Parks around Seward

Seward Highway showcases the natural beauty of south-central Alaska between Anchorage and Seward. From jagged peaks and alpine meadows to breathtaking fjords and crystal lakes, find a concentrated series of diverse landscapes and experiences. See sights such as Beluga whales or dog teams in the winter.

The Kenai Wilderness now contains a total of 1,354,247 acres and is managed by the Fish & Wildlife Service. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Alaska. In 1980 the Kenai Wilderness became part of the now over 110 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. In an age of "......

At the edge of the Kenai Peninsula lies a land where the ice age lingers. Nearly 40 glaciers flow from the Harding Icefield, Kenai Fjords' crowning feature. Wildlife thrives in icy waters and lush forests around this vast expanse of ice. Native Alutiiq relied on these resources to nurture a life entwined with the sea. Today, shrinking glaciers bear witness to the effects of our changing climate.

The Recreation Program manages recreational use to administer visitor services, resource protection, tourism, volunteers and partnerships. The Iditarod National Historic Trail, the Unalakleet National Wild River and the Campbell Tract in Anchorage are administered under the program.

The Iditarod National Historic Trail is a network of 2,037 miles of trails once used by ancient Alaska Natives and early 20th- century prospectors. The vegetation varies from coastal Sitka spruce to the alpine tundra of the Chugach Mountains and Alaska Range. Wildlife is plentiful and includes moose, caribou, black bear, brown bear, lynx, beaver, otter, marten, bald eagle, and all types of waterfo...

The Campbell Tract is a 730-acre natural area used mostly by urban recreationists seeking a piece of Alaska wilderness in the heart of the Anchorage. The tract is a BLM administrative site with a restricted-use airstrip surrounded by Alaskan boreal forest containing twelve miles of non-motorized multi-use trails. The tract is bordered on three sides by city parklands creating an unbroken connecti...

Alaska's Kenai Peninsula is, in geologic terms, still quite "young," since its entire land mass was covered by glacial ice as recently as 10,000 years ago. Much of that frozen blanket still exists today, in the form of the more than 800-square mile Harding Ice Field, which the refuge "shares" with Kenai Fjords National Park. The grudging withdrawal of the Harding Ice Field has helped to mak...

During World War II the remote Aleutian Islands, home to the Unangan (Aleut) people for over 8,000 years, became a fiercely contested battleground in the Pacific. This thousand-mile-long archipelago saw invasion by Japanese forces, the only American soil occupied in the war; a mass internment of American civilians; a 15-month air war; and one of the deadliest battles in the Pacific Theater.

Alaska's parks, forests and refuges are rich and varied. 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. This center and three others statewide provide trip-planning, interpretation, and education for all ages.

NARA's Pacific Alaska Region -Anchorage

5.4 million Acres of wilderness and water!The Eastern Kenai Peninsulaand the Seward Ranger DistrictThe Russian River draws tens of thousands of salmon anglers, but if your tastes run quieter, check out backcountry streams and lakes for grayling and trout.The Copper River Deltaand the Cordova Ranger DistrictOn the Copper River Highway, enjoy the drive through wetlands and rainforest and across the ...

Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge is a place of great distances and greater dramas. Here winds whip through the grasses of rugged, wave-pounded islands; and active volcanoes simmer, venting steam above collars of fog. It is a place of contrasts, where relics of a past war slowly rust in deserted valleys, while, nearby, great forests of kelp team with life. It is, and has long been, a place ...

Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (KBNERR) is located in South Central Alaska, five hours southwest of Anchorage. At 370 square miles (an area larger than Teton National Park), it is the largest Reserve in the NERR system. The bay, which is flanked by spruce forests, extensive tidal flats, and 15 alpine glaciers, supports an active halibut and salmon sports fishing industry. The K...

The Tuxedni Wilderness now contains a total of 5,566 acres and is managed by the Fish & Wildlife Service. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Alaska. In 1970 the Tuxedni Wilderness became part of the now over 110 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. In an age of "......

The Lake Clark Wilderness now contains a total of 2,619,550 acres and is managed by the National Park Service. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Alaska. In 1980 the Lake Clark Wilderness became part of the now over 109 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. In an age...

Lake Clark National Park is a land of stunning beauty where volcanoes steam, salmon run, bears forage, craggy mountains reflect in shimmering turquoise lakes, and local people and culture still depend on the land and water of their home. Solitude is found around every bend in the river and shoulder of a mountain. Venture into the park to become part of the wilderness.

The Gulkana is one of the 5 most used rivers in Alaska, primarily because of its easy access at the put-in and take-out points. The river is known for its recreational values, including excellent sport fishing, particularly for chinook (king) salmon during late June and early July. The Gulkana also contains sockeye salmon, grayling, and rainbow trout, as well as the northernmost population of stee...

Denali is six million acres of wild land, bisected by one ribbon of road. Travelers along it see the relatively low-elevation taiga forest give way to high alpine tundra and snowy mountains, culminating in North America's tallest peak, 20,320' Mount McKinley. Wild animals large and small roam unfenced lands, living as they have for ages. Solitude, tranquility and wilderness await.

The Denali Wilderness now contains a total of 2,124,783 acres and is managed by the National Park Service. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Alaska. In 1980 the Denali Wilderness became part of the now over 109 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. In an age of "......

The Katmai Wilderness now contains a total of 3,384,358 acres and is managed by the National Park Service. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Alaska. In 1980 the Katmai Wilderness became part of the now over 109 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. In an age of "......

Katmai National Monument was established in 1918 to protect the volcanically devastated region surrounding Mount Katmai and the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. Today, Katmai National Park and Preserve remains an active volcanic landscape, but it also protects 9,000 years of human history as well as important habitat for salmon and the thousands of brown bears that feed on them.

Given its remote location and challenging weather conditions, Aniakchak is one of the most wild and least visited in places in the National Park System. 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.

The headwaters of Alagnak Wild River lie within the rugged Aleutian Range of neighboring Katmai National Park and Preserve. 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.

At 13.2 million acres, Wrangell St. Elias could fit Switzerland and Yellowstone and Yosemite National Parks within its borders! It stretches from one of the tallest peaks in North America, Mount St. Elias (18,008), to the ocean. Within this wild landscape people have been living off the land for centuries and still do today. The park is a rugged yet inviting place to experience your own adventure.

The Wrangell-Saint Elias Wilderness now contains a total of 9,078,675 acres and is managed by the National Park Service. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Alaska. In 1980 the Wrangell-Saint Elias Wilderness became part of the now over 109 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for...