Alaska National Parks: A Planning guide
Alaska is epic and magical! But it’s so huge it can be hard to figure out how to get around, what to do, and how to have a meaningful and unique trip. In this guide we’ll try to give you a sense of Alaska’s eight National Parks, some special off-the-beaten-path things to experience in each, and all the logistics details you could need to efficiently get around the entire state. This guide is oriented towards people who want wilderness adventures and aren’t afraid to get their hands a bit dirty, but will definitely have helpful tips for other crowds too. We’re aiming to provide a variety of ideas across budgets and abilities. Use the table of contents to check out the specific parks you’re interested in, or read the whole way through.
Alaska National Parks Overview
Alaska's National Parks are some of the largest and most stunning in the world, encompassing a ridiculous 65 million acres of straight up wilderness. Real wilderness. Places where you could stroll in solitude without seeing another human for months.
You might be tempted to try and tick them all off at once, but that would mostly be a fools errand. Alaska is huge. Each park is like seeing a new country. If you have the time, the finances, and an able body, we can’t more strongly recommend taking at least a few days in the remoteness of each park (over the course of many years) to really let the places settle into your nervous system. There’s something primal and deep about these wilds that are so like how the earth was for millennia before humans arrived. For me, that ineffable something doesn’t hit me until I’ve been in one of Alaska’s Parks for at least eight days. They’re like the Grand Canyon that way — seeing it from the trim for a day is 1/100th of the experience of the place. But of course, we also know that that’s not possible for many folks… so do what you can and what you’re excited about.
Alaska Seasons
Summer (June to August) brings long days, abundant wildlife, and vibrant flora. However, it's also the busiest and most expensive time to visit. Fall (September to October) offers stunning foliage, fewer crowds, and lower prices—perfect for photographers. Winter (November to March) is the quietest season, ideal for northern lights viewing and a chance to experience Alaska's beauty in its rawest form. Spring (April to May) is an epic time for skiing, the arctic, or anyone looking for lower prices.
Alaska Weather
Alaska weather does what it wants when it wants. Have backup plans and don’t get too attached to your itinerary, especially if it involves flying, seeing specific animals, or catching views of specific mountains. Know that whatever trip you go on will be amazing, so long as you don’t ruin it with your hyped and exacting expectations.
For wilderness trips that involve flying in I like to have at least 5 backup options up my sleeve…
Travel insurance can help protect you from unexpected costs due to cancellations, delays, or emergencies. For more information, check out my blog post on rescue and travel insurance.
Climate Change in Alaska
Few places make climate change more glaring than Alaska. As I return to the same places year after year I can see the massive melt, the changing animal behavior, and a wild uptick in lightning and wildfire events.
This past season I noticed a particularly dark irony: some glacier tour boats in Prince William Sound have to drive an extra gas guzzling hour round trip (compared to 10 years ago) to see faces of tidewater glaciers.
So, this is just a friendly suggestion to consider lower carbon activities and itineraries. For starters, maybe there’s an epic trip in your backyard you could do instead. Or if you are going to come to Alaska, maybe you take the train to Denali instead of driving. Maybe you go for a walk in the park instead of a flight tour. Or on a sailing tour instead of a motored one.
But carbon is so entwined with our modern life it’s challenging. So consider offsetting the carbon from your trips (like we do at Indigo Alpine Guides) using a service like Project Wren.
Alaska is Indigenous Land
The history of Alaska's national parks is intricately woven with the stories of the Indigenous peoples who have called these lands home for millennia, including the Athabaskan, Tlingit, and Inupiat communities. The establishment of national parks often resulted in the displacement of these communities and the disregard of their rights, as the U.S. government prioritized conservation efforts and tourism, over upholding treaties.
All Alaska land is unceded indigenous land. You can check out the indigenous land map to understand more about the land you’re traveling through.
Leave No Trace
Plan Ahead and Prepare — Bringing the right gear for any conditions makes all the difference.
Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces — When not on trails, walk spread out so you’re not creating new ones.
Dispose of Waste Properly — pack it in pack it out. Please don’t leave garbage behind. Pack out all toilet paper. If you don’t animals dig it up.
Leave What You Find — you’re pack will be lighter for it.
Minimize Campfire Impact — really! Alaska is burning in the summers. Be super careful with any fires you do have.
Respect Wildlife — respect them and they’ll keep their distance. A fed bear is a dead bear.
Be Considerate of Other Visitors
Learn more about the 7 LNT principles and why they matter.
Alaska on a Budget
Alaska can be super expensive. But it’s also super worth it.
Here are some tips for saving on cost:
+ Consider visiting during the off or shoulder seasons for better deals on accommodations and activities.
