[22] In 1982, a general management plan for the park was finalized, designating Exit Glacier as "front-country," the fjords as "back-country," and the icefield as wilderness. explore the Fjords on a boat tour These Gettysburg maps reveal how Lee lost the fight, Who is Oppenheimer? To see the Harding Icefield, you can either hike to it (over 8 miles round trip) or see it on a flightseeing tour. The park's highest point is an unnamed peak of 6,450 feet (1,970m) in the Kenai Mountains. Secretary of the Interior Cecil D. Andrus proposed a 410,000-acre (640.6sqmi; 1,659.2km2) Kenai Fjords National Park. watch wildlife Kenai Fjords National Park Tours from Seward | ALASKA.ORG Once the road to Exit Glacier is snow-covered and closed to cars, it is accessible by cross-country skis, fat bikes, snowmobiles, and more. The park contains the Harding Icefield, one of the largest ice fields in the United States, and is named for the numerous fjords carved by glaciers moving down the mountains from the ice field. And just above them, on the treeless slopes, climb surefooted mountain goats. Cellular Service: There is no cellular service in Kenai Fjords National Park. Ancient bone may be earliest evidence of hominin cannibalism. Here's what you should know. The 700-square-mile Harding Icefield is one of only a few remaining icefields in the US and the . . Exit Glacier Guides offers a backcountry helicopter hiking trip. The park protects the icefield, a narrow fringe of forested land between the mountains and the sea, and the deeply indented coastline. Kenai Fjords National Park - Wikipedia For the best experience, take the Northwestern Fjord cruise. COLUMBIA GLACIER: The Columbia Glacier is one of the most active glaciers in the world and can be visited from Valdez. On this trail, you will see more number signs indicating the year when the terminus of the Exit Glacier was at this point. We did see bear warnings the day we did this hike, and a hiker warned us of a bear not far off trail (we didnt end up seeing the bear). Mount Marathon Race. Kenai Fjords National Park sits at the edge of the North Pacific Ocean, where storm patterns develop and feed a land of ice. Map & Location Video Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge Overview As the only wilderness lodge within Alaska's 700,000-acre Kenai Fjords National Park, a stay at Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge offers unparalleled wilderness access for your Alaska vacation! The most popular tour, perhaps because it is a pretty full day, but still flexible. Park Archives: Kenai Fjords National Park - NPS History Exit Glacier, the only part of the park accessible by road, offers short trails, viewpoints, and a nature center. The first oil arrived on April 10. What is your 'food clock'? It is in Seward and has double rooms and suites that can accommodate up to six people. Northwestern Fjord Cruise: 7 to 8 hours. This is the most popular cruise. Incredible scenery abounds, from Alaska's rugged . Kenai Fjords National Park is located along the southern coast of Alaska, where the land meets the Gulf of Alaska. The park has two coastal public use cabins available in summer and one cabin near Exit Glacier in winter. Are electric bikes the future of green transportation? Discover all the options available in and around the park. [13] Follow-up action by Hartzog brought the Park Service into discussions over the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA). The first study, entitled Alaska - Its Resources and Development was centered on the development of tourism, despite a dissent from co-author Bob Marshall, who advocated strict preservation. Also, the tour took off from Seward so you can camp the night before in the spot we posted about yesterday! It is an adult only property, rooms are beautifully decorated, and prior guests love the location and the shared kitchen. Learn About the Park - Kenai Fjords National Park (U.S. National Park [36] Predominant rock types include shale and graywacke, with greenstone, tuff and chert. Boat tours depart Seward's small boat harbor daily during the summer months, making it easy to travel deeper into the park. This relatively new bed and breakfast is in Seward. Trips include white water Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge is the only lodge located within Kenai Fjords National Park. In Kenai Fjords National Park, you can go both freshwater and saltwater fishing. Kenai Fjords National Park. Seward Windsong Lodge. Kenai Fjords National Park Cruise from Seward - Tripadvisor All against the backdrop of incredible landscapes such as jagged cliffs, tumbling glaciers and lush forest. For the next few hours, you will hike on the glacier, get a lesson on ice climbing (if you are a newbie, like we were), and then test out your new skills on the ice. [25] Most of the lands claimed were on the coastline. The fjords are glacial valleys that have been submerged below sea level by a combination of rising sea levels and land subsidence. Most tours operate May through September. [26], Seward is a departure point and destination for large cruise ships from Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line, Royal Caribbean International and others. The Harding Icefield crowns the park and is the source of at least 38 glaciers that flow over the land, sculpting as they go. [49][50] Smaller mammals include coyote, beaver and river otter. KENAI FJORDS NATIONAL PARK:Check out our Kenai Fjords National Park Travel Guideforimportant travel planning tips, sample itineraries, advice on when to go, where to stay, and more. Snow and ice cover 60 percent of the park: lining the edge of the park is the vast 936-square-mile Harding Icefield. Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge - Alaska Wildland Adventures [9] Archeological surveys have altered the early view that the area was subject to only transient occupation as evidence has accumulated of long-term use. Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic Society, Copyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. Kenai Fjords National Park What good things are you working on and have you been patient with yourself? From Anchorage, it takes about two and a half hours to drive to Seward. Location Room with a Cruise Weddings Kenai Fjords Tours Back to Kenai Fjords Tours The View from Kenai Fjords Tours' Webcam in Seward Boat Harbor Curious to see what's going on in Alaska ? [21] The first park improvements focused on improving access to Exit Glacier. Whale watching on a Kenai fjords tour by private cruise Higher alpine regions support a dwarf shrub community less than 1 foot (30cm) high, at a very slow rate of growth. You can really get a good idea of how much this glacier has shrunk in the last 100 years. [18] Alaskan opposition to ANILCA prompted President Jimmy Carter to proclaim Kenai Fjords National Monument under the provisions of the Antiquities Act on December 1, 1978, pending final passage of an Alaskan lands bill. We chose Exit Glacier Guides for their impeccable reviews and emphasis on safety. Kenai Fjords National Park In this guide, learn how to plan a trip around the world. For the truly adventurous, the coastal fjords are a kayaker's dream, and many visitors utilize drop-off services from water taxis or join guided tours to spend days paddling among icebergs in protected fjords. This is Alaska - remote, rugged, and unpredictable. Negotiations between the Park Service, Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service and the Chugach Alaska Corporation resulted in a decision by the Department of the Interior to make the Park Service the lead agency for the Kenai Fjords area. . Download the official NPS app before your next visit. This is one of the few national parks in Alaska that you can drive to, but to really experience this park, you will need to hike, kayak, cruise, or see it from the sky. Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, List of birds of Kenai Fjords National Park, List of national parks of the United States, "U.S. Getting up close to the Northwestern Glacier was awesome. . It is a 4-mile round-trip hike, with 3,000 feet of elevation gain, to get to the top of this mountain. By early April, Park Service personnel established oil containment boom lines across the mouths of salmon streams and conducted preliminary inventories of plants and animals that might be affected by the oil. The fun starts next Friday! You can visit Seward all year but Exit Glacier Road closes to vehicles once it gets snow covered. [12] Another study, funded as part of the Alaska Highway in the 1940s drew similar conclusions to the first study's majority opinion. Its 14 miles long, moderately strenuous, and goes through beautiful mountain scenery. It is truly a birder's paradise! To get to Seward, take the Seward Highway (Alas. #wildlifephotography #wildlifeaddict #stellersealion #sealion #marinemammals #science #sciencefacts #sciencephotography #kenaifjordsnationalpark #kenaifjords #alaska #youneedalaska #alaskaadventure #alaskaphotographer #yourshotphotographer #wonder #beauty #ocean #blue, Kayaking through Kenai Fjords National Park was definitely a bucket list moment! Take as much time as you have and experience your park. We are an Alaskan-family owned & operated Kenai Fjords Wilderness Lodge is located on beautiful and remote Fox Island, a world away from the ordinary. It has three different departures, some including Fox Island, but they all feature the alpine and tidewater glaciers of Kenai Fjords National Park, and the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, filled with seabird rookeries. [8], At the time of the park's establishment, there were few permanent inhabitants. Learn more 6 hours (approx.) For the full list, read our article Best Things to Do in Wrangell-St. Elias. Taking a Denali flight seeing trip is also a great thing to do, as are hiking one of the many trails in the park. How extreme heat affects our petsand how to help them, This place may have the highest density of great white sharks, Controversial oil drilling paused in Namibian wilderness, Dolphin moms use 'baby talk' with their calves, Nevada is crawling with swarms of smelly 'Mormon crickets'. Bus tours from Seward visit Exit Glacier and boat tours visit other parts of the park[29], The park maintains public-use cabins and shelters in coastal areas and at the edge of the Harding Icefield. The 130-mile drive is spectacular. [10] A 1993 Park Service survey documented several village sites dated between 1200 AD and 1920. When choosing a fjord cruise, there are several different options. Although the proposal had support in Congress and from the US Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, it was overcome by difficulties with native land claims. Download the official NPS app before your next visit. For most of the hike, you are in a forest, but it leads to viewpoints of the Exit Glacier outwash plain. Check out our many photo galleries. Salmon or chicken breast, salad, rolls and a cookie.