Denali National Park is infamous for its namesake peak, the tallest mountain in North America which stands proudly at 20,310’. While each national park in Alaska has something unique to offer nature enthusiasts, a few parks stick out more than the others. Wild River. 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. They are listed below: 8. Luckily, Anchorage is in the center of it all and offers many ways to enjoy the parks. However, the most visited park in all of Alaska is not any of these. Bears, salmon, and volcanoes are the major attraction in this wildlife-rich nature preserve. Today, the park remembers the trails, boomtowns, and stories of the Klondike Gold Rush. A landscape is alive underneath our feet, filled with creatures that remind us what it is to be wild. Lake Clark National Park and Preserve is a land of stunning beauty. This landscape is a vibrant reminder of Alaska's location in the volcanically active "Ring of Fire," as it is home to an impressive six mile (10 km) wide, 2,500 ft (762 m) deep caldera formed during a massive volcanic eruption 3,500 years ago. By ... Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve. Adorned with breathtaking glaciers and scenic parks that are as big as the state itself, Alaska is home to some of the huge, exuberant national parks that add to the beauty of the state. The absolute best time to visit Alaska's national parks is during the summer season. Best national parks (5) Kenai Fjords National Park #1 - Kenai Fjords National Park. The country’s largest national park represents everything that is compelling about Alaska.It is vast—bigger than Switzerland. Bering Land Bridge National Preserve. 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. If you were wondering how many national parks in Alaska are worth taking a tour of, there are as many as 10. 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. 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. With eight national parks to choose from, travelers might need to narrow down their list a bit. World Atlas: How Many National Parks Are There in the United States? This protected area of Alaska is located in the Alaska panhandle near the city of Juneau. National Historic Area. Currently, the United States National Parks have grown in number to 58. 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. Visit Kenai Fjords National Park, Denali National Park, and hidden gems in between. Visitors discover intact ecosystems where people have lived with the land for thousands of years. Of these, 62 have a national park designation. It is a vital landscape for indigenous communities who depend on the land just as their ancestors did for many generations. Their journey shaped them, and changed the people they encountered and the north forever. How to See Alaska's National Parks (5:37) Here’s an overview of what you need to know. The headwaters of Alagnak Wild River lie within the rugged Aleutian Range of neighboring Katmai National Park and Preserve. Parks. Keep an eye out for grizzly bears in Lake Clark National Park. Having grown up in Florida, I’ve learned a thing or two about my hometown parks. epicurean via E+ Collection / Getty Images. Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. Camping wherever possible. 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: Pixabay Photo. This vast landscape does not contain any roads or trails. Glacier Bay National Park hosts the most visitors of any park in Alaska. Wildlife thrives in icy waters and lush forests around this vast expanse of ice. Geology, cultural history, gold rush remnants, wildlife, and vast scenery will be a part of your experience. Alaska. Headlines screamed "Gold!" Alaska's top five most popular parks by visitorship are Glacier Bay, Denali, Kenai Fjords, Wrangell-St. Elias and Katmai. With 17 national park units and 16 national wildlife refuges, the options may seem limitless. Caribou, sand dunes, the Kobuk River, Onion Portage - just some of the facets of Kobuk Valley National Park. This park is Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park, and it's spectacular. 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. Your adventure awaits. Alagnak Wild River. Hike the Savage River Loop Trail in Denali. They have thrived for thousands of years in one of the harshest climates on Earth, hunting the bowhead, or "Agviq." 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. Laying eyes on this monster is well worth the visit, but after you’ve checked that off your bucket list, there is so much to experience in the 6 million acres of this Alaska national park. 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. Alaska’s most-visited national parks are the ones most accessible from the road system or on a cruise. While each national park in Alaska has something unique to offer nature enthusiasts, a few parks stick out more than the others. Alaska's National Parks. Those who plan on visiting multiple national parks in Alaska should consider investing in the America the Beautiful Pass, which includes entrance fees to all national parks in the United States. Denali. Denali National Park. Within this wild landscape, people continue to live off the land as they have done for centuries. 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. Access 2918 reviews, 510 photos & 590 tips of every rv park & campground in Alaska. 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. #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. Parks to visit: 8 Duration of journey: Month of August, 2017 (yep, we’re planning way ahead). The Inupiat continue to use the area today. Independence Mine State Historical Park. With miles upon miles of lush landscapes filled with forests, mountains, lakes and North America's tallest peak, Denali, it's no wonder why people come from all over the world to visit Alaska. Today, Katmai National Park and Preserve also protects 9,000 years of human history and important habitat for salmon and thousands of brown bears. National Monument & Preserve. From sea to summit, Glacier Bay offers limitless opportunities for adventure and inspiration. Guided Alaska Camping Trips. One of Alaska’s most famous parks, Denali National Park shines in the winter season. Whether you float the mighty Yukon River or paddle the Charley River's whitewater, your memories will last a lifetime. Today, shrinking glaciers bear witness to the effects of our changing climate. Park visitors are awed by Tlingit and Haida totem poles standing along the park’s scenic coastal trail, and the restored Russian Bishop’s House speaks of Russia’s little known colonial legacy in North America. Nearly 40 glaciers flow from the Harding Icefield, Kenai Fjords' crowning feature. At the edge of the Kenai Peninsula lies a land where the ice age lingers. To learn more, visit her website at www.hanalarockwriting.com. It is a wild and ecologically healthy landscape unlike any other. Located in Interior Alaska, Yukon-Charley Rivers offers exploration in a largely untouched landscape. As one of North America's largest mountain-ringed river basins with an intact ecosystem, the Noatak River environs features some of the Arctic's finest arrays of plants and animals. The following chart provides a list of US National Parks by state. State Parks in Alaska‎ Kachemak Bay State Park. Go for a scenic drive through Denali National Park. “ Our small cruise ship dropped anchor and we explored the area led by a ranger naturalist. Expert RVers visited 231 RV Parks in Alaska. The following is a list of the ten least visited national parks through August 2009. Venture into the park to become part of the wilderness. More than 114 beach ridges provide evidence of human use for 5,000 years. Browse through this list of 8 best national parks in Alaska and see it for yourself. Enjoy—and please share your feedback with us. It remains virtually unchanged except by the forces of nature. National parks are areas of land designated by the United States for the purpose of preservation and conservation. The park was founded by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act in 1980. 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. This rugged, beautiful land is filled with opportunities for adventure. Volcanoes steam, salmon run, bears forage, and craggy mountains reflect in shimmering turquoise lakes. Vast wetlands provide habitat for shorebirds from as far away as South America. The river is classified as a national wild and scenic river, and offers stunning wilderness float-trip opportunities - from deep in the Brooks Range to the tidewater of the Chukchi Sea. 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