+ Options like hostels, public-use cabins, and camping can provide budget-friendly ways to immerse yourself in nature.
+ Take busses everywhere. Alaska has public transport to most places, even Prudhoe Bay.
+ Pick one or two stops and really immerse yourself in them instead of trying to go everywhere.
+ Book in advance. Many companies offer early bird booking. For instance, Indigo Alpine Guides offers $1000 off any trip booked by Nov 1 (before the coming summer season).
Getting To Alaksa
Alaska has four main travel hubs:
Fairbanks (in the North): Fly into Fairbanks International Airport.
Anchorage (in the middle): Fly into Anchorage International Airport
Juneau (in the south): Fly into Juneau International Airport
Ketchikan (far south) Fly into the Ketchikan International Airport.
In additional to Seattle, direct flights are available from Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Honolulu, Houston, Kahului (Maui), Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Phoenix, and Portland, some of which only operate seasonally. The airlines with the most domestic flights to Alaska are Alaska Airlines and Delta.
Direct international flights are available on Condor and Icelandair.
Things to do in Anchorage
Check out the Anchorage Museum and the Alaska Native Heritage Center. Rent bikes from Pablo’s Bike Rentals and bike the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. If you have an entire day, consider taking the train to Whittier and then a boat tour of Prince William Sound.
If you want nightlife go check out Mad Myrna’s queer club or Darwin’s Theory.
If you want to be outside, check out some of the beautiful places in Anchorage for a day hike.
Things to do in Fairbanks
Honestly, I don’t think it’s worth scheduling extra time to explore Fairbanks. But it is a great base to get ready to go to wilder places.
If you’ve got the time, check out the Large Animal Research Station (LARS), visit University of Alaska Museum of the North or the Fairbanks Ice Museum (open all year), or go for a walk through Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge.
Why National Parks?
Well, the truth is, the parks are just lines on a map. It’s true that all these parks are absolutely epic, but know that most all of Alaska is absolutely epic. If you want to get super off-the-beaten-path, see an Alaska that almost no one sees, and have a much cheaper trip, consider checking out some spots that aren’t official National Parks.
Start with these ideas:
Chugach National Forest
Talkeetna Mountains
Eastern Alaska Range
Alaska National Wildlife Refuge
Noatak National Preserve
Prince William Sound
Bearing Land Bridge National Preserve.
Experience Alaska With Us!
Alaska’s National Parks need to be experienced up close to be fully felt. At Indigo Alpine Guides, we offer immersive wilderness trips to Denali, Gates of the Arctic, and Wrangell St. Elias, as well as an epic basecamp hiking trip that takes you to both Gates of the Arctic and the Kobuk Sand Dunes in a single trip. Book before November 1 and enjoy a $1000 discount on your trip for the following summer!
Alaska National Parks: A Planning Guide
DENALI NATIONAL PARK
Denali is what most people think of when they think of Alaskan Parks. And it’s true: it’s fricken amazing here. Just being able to take the bus out to Wonder Lake is a special treat and one of the things that reminds me of how cool it is that we’ve set up public wild spaces in America. The downside to Denali is that it’s by far the most popular and crowded park. Everything here will be expensive and book out super far in advance. The Park Service does a great job of managing it, but it can feel a bit Disneyfied. That being said, as with most crowded wild places in America, step one foot off the beaten path and you’re back in the middle of nowhere. The moment you’re out of sight of the park road it’s like you’re on another planet.
Gateway City: Fairbanks, though Anchorage isn’t that much further away.
Indigenous Land: Ancestral and unceded land of the Dena'ina, Upper Kuskokwim, and Tanana peoples.
Best Time to Visit: Late June to early September offers the best weather and accessibility. September can be absolutely epic (fall colors, low crowds, cheaper prices) but it can also be cold and wet. [Note: The park Road is closed at mile 46 due to a landslide until roughly 2026.]
Best For: Big mountain views, seeing bears, and epic backpacking trips with low transport costs. On a good day you can see as many or more grizzly and black bears from the $35 National Park Bus as you can from many $500+ flightseeing bear tours. Truly, the park bus down the park road has got to be one of the cheapest ways you can experience deep wilderness without having to do much more than sit! If you want a more formal tour narrated by a naturalist, that option also exists for around $130.
Fun Fact: Denali is the third most prominent mountain in the world. Many argue that climbing Denali is harder than Everest (if using porters and supplemental oxygen on Everest). Denali creates its own complex weather due to its height, mass, and nearness to the ocean. Just ask any of the folks who have come more than a handful of times and still haven’t caught a glimpse of the summit.
