{"id":15844,"date":"2016-04-06T10:08:56","date_gmt":"2016-04-06T00:08:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures?p=15844&preview_id=15844"},"modified":"2025-03-26T00:54:24","modified_gmt":"2025-03-25T13:54:24","slug":"alaska-national-parks-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/alaska-national-parks-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"The call of the wild: our guide to Alaska’s Top 5 National Parks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Alaska\u2019s national parks <\/a>can offer sparser, wilder experiences than their more familiar Canadian<\/a> counterparts (it helps when your address is basically PO Box, End Of The Earth). But with some parks\u00a0bigger than small\u00a0European countries, which of them should be on your travel hit-list? How do you separate one spectacular glacier-filled vista from another? And, with road access limited at best and non-existent at worst, how do you even get<\/em> there?<\/p>\n

Here are our top Alaskan national parks:<\/p>\n

Denali National Park<\/h2>\n
\"alaska---arthur-t-labar\"

Image c\/o Arthur T Labar, Flickr<\/p><\/div>\n

Size<\/strong>: XL
\nHow to get there<\/strong>: 5-hr drive from Anchorage
\nStay\/eat at<\/strong>: Perch Restaurant & Cabins (for seafood and views)
\nSee<\/strong>: The tallest mountain in the continent, sled dogs, the Northern Lights (if you\u2019re lucky!)<\/p>\n

Denali is closed to cars \u2013 once you\u2019re in you’ll rely on the park shuttles and tour buses to get you to the best walking spots. If you\u2019re short on time, you can take a bus day-trip that covers off a good chunk of scenery and wildlife, or head straight to where the leisurely Horseshoe Lake Trail begins. There are no designated hiking trails, so come armed with a decent terrain map. Read more about Intrepid’s Denali tours<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park<\/h2>\n
\"alaska---chewei-chang\"

Image c\/o Chewei Chang, Flickr<\/p><\/div>\n

Size<\/strong>: XXL (the largest national park in the US \u2013 nearly six times the size of Yellowstone!)
\nHow to get there<\/strong>: 4.5-hr drive from Anchorage
\nStay\/eat at<\/strong>: McCarthy Lodge (for primo gourmet nosh)
\nSee<\/strong>: Massive mountains, icefields, Dall sheep<\/p>\n

This expansive park on the Alaska\u2013Canada border adjoins with Glacier Bay (below), British Columbia\u2019s Tatshenshini-Alsek Park and Yukon\u2019s Kluane National Park and Reserve. Its accessibility (you can drive straight in, just be wary of the unpaved roads towards the end) and established infrastructure make it an ideal park for less experienced travellers \u2013 plus it\u2019s not as crowded as\u00a0Denali. I guess that\u2019s what happens when you\u2019re spread out over 13 million acres.<\/p>\n

Glacier Bay National Park<\/h2>\n
\"alaska---matt-zimmerman\"

Image c\/o Matt Zimmerman, Flickr<\/p><\/div>\n

Size<\/strong>: L
\nHow to get there<\/strong>: 4.5-hr ferry from Juneau
\nStay\/eat at<\/strong>: Historic Lake McDonald Lodge or the more rustic Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge
\nSee<\/strong>: Active glaciers, humpback whales, rainforest fauna<\/p>\n

Glacier Bay National Park is the most popular\u00a0national park in Alaska<\/a>, drawing adventure junkies from all over the world. Get here by boat \u2013 there\u2019s a convenient ferry service from Juneau that has been running since 2011, or you can kayak in from the nearest gateway town, Gustavus. Once you\u2019re there, opt for a boat tour to witness a giant section of glacier calving into the ocean.<\/p>\n

Lake Clark National Park<\/h2>\n
\"alaska---caitlin-marr\"

Image c\/o Caitlin Marr, Flickr<\/p><\/div>\n

Size<\/strong>: L
\nHow to get there<\/strong>: 1-hr flight from Anchorage
\nStay\/eat at<\/strong>: Silver Salmon Creek Lodge (for salmon fishing and bear viewing)
\nSee<\/strong>: Bird\u2019s-eye views of mountain ranges and rainforests, brown bears<\/p>\n

The one where you\u2019re least likely to run into crowds, despite its close proximity to the more populous areas of Alaska. The main reason for this is that no roads lead into it \u2013 your best bet is to book a float plane and enjoy some incredible aerial views.<\/p>\n

Gates of the Arctic National Park<\/h2>\n
\"alaska---ilya_ktsn\"

Image c\/o Ilya_ktsn, Flickr<\/p><\/div>\n

Size<\/strong>: XL
\nHow to get there<\/strong>: 1-hr flight from Anchorage
\nStay\/eat at<\/strong>: No amenities here, so treat yourself to a hearty breakfast at Anchorage\u2019s Snow City Caf\u00e9 before you go.
\nSee<\/strong>: Wild and Scenic Rivers, caribou, very few humans<\/p>\n

This park is situated within the Arctic Circle, so you get round-the-clock sunshine in summer and continual night-time in winter. There\u2019s no road access, so it\u2019s a good option for those who are cashed-up (fly in on an air taxi) or experienced with navigating wilderness with a lack of supportive infrastructure. The cool name\u00a0refers to the Boreal Mountain and Frigid Crags that resemble \u201cgates to the Arctic\u201d according to ye olde explorer John Marshall.<\/p>\n

You can visit both Denali National Park and Wrangell-St. Elias National Park between June and August on Intrepid\u2019s Basix trip Explore Alaska or our Comfort option Best of Alaska.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"blog-800x150-generic3\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Compared to Canada, Alaska\u2019s National Parks are bigger, wilder and more remote (it helps when your address is basically PO Box, End Of The 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