*. This is when fjord cruises, glacier hiking, and ice climbing tours are offered. Buses and small commuter planes also connect Anchorage and Seward. Exit Glacier consists of a half-mile-wide river of ice and is also the easiest section of the park to access. Many visitors are short on time, so the quickest, easiest way to gain access to the park is a day cruise. Things to Do in Kenai Fjords National Park - Tripadvisor Sewards Guest House. Wildlife thrives in icy waters and lush forests around this vast expanse of ice. Kenai Fjords National Park sits at the edge of the North Pacific Ocean, where storm patterns develop and feed a land of ice. No matter your age, we've got a program for you, including our new Explorer App. Glacier kayaking tours range in price from $325 to $550 per person, depending on the tour. Here the south-central part of the state tumbles into the Gulf of Alaska; here the land challenges the sea with talonlike peninsulas and rocky headlands, while the sea itself reaches inland with long fjords and hundreds of quiet bays and coves. This hike is located just north of Seward. #4 Glacier Hiking or Ice Climbing on the Exit Glacier, Things to Do Near Kenai Fjords National Park. All rights reserved Earth Trekkers. Also, we got a discount through the Alaska Collection by bundling together this fjord cruise with our stay at the Seward Windsong Lodge. Earth's shifting magnetic poles don't cause climate change, This ancient society tried to stop El Niowith child sacrifice. There are numerous fjords to visit on a glacier cruise, and Ill discuss those later in this guide. These pioneers are followed by other plants as the moss and lichen break rock down into soil. we have a great guide for things to see and do along the way. Herbaceous plants can grow in areas with better soils, supporting grasses, Nootka lupine, fireweed and other perennial plants. All rights reserved. while standing outside in the dark, camping on a place called Bear Creek and with the temperature on the low 20s All rights reserved, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. But its possible! Stop by either of the park's two visitor centers for help with planning your visit. On land, you can see moose, black bears, brown bears and wolves. Who said it would be easy, or impossible? Kenai Fjords National Park was established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA). Not only do you get to see three different glaciers, including the remote, active Northwestern Glacier, but there is also a very good chance that you will see orca whales, humpback whales, sea lions and more. Check out our live webcams below with real-time images updated every five minutes*! With just a 10-to-15-minute drive out of Seward, you can hike right up to the Kenai Fjords National Park's Exit Glacier and experience the dense, blue ice while listening to it crackle. Its touted as the toughest 5K in the world. Highlights include re-created Alaska Native. Sea lions, seals, dolphins, humpback whales, orcas, sea otters, and fin whales can be spotted in the sea. The waters around Kenai Fjords and Resurrection Bay provide a unique experience, whether seeing the awe-inspiring power of a tidewater glacier and the expanse of the Gulf of Alaska or spotting . Can you find them? No matter your age, we've got a program for you, including our Explorer App. Today, nearly 51 percent of the park is covered by ice, but all of this land was once buried beneath the ice and still bears its influence. [67], The plant communities at Kenai Fjords are shaped by glacial retreat. There's still time to book for this summer! The race is open to less than 800 people and so popular that there is a lottery selection process. Northwestern Glacier | Best Things to Do in Kenai Fjords, Orcas | Best Things to Do in Kenai Fjords, Harbor Seals in Northwestern Fjord | Best Things to Do in Kenai Fjords, View from the Northwestern Fjord cruise | Best Things to Do in Kenai Fjords. Exit Glacier Road, which is also called Herman Leirer Road, connects Seward with the Exit Glacier. Learn how to see in our Guide to the Columbia Glacier. momofmamony.com Moose, black bears, wolverines, and coyotes roam narrow bands of forest between the coast and icefield. ------------------------------ This is largely believed to be a result of climate change. The best time to visit Kenai Fjords National Park is in the summer (June, July and August). Kenai Fjords National Parks is one of the best parks for wildlife spotting. Exit Glacier Road is generally closed to vehicles from fall through spring (this road is not plowed when it snows). Plus, this town has many great hotels and restaurants, making this the best place to stay when you visit the park. With more time, you can also hike the Mount Marathon trail or Lost Lake Trail, spend some time in Seward, go fishing, glacier kayaking, or go flightseeing. And as a bonus the area looked like a blend of two of our favorite places - Antarctica and the Oregon Coast Wildlife viewing opportunities abound from this As you plan your trip, you will need transportation, right? Best