Climate Change Impacts: Rapidly thawing permafrost is destabilizing the park's infrastructure, including roads and trails. The Denali Park Road — the main access route in and out of the park is experiencing increased landslides due to thawing soils, particularly at the recent Pretty Rocks Landslide which has shut down the park road at mile 46.
Unique & Off-the-Beaten Path Activities: Consider a guided backcountry hike along the Muldrow Glacier or join a winter / spring dog sledding expedition. Everyone wants to do a flight tour of Denali with a glacier landing. It’s true it’s a very cool experience. But (especially if you’re on a budget, and the weather is clear) i’d argue you’re money is better spent on a day hike from somewhere along the park road. You’ll see things more intimately on a hike than you would just flying around the mountain.
For those with mobility impairments, the accessible Eielson Visitor Center offers breathtaking views of Denali and pretty nicely displayed park information. The park busses are also wheelchair accessible.
Denali flight seeing tours leave from Anchorage, Talkeetna (most budget-friendly), Denali Park, or Kantishna (less common).
Denali Wilderness Adventures: Permits are not required for day hiking. That being said, don’t get in over your head. The second you step off the bus you’re in a deep wilderness. Know how to stay found and stay safe or hire a guide.
For overnight adventures, check out our post about Backpacking Denali National Park for all the info. Of all the parks, Denali offers the most accessible and cost-effective wilderness backpacking trips. I love being able to get dropped off by the bus, walk a crescent moon route and then get picked up somewhere else… all for a $35 bus fare.
Several companies (including us!) offer guided backpacking trips on the south side of Denali National Park if you want an even more remote and guided experience!
DENALI NATIONAL PARK LOGISTICS:
To Denali From Fairbanks:
4 hours by train | 2.5 hours by van | 2 hours by car
Train: The Denali Star train leaves Fairbanks at 8:20 AM and arrives in Denali Park around 12:10 PM in the summer. The railroad may not be the cheapest or quickest option, but it is cool and beautiful.
Bus: The Alaska Tours and Travels Bus or van leaves Fairbanks around 7:30 AM and takes two and a half hours. In most cases, the van can pick you up and drop you off right at your hotel.
Car: About a 2 hours drive. Fairbanks has all the major rental car options at the airport.
To Denali From Anchorage:
8 hours by train | 6 hours by bus | 5 hours by car | 1.5 hours by plane
Train: Every summer morning around 8:20am, the northbound Denali Star Train departs Anchorage for Fairbanks with stops in Wasilla, Talkeetna and Denali National Park. The train ride takes the longest, but goes through some real remote wilderness. Anchorage to Denali costs about $200 pp in Adventure Class and $350 in Gold Star class. Gold star class is roughly the same but includes breakfast and lunch.
Bus: There’s a bunch of companies that offer buses from Anchorage to Denali. Prices start around $100.
Car: About a 5 hour beautiful drive with plenty of places to stop and stretch or get food and fuel. The main advantage of driving is the convenience of staying in the quieter town of Healy, located just 20 miles north of the busier Denali Park area.
Plane: You can fly from Anchorage to Denali Park (the town at the start of the park road) or to Kantishna (at the very end of the park road) with Denali Air or Kantishna Air Taxi. Costs will be much more expensive than going by land.
WRANGELL-ST. ELIAS NATIONAL PARK
The largest national park in the U.S., Wrangell-St. Elias is a wilderness the size of Switzerland. There are few places in the world that have captured my heart like the Wrangells. They’re massive, provide a bit of everything, feel absolutely pre-historic, and have enough terrain for several lifetimes of exploration. In truth, unless you’re planning on doing a wilderness trip, have lots of time, are a total mining history buff, or are already heading through Glen Allen or Chitna on your way to Prince William Sound or elsewhere, I wouldn’t personally recommend driving to McCarthy. Don’t get me wrong, McCarthy and Kennicott (two towns a few miles apart) are cool… but it’s a long way to go in the opposite direction from the two main international airports if you’re just going to see the towns and walk on the Root Glacier. Plenty of people would disagree with me though so your mileage may vary.
Gateway City: Anchorage
Indigenous Land: Ancestral and unceded land of the lands of the Ahtna and Eyak peoples
Best Time to Visit: Late June through Early October is optimal for hiking and climbing. Due to their massive elevation profile, the Wrangells have a longer backcountry season — just adjust your elevation for the month and you’re likely to have decent weather.
Best For: basecamp hiking trips and long backpacking traverses. I’m hesitant to say this out loud, but the Wrangells have some of the easiest backcountry walking of any place in Alaska. You can sometimes walk for miles without stepping on anything but hard alpine tundra.
