.2 million for the territory of Alaska. For less that 2 cents an acre, the United States acquired nearly 600,000 square miles.
How much of Alaska is owned by the U.S. government? ›Alaska became a state in 1959. The federal government granted the new state 28% ownership of its total area.
Can you buy land from the state of Alaska? ›The State of Alaska sells land to the public through three different programs: Sealed-Bid Auction, Over- the-Counter (OTC), and Remote Recreational Cabin Sites (RRCS) staking. The following is a brief description of each program to help you understand which is right for you.
How many states have 1 national park? ›How Many States Have National Parks? Twenty-nine states have at least one U.S. National Park. Two territories also have national parks: American Samoa and the United States Virgin Islands.
What is the newest national park? ›The New River in West Virginia may be one of the oldest rivers in the world, but it's also the namesake of America's newest national park: New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.
What US state has the most state parks? ›Which States Have the Most State Parks? California has the most state parks in the country, with 270. There are a total of 3,729 state parks in the United States, with 11 states having more than 100 state parks each.
What is the most deserted place in Alaska? ›Matthew Island. St. Matthew Island is said to be the most remote place in Alaska. Marooned in the Bering Sea halfway to Siberia, it is well over 300 kilometers and a 24-hour ship ride from the nearest human settlements.
What is the most isolated town in Alaska? ›
St. Matthew is a sliver of an island that sits in the Bering Sea nearly 200 miles from any human settlement. It's been described as the most remote place in Alaska.
How many bears are in Denali National Park? ›Black bears and brown grizzly bears inhabit Denali National Park. Research estimates that approximately 300–350 grizzlies roam the north side of the Alaska Range.
Are national parks in Alaska free? ›An entrance pass is not required to access Alaska Public Lands . Other National Park Service sites may require an entrance pass or fee. Depending on your trip plans, an interagency pass may save you money.
Which national park has the tallest trees? ›The Largest Trees in the World - Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (U.S. National Park Service)
Where is the most untouched land? ›In Alaska, the Noatak and Gates of the Arctic Wildernesses (about 13,000,000 acres) make up the largest area of unbroken wilderness. In the lower 48 states, the largest area of unbroken wilderness is found along the Sierra/Nevada crest in California.
What is the most untouched forest in the world? ›In comparison to the world's five largest forests including the Amazon and the Congo, the boreal is the most untouched and offers one of the best opportunities to 'get it right' when it comes to conservation.
What is the deserted town in Alaska? ›Portlock (Sugpiaq: Arrulaa'ik) is a ghost town in the U.S. state of Alaska, located on the southern edge of the Kenai Peninsula, around 16 miles (26 km) south of Seldovia. It is located in Port Chatham bay, from which an adjacent community takes its name.
Can you drive your own car into Denali National Park? ›There is only one road in Denali. Private vehicles can drive a small part of it, but most of the road is open only to bus traffic. Bus trips are available only in summer (mid-May through mid-September).
How far can you drive your own car into Denali National Park? ›Personal vehicles can drive as far as Mile 15 on the Denali Park Road. Past that point, only buses run by outfitters or those run by the National Parks Service have road access.
What is the easiest National Park to get to in Alaska? ›Denali National Park and Preserve
With six-million acres of breathtaking land, and home to the 20,310 ft. peak of Denali, The Great One, Denali National Park is easily one of the most quintessential Alaska experiences, and one of the easiest parks to get to as it is accessible by road and rail.
How much of Alaska is drivable? ›
Only 20 percent of Alaska is accessible by road. Despite a land mass of 586,412 square miles, Alaska only has 12 numbered highways. This means most of Alaska is wilderness – untamed, untouched wilderness, rare to find anywhere else in the US.
What is the best month to visit Denali National Park? ›- Mid-May to Early June. Great time to visit Denali. ...
- June and July. Offers great weather, averaging in the mid-60s and long periods of sunlight. ...
- August to Early September. Offers warm weather temperatures during the day, but chilly at night.
Denali charges an entrance fee year-round. Youth age 15 or younger are free. For people age 16 or older, the $15 entrance fee provides a 7-day entrance permit. Be prepared to show your receipt or pass (digital or physical) if requested by park staff.
Can you see the northern lights in Denali National Park? ›Denali is a great location for viewing the aurora because we are located at a far northern latitude and because there is very limited light pollution.
Can you sleep in your car in Denali National Park? ›Denali has six campgrounds, three of which are open to tent or vehicle camping (RVs, etc) and three of which can only be used by tent campers. Most are open May 20—mid-September, though Riley Creek is open year-round.
Can you see bears in Denali National Park? ›Black bears and brown grizzly bears inhabit Denali National Park. Research estimates that approximately 300–350 grizzlies roam the north side of the Alaska Range. It's thought that the south side has an even higher count thanks to the region's many salmon streams.
Is one day enough for Denali National Park? ›Located far from any airport or large city, Denali is a wilderness park. Reaching the park can take several hours (or even most of a day), so we recommend that you plan a minimum itinerary of 2 nights in the area, which gives you one full day and part of two others.
What is the most untouched National Park? ›While not located in the United States, the US territories of American Samoa National Park are arguably the most remote.
What is the most scenic road in Alaska? ›From Anchorage to the Kenai Peninsula
Head south on the Seward Highway for one of the prettiest coastal drives in the state; it's a designated National Scenic Byway and an All-American Road. There are plenty of pull-offs for photo opportunities, beluga spotting, or hiking trails.
Encompassing six million acres of pure Alaskan interior wilderness topped by North America's highest peak (Denali, 20,310ft), the Denali National Park and Preserve is Alaska's ultimate scenic showstopper.
Can I drive to Alaska without going through Canada? ›
Alaska is most certainly American, but it's more than 2,000 miles away from the nearest state, Washington. Getting there with a vehicle requires either driving through Canada or taking a ferry.
Why are Alaska trips so expensive? ›Alaska is just expensive in general. With it being so far away from the rest of the Lower 48, it costs a lot to ship things up here. Additionally, businesses know people are traveling to Alaska and can increase prices because it's such an attractive place. Simple economics.
What is the farthest town you can drive to in Alaska? ›The Dalton Highway runs for 414 miles from Livengood, a small community 80 miles north of Fairbanks, to Deadhorse on the shores of the Arctic Ocean.