Alaska Official State Vacation Planner - 2024

Explore Public Lands

2023-09-28 09:03:27

LARGEST IN SIZE WRANGELL-ST. ELIAS NATIONAL PARK* (Spans 13.2 million acres) Travel Alaska

Alaska has the largest state park system in the U.S. with over 120 sites spanning 3.3 million acres. By area, Alaska holds 60% of America's total national park lands, with 56 million acres. From active sand dunes in the Arctic to the tallest mountain in North America, the options to get outside and explore are limitless.

MOST VISITED GLACIER BAY NATIONAL PARK (Hosts around 3 million visitors each year) Mark Kelley/Travel Alaska

LEAST VISITED

KOBUK VALLEY NATIONAL PARK (There are no roads or trails, so plan to hire a pilot to get there) adobestock.com

HIGHEST PEAK

DENALI NATIONAL PARK & PRESERVE* (Reaches 20,310 feet above sea level and is the third-highest of the world’s Seven Summits) Michael DeYoung/Travel Alaska

BEST BEAR VIEWING

KATMAI NATIONAL PARK & PRESERVE (About 2,200 brown bears are estimated to inhabit the park) Chris McLennan/Travel Alaska

1st

ALASKA’S FIRST KACHEMAK BAY STATE PARK (Made its debut in 1972)

CLOSEST TO ALASKA'S LARGEST CITY CHUGACH STATE PARK (Driving distance: about 20 minutes from downtown Anchorage)

COLDEST GATES OF THE ARCTIC NATIONAL PARK (Average min. and max. winter temperatures are -67°F and 33°F)

LARGEST STATE PARK IN THE NATION WOOD-TIKCHIK (This one park makes up half of Alaska's state park system)

LARGEST TEMPERATE RAINFOREST IN THE WORLD TONGASS NATIONAL FOREST (Also largest National Forest in the United States)

MOST ACCESSIBLE NATIONAL PARK KENAI FJORDS (Accessible by road and train, visitors can explore the park by boat tour, kayak, plane, and on foot)

While many of these public lands seem easy to reach, others require a bit more planning. Three national parks are accessible by road, while the other five require either a boat or plane.

*A Note for Denali Visitors: Denali Park Road will be open up to mile 43 until 2026 due to road improvements. Narrated bus tours and transit buses will continue to be available for guests visiting the park and will travel as far as mile 43.

Kenai Fjords National Park adobestock.com

WAYS TO EXPLORE

Looking to get the most out of Alaska’s wild landscapes and wide-open spaces?

The state's astounding number of parks, preserves, forests, and refuges offer endless sightseeing for every traveler and season.

From guided multi-day backcountry trips to day tours led by locals, Alaska spills over with breathtaking sights and scenery you won’t find anywhere else.

• Wildlife viewing and birdwatching
• Hiking, mountaineering, and glacier trekking
• Camping and backpacking
• Water tours: kayaking, rafting, packrafting
• Fishing
• Dog sledding
• Day cruises
• ATVing and snowmachining
• Skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing
• Alaska Native history and cultural tours
• Flightseeing and helicopter tours
• Northern lights viewing
• Biking
• And more! Bear watching, Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge

You could spend a lifetime exploring all the camping opportunities in Alaska's extensive network of public lands.

When visiting our public lands, it’s important to acknowledge the traditional homelands of Alaska's Indigenous Peoples. Learn more about the land's original inhabitants through cultural experiences, historic sites, and educational opportunities in our parks and public lands.

FOR MORE IDEAS, VISIT TravelAlaska.com/Destinations/Parks-Public-Lands

Explore Public Lands
https://digital.milespartnership.com/article/Explore+Public+Lands/4653012/803837/article.html