Fun Fact: Mount Wrangell, the park’s only active volcano, occasionally creates volcanic lightning—an super rare phenomenon produced when ash and gases collide during eruptions.
Climate Change Impact: The Malaspina Glacier, the largest piedmont glacier in North America is thinning rapidly. In some areas, it’s losing 6.5 feet of ice per year and will possibly completely disappear in the coming decades. Global sea levels will rise 1.4mm from the melting of the Malaspina alone.
Off-the-Beaten Path Activities:
Backcountry Skiing: Every spring, Pacific Alpine Guides runs an epic lodge based ski trip in the Wrangells. It’s one of the coolest guided ski trips on earth.
Ice Spelunking: Check out some of the wild formations on the Root Glacier. If you don’t have the skills yourself, Kennicott Wilderness Guides can guide you.
Nizina Lake to McCarthy (in a day) Packraft: Fly into a glacier lake and packraft home. About as wild AK as you can get in a day. Check with Kennicott Wilderness Guides for rates.
For those with mobility impairments, some wilderness cabins (and their accompanying outhouses) are wheelchair accessible. Check with the NPS.
Wrangell-St. Elias Wilderness Adventures: A permit is not required for overnight camping in the backcountry.
Most people start their backpacking trips in McCarthy, though some people leave from Nabesna or elsewhere on the road system.
For overnight adventures, check out our post about Backpacking the Wrangells for all the info.
We guide awesome (like really awesome!) Basecamp Hiking and Backpacking Traverse in the Wrangells each season.
WRANGELL-ST. ELIAS NATIONAL PARK LOGISTICS
Where to Stay in McCarthy / The Wrangells:
$: McCarthy Hostel
$$: Kennicott Glacier Lodge
$$$: Ultima Thule Lodge
To McCarthy from Anchorage:
9 hours by bus | 8 hours by car | 5 hours by plane
Bus: Copper Spike Transport and Overflow Transit run a shuttle from Anchorage to McCarthy. Shuttles depart Anchorage around 8:00 am each morning arriving around 5 - 6 pm in McCarthy. Cost is about $225 per person for a group of 2.
Car: A long but beautiful 8 - 9 hour drive. Note: most car rental companies don’t let you drive on the McCarthy road. Some that do are A1, Alaska 4x4 Rentals, and Midnight Sun Car Rentals.
Plane: Copper Valley Air offers scheduled flights from Anchorage to McCarthy Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sat during the summer.
You can also drive to Chitna and catch a flight into McCarthy with Wrangell Mountain Air. This last option is our recommendation for the funnest and most beautiful way to arrive.
To McCarthy From Fairbanks
8 hours by car | 2 hours by plane
Car: A simple and beautiful eight hour drive from Fairbanks
Plane: While not common, there are many air carriers in Fairbanks who may be able to accommodate a charter flight into McCarthy.
Public Transport: It is technically possible to get to McCarthy via public transport, but we don’t recommend it due to it’s complexity.
GATES OF THE ARCTIC NATIONAL PARK
Gates of the Arctic National Park is a wildly special place. There’s something about the far north that is magical and ineffable… something you just have to experience to understand. The land up here somehow feels wilder and more inaccessible than Denali or the Wrangells… there’s fewer planes flying overhead, way fewer visitors overall, and not much to do other than be in the wildness of it all. If you get the chance, I can’t recommend a wilderness trip up here strongly enough. My time in these mountains, more than any other in Alaska, has changed me to the core.
Gateway City: Fairbanks
Indigenous Land: Ancestral and unceded land of the Inupiat, Dënéndeh, Gwich’in Nành, and Koyukon peoples.
Best Time to Visit: Late June through September. Mid June through mid July has the least bugs.
Best For: Ridiculous amounts of solitude. Gates of the Arctic (and ANWR to the East) have epic and infinite tundra backpacking and the majority of the most epic river trips (canoeing and rafting) in all of Alaska.
Fun Fact: Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve is the largest roadless area in North America… over 8 million acres of straight up wilderness.
Climate Change Impacts: As climate change warms the Arctic, permafrost is starting to thaw, releasing stored carbon dioxide and methane—two potent greenhouse gases—back into the atmosphere. The dynamic is creating a gnarly feedback loop that’s accelerating climate change
Gates of the Arctic Wilderness Adventures:
Unlike Denali, there’s really not much to do here other than spend time in the wilderness. We love it that way.
Backpacking and Basecamp Hiking: For all the info you could want on backpacking in the park, check out our GOTA Backpacking Guide.
Arctic River Trips: The arctic has some unbelievable river trips. Overall a pretty sweet way to see the country. Arctic Wild runs trips on just about every Arctic River in Alaska.
