MOST VISITED GLACIER BAY NATIONAL PARK (Hosts around 3 million visitors each year) LEAST VISITED HIGHEST PEAK BEST BEAR VIEWING Mark Kelley/Travel Alaska (Glacier Bay), adobestock.com (Kobuk), Michael DeYoung/Travel Alaska (Denali), Chris McLennan/Travel Alaska (bears) (There are no roads or trails, so plan to hire a pilot to get there) KOBUK VALLEY NATIONAL PARK (Reaches 20,310 feet above sea level and is the third-highest of the world’s Seven Summits) DENALI NATIONAL PARK & PRESERVE* (About 2,200 brown bears are estimated to inhabit the park) KATMAI NATIONAL PARK & PRESERVE 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. TRAVELALASKA.COM 41
Alaska Official State Vacation Planner 2024: Page 41
