Photo: National Park Service
Picture yourself savoring views of snow-capped mountains, massive glaciers, forests, herds of grazing caribou, brown bears feeding on wild salmon, and giant, gentle moose munching on spruce. Alaska may seem like another planet, but a trip to the last frontier is possible.
Photo: Joris Beugels
When the United States first acquired Alaska in 1867, people mockingly called it "Seward's Folly." Today, the last frontier's rugged wilderness houses some of America's most beautiful lands within its eight amazing national parks.
Photo: Barth Bailey
Yes, it is remote. It is called the last frontier for a reason. Your adventure will require planning, but these natural treasures are worth the journey. Let's take a closer look at the Alaska national parks.
Photo: Barth Bailey
Located in south-central Alaska, Denali National Park & Preserve is about halfway between Fairbanks and Anchorage. You can reach the park from either city by car, bus, or train. Although it spans 6 million acres, it has one park entrance and one road: Denali Park Road.
Photo: NPS/Tim Rains
America's northernmost national park, the entire Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve, sits north of the Arctic Circle. Stretching 8.4 million acres across the central Brooks Range, it is the second-biggest national park in the United States.
Photo: National Park Service
Spanning 3.3 million acres along southeast Alaska's Inside Passage, Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve showcases jagged, snow-capped mountains, dynamic glaciers, turquoise waterways, and temperate rainforests.
Photo: National Park Service
Situated on the Kenai Peninsula near Seward in south-central Alaska, Kenai Fjords National Park appears stuck in the ice age. The 600,000-acre park comprises the Harding Icefield, nearly 40 glaciers, coastal fjords, lush forests, and icy waters.
Photo: jason.troutnut.com/DepositPhotos
Located on the Alaska Peninsula about 100 miles southwest of Anchorage, Lake Clark National Park & Preserve offers 4 million acres of various stunning landscapes, from craggy snow-covered mountains and glaciers to crystal clear lakes and streams.
Photo: National Park Service
Photo: National Park Service