GATES OF THE ARCTIC NATIONAL PARK LOGISTICS
Where to Stay in Gates of the Arctic:
$: Set up a tent somewhere off the Dalton Highway.
$$: Bettles Lodge
$$$: Iniakuk Lake Lodge
To Gates of the Arctic From Fairbanks:
3-9 hours by car | 2-4 hours by plane
By Car: The Dalton Highway makes up the eastern border of GOTA NP. You can really park anywhere and head into the park.
By Car and Plane: Drive to Coldfoot, fly in with Coyote Air.
By Plane: To access the park, fly to either Anaktuvuk Pass, Coldfoot or Bettles with Wright Air. From Bettles or Coldfoot you’ll need to catch a second flight from Brooks Range Aviation or Coyote Air respectively.
LAKE CLARK NATIONAL PARK
Lake Clark National Park, located a few hours west of Anchorage by plane, features some of Alaska's most rugged and least-visited areas, including the Neacola and Revelation Mountains. The place was made famous by a PBS special on Dick Proenneke, who lived on Twin Lake (pictured above) for over 30 years living off the land. Lake Clark takes the cake for the most geographically diverse park — from coastal rainforests to alpine tundra, freshwater lakes, and glacial valleys.
Gateway City: Anchorage
Indigenous Land: Ancestral and unceded land of the Dena'ina people.
Best Time to Visit: Late June to mid-September. For folks looking to avoid the peak season but still experience reasonable weather, the shoulder seasons (late May to early June and late September) can be good times.
Best For: Remote Lodge fishing trips (there’s tons of wilderness fishing lodges in the area) and plane-assisted bear viewing.
Fun Fact: Scientists have discovered tardigrades (also known as water bears) in the extreme alpine ponds of the Neacola Mountains within Lake Clark. These microscopic creatures are famed for their resilience, surviving extreme temperatures, desiccation, and even the vacuum of space. The harsh, high-altitude environments of the park make this an ideal area for studying the limits of life. Yes, that is a real photo of an actual creature to the left.
Climate Change Impacts: Since 1990 the Alaska fire season has grown by about 30 days. Over the past 20 years, the average area burned per year has doubled since the 1990s. The 2007 fire season in the Lake Clark area burned over 1 million acres in southwestern Alaska. The impacts of human-caused climate change are very evident in Alaska.
Off-the-Beaten Path Activities:
Fishing: Organize a fishing trip with any number of outfits. Fly out and fish for sockeye for the day. Or do it right there on Lake Clark itself.
Photography: Take a wilderness photography course with The Farm Lodge.
Bears: Wanna see bears but don’t want to deal with the mega crowds at Brooks Falls? Check them out at Crescent Lake instead (also with The Farm Lodge.) This place is a fairly well kept secret by comparison.
Sauna: Stay at Windsong Wilderness Retreat and sauna on the shores of Twin Lake. Hard to argue with that.
Lake Clark National Park Wilderness Adventures: You do not need a permit to backpack in the park. The most commonly done route is a traverse from Telaquana Lake to Twin Lake. If attempting this route be sure to ask your pilot about game trails to get through the brush bands around the lakes. Basecamping at lakes is generally not recommended as they can be very buggy, but hiking to higher ground and then setting up camp could make a great trip.
There is a NPS visitor center in Port Alsworth that can rent you bear cans for free and possibly give you some good beta. You can get isobutane fuel and bear spray from The Farm Lodge in Port Alsworth (but prudent to check ahead of time).
We guide Lake Clark Backpacking and Packaneering Trips (lots of walking on glaciers and through mountain passes) on a custom basis. The Neacola’s and Revelation Mountains are like an fairytale Alaska Range that no one goes to.
LAKE CLARK NATIONAL PARK LOGISTICS
To LCNP from Anchorage:
1 - 2 hours by plane
By Plane: Most every trip in LCNP starts (or starts and stays) in Port Alsworth. To get there fly with Lake Clark Air or Lake and Penn Air
From Port Alsworth you can (if going on a wilderness adventure) fly further into LCNP with The Farm Lodge.
KATMAI NATIONAL PARK
Katmai National Park is probably known around the world even more than Denali. Anyone who’s ever seen an HBO doc about bears has most likely seen footage from Brooks Falls of dozens of gloriously fat bears fishing for salmon as they swim up stream from the sea to spawn. But there’s so much more the the park than just Brooks Falls. For one thing you can see beautiful grizzlies throughout the park (not just at the falls), but more importantly, there’s a whole universe of exploration — beautiful hiking, fishing, and wilderness encampments where you can experience the transition from mountains to sea with a bit of creature comfort. I’m going to go out on an opinionated limb here and say don’t go to Brooks Falls during peak season (June-August). Would you rather fight for a spot at the boardwalk railing to see bears in the river like at a crowded zoo, or have an actual wilderness experience away from all the people and float-plane noise? Ok, soap box complete.
Gateway City: Anchorage is the main hub. Dillingham, Homer, King Salmon, Kodiak also serve as jumping-off points.
Indigenous Land: Ancestral and unceded land of the Alutiiq (Sugpiaq) and Yup’ik peoples.
Best Time to Visit: July and September for optimal bear viewing.
Best For: Seeing bears and seeing bears fishing!, experiencing a strange volcanic landscape, and camping in the transitional space between mountain and sea.
Fun Fact: After the 1912 Novarupta eruption, a massive ash flow created the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. The ash flow was over 700 feet deep in some places, and geothermal heat created thousands of steam vents, giving the valley its name. Today, you can still walk through this ashen landscape with colors ranging from pink to brown
Climate Change Impact: As air temperatures rise due to climate change, river temperatures are increasing as well. Salmon are highly sensitive to water temperature, and when waters get too warm (above 68°F), it can be fatal to them. Warmer waters also increase the risk of disease and lower oxygen levels, which further stresses the fish, reducing their ability to spawn successfully. As a result of changing climate, Brooks Falls salmon now leave the fresh water river an entire year early to head for the ocean where they must compete with 1.5 billion fishery-released salmon for nutrients.
Off-the-Beaten Path Adventures:
Explore the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes: Hike through this vast ash-filled valley created by the 1912 Novarupta eruption.
Fossil Hunting Along the Savonoski River: Look for fossilized remains of ancient marine life that once inhabited this region.
Birdwatching at Geographic Harbor: This less-frequented part of the park is great for birdwatchers, especially if you want to spot puffins, bald eagles, and migratory seabirds in a quieter, more remote part.
Beachcombing on Shelikof Strait: Walk along the shores of the Shelikof Strait. All sorts of interesting things pop up on the beach here.
Fishing at Contact Creek: Fish for some of the largest rainbow trout in Alaska in one of the park's lesser-known fishing spots.
Katmai Wilderness Adventures: No permits are required to explore Katmai’s backcountry. But you should have a dialed understanding of how to safely exist in bear country among all your other backcountry skills.
There are several companies offering backcountry bear viewing basecamps.
Several offering Katmai kayak and canoe based trips.
and Several offering guided backpacking trips in the park (like us!).
KATMAI NATIONAL PARK LOGISTICS
To Katmai National Park From Anchorage:
2 Hours by Plane
Fly direct with Regal Aviation (they also offer single-day bear viewing tours)
or
Book a scheduled flights from Anchorage to King Salmon with Ravn Alaska or Alaska Airlines. Probably worth spending the night in King Salmon, but not required.
Then book a flight with Katmai Air, Branch River Air, or Trygg Air.
Or if you’re not into the idea of a small plane, book a ride with Katmai Water Taxi.
To Katmai From… Everywhere Else:
Note: Flying to King Salmon and then getting on a smaller plane is the most efficient way to go see Brooks Falls. For other parts of the park it might make more sense to fly in from other directions.
From Homer: Fly with Emerald Air
From Kodiak: Fly with Island Air Service
From Lake Clark: Fly with The Farm Lodge
KENAI FJORDS NATIONAL PARK
Kenai Fjords National Park is Alaska's wild coastline at its best—a place where jagged peaks, deep blue glaciers, and churling ocean meet in a landscape that feels too absurd to be real. Whether you’re hopping between glaciers on a small boat or hiking to the Harding Icefield, Kenai Fjords is the kind of place that keeps drawing you back. It’s raw, it’s rugged, it’s a bit like a fairytale.
Gateway City: Anchorage / Seward
Indigenous Land: Ancestral and unceded land of the Alutiiq peoples.
Best Time to Visit: Late May to September offers the best weather for exploring and wildlife watching.
Best For: Marine wildlife, tidewater glaciers, and glacier exploration. Kenai Fjords and Glacier Bay are very similar landscapes — the biggest difference is where their proximity to major airports. If you want to see mountains falling into the ocean, tidewater glaciers and marine wildlife you’ll want to go to Kenai or Glacier Bay (or Prince William Sound) — which you chose really depends on the rest of your logistics. Kenai is much closer to the rest of the National Parks and closer to an International Airport.
Fun Fact: Orcas Communicate in Dialects: The resident orcas in Kenai Fjords not only communicate using distinctive clicks and calls, but they also have unique dialects. Each pod has its own "language" that distinguishes them from other orca pods, similar to human accents.
Climate Change Impact: Glaciers in Kenai Fjords are retreating rapidly due to rising temperatures. For example, the Exit Glacier is currently retreating by as 10 - 15 ft per day.
Unique & Off-the-Beaten Path Adventures:
Mushroom Foraging: Learn about local fungi with expert foragers in the region.
Glacier Exploration: Venture onto lesser-known glaciers for a unique hiking or ice climbing experience with Exit Glacier Guides.
Scuba Dive Resurrection Bay: Very few people get to see this place from the underwater perspective. If you’ve got your own gear, give it a whirl.
Surf Kenai Fjords: Sure, it’s cold. Lot’s of great things require a bit of suck.
Kenai Fjords Wilderness Adventures: You don’t need permits to check out Kenai Fjords. The place is best accessed by the ocean or via glacial mountaineering routes through the Harding Icefield. If you have sea kayaking experience, there’s plenty of places in Seward that will rent you Kayaks and can arrange water taxis for you.
Sea Kayak Expeditions: You can paddle straight from Seward or get a water taxi to take you further out. A great balance of cost and awesomeness would be to hire a water taxi to take you out and then paddle back to Seward. See recommended water taxi’s below.
For guided trips check out Kayak Adventures Worldwide or Sunny Cove Kayaking.
Backpacking Traverse: Kenai isn’t really known for it’s backpacking, but that need not deter you. Kenai Backcountry Adventures offer several multi-day backpacking trips. If going on a personal trip, consider linking up glacier travel and pack rafting to make the most of the terrain.
Ski and Sail Trip: Skiing from a boat in Alaska has always been a dream of mine. Beat me to it and tell me how it goes.
KENAI FJORDS NATIONAL PARK LOGISTICS
Where to Stay in Kenai Fjords:
$: Bear Glacier Primitive Camping
Getting to Seward from Anchorage:
3 hours by bus | 2.5 hours by car | 40 minutes by plane
By Bus: Alaska Coach runs a 7 am departure and 3 pm departure anchorage to Seward most days of the summer.
By Car: Driving is the standard and simplest way to get to Seward. It’s a really gorgeous and simple 2.5 hour drive. You’ll pass right by Exit Glacier on your way into Seward.
By Plane: While not as common it is possible to arrive in Seward by charter flight with companies like Seward Air.
To Kenai Fjords From Seward:
By Kayak: You can paddle right out of Seward to access the entirety of Kenai Fjords Coastline. Open ocean paddling experience required to do this safely.
By Water Taxi:
By Plane:
By Helicopter:
GLACIER BAY NATIONAL PARK
Known for its stunning tidewater glaciers, Glacier Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site chock full of ice and wild creatures. It’s a bit far from all the other parks on the list, so maybe deserves a trip unto itself. Unlike the rest of the parks, the closest city to fly into is Juneau. If Glacier Bay has a downside it’s that it’s regularly visited by cruise ships, so you might not exactly have the tidewater glaciers (at least the biggest ones) to yourself.
Gateway City: Juneau
Indigenous Land: Ancestral and unceded land of the Huna Tlingit and Yakutat Tlingit peoples.
Best Time To Visit: Late June to early August for optimal glacier viewing and wildlife. Shoulder season May - mid June and September for fewer crowds and cheaper costs.
Best For: Tidewater Glaciers, ocean animals, and thick rainforest. Best National Park to visit if you already happen to be in Juneau or somewhere on the Alaska Panhandle. Best for sea kayak trips (it’s more sheltered than Kenai Fjords).
Fun Fact: In the late 1700s, Glacier Bay was filled with ice; since then, glaciers have retreated more than 65 miles, one of the fastest retreats on record.
Climate Change Impacts: As global CO2 levels rise, the ocean absorbs more and more of it. When CO2 mixes with seawater, it forms carbonic acid, lowering the water's pH and making it more acidic. This change is particularly harmful to marine life with calcium carbonate shells, like clams and plankton, as they struggle to build their protective shells. This disruption ripples through the entire food chain, affecting larger animals like fish and marine mammals, which rely on these smaller creatures for survival.
Off-the-Beaten Path Activities:
Hike the Bartlett River Trail: An isolated, quiet trail through temperate rainforest leading to a peaceful river mouth.
Hoonah Whale Watching: Head to Hoonah, where you’ll encounter whales with fewer crowds.
Wildlife Viewing at Margerie Glacier: Spot wildlife from quiet observation points instead of the busier tourist locations.
Volunteer for Research Projects: Engage in hands-on conservation or wildlife monitoring with park scientists. To volunteer for research projects in Glacier Bay, you can start by checking opportunities with the National Park Service (NPS) or organizations like Earthwatch and Alaska Geographic.
Wilderness Adventures: All campers and boaters are required to have a free permit during Glacier Bay National Park's peak season.
Glacier Bay isn’t the easiest place to explore by land, but it’s a paradise from the ocean.
Kayak Rentals: Glacier Bay Sea Kayaks
Guided Overnight Kayak Trips: Alaska Mountain Guides, Glacier Bay Sea Kayaks, Spirit Walker Expeditions
Water Taxi: During the summer months, kayakers can arrange with Glacier Bay Lodge to be dropped off and/or picked up by the daily tour boat at designated camper dropoff locations upbay. Advance reservations recommended.
Sea Kayak Itinerary Ideas:
Bartlett Cove to Beardslee Islands (3-4 Days)
West Arm (5-7 Days): Paddle the West Arm of Glacier Bay, with stops at Reid, Lamplugh, and Johns Hopkins glaciers.
Muir Inlet Adventure (5-7 Days): Explore the less-visited East Arm, paddling through quiet waters and camping near massive glaciers, with fewer tourists and more opportunities for wildlife viewing.
Outer Coast (7-10 Days): For experienced paddlers, this expedition involves kayaking along the wild outer coast. Expect much rowdier conditions.
Sail Glacier Bay: Sail Alaska
GLACIER BAY NATIONAL PARK LOGISTICS
To Glacier Bay From Juneau:
30 minutes by plane | 5 hours by ferry
Plane: Alaska Airlines provides daily service between Juneau and Gustavus during the summer.
You could also charter a flight with Alaska Sea Planes.
Ferry: During the summer months, the Ferry LeConte stops in Gustavus twice weekly from Juneau
KOBUK SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK
Kobuk Sand Dunes is the weirdest National Park in Alaska. Here hundred foot tall sand dunes meet the forest as they blow from the shores of the tranquil Kobuk River. It’s a wild meeting of worlds. Listen for the yips of wolf pups, catch sight of migrating caribou, and witness the sand dunes consume the forest as they advance.
Gateway City: Kotzebue, though access from Fairbanks is possible (but much more expensive).
Indigenous Land: Ancestral and unceded land of the Iñupiat peoples.
Best Time To Visit: Late June to September.
Best For: Seeing a truly unique Alaska landscape, strange geology, wildlife, and being really far away from it all.
Fun Fact: Beneath the dunes lie remnants of ancient boreal forests, preserved as permafrost. The ancient boreal forests lie testament to the ways the earth shifts over time.
Climate Change Impact: Caribou migration patterns are shifting by up to 150 miles northward, as warming temperatures affect their traditional calving grounds.
Off-the-Beaten Path Adventures:
Just being here at all is off the beaten path. Do anything.
Kobuk Sand Dunes Wilderness Adventures:
This place is a far way away from everything. If you’re on a mission to see all the National Parks, this is an important stop. Otherwise, it’s probably best as part of a larger trip.
Kobuk Sand Dunes is perfect for a basecamp hiking trip, or canoe the Kobuk River for a longer moving trip through the park.
We offer a ridiculously beautiful guided basecamp hiking trip that links up Gates of the Arctic and Kobuk Sand Dunes. If you’re on a mission to see all of Alaska’s National Parks or you just want to be immersed in this wild, give some serious consideration to joining this trip.
KOBUK SAND DUNES LOGISTICS
Where to Stay:
There are no remote lodges in the area, but you can stay in Kotzebue where most trips start.
$: Bibber’s B&B
$$: LaVonne’s Fish Camp. A bit out of town but an awesome spot!
$$$: Nullagvik Hotel. The fanciest spot in Kotz. About $300 / night.
To Kotzebue From Anchorage:
Alaska Air has two regularly scheduled flights per day.
To Kobuk Sand Dunes from Kotzebue:
Fly with Golden Eagle Outfitters.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Alaska is a remote and magical place. You could spend lifetimes exploring here.
Take your time. Don’t try to cram too much into a single trip.
Consider going with a professional guide. They can help get you into the deepest wilderness.
Respect the indigenous people who’ve called Alaska home for thousands of years.
Try to travel efficiently and minimize your carbon footprint.
Leave places better than you found them and practice the principle of Leave No Trace.
Don’t be afraid to get off the beaten path. That includes going to all the wild and unfathomably awesome places in AK that aren’t national parks and maybe have nothing written about them online.
Try to avoid the most popular places during peak summer season.
I hope you have an incredible experience in Alaska. If you want to join a guided backpacking trip in Alaska, or want us to put together a custom trip for you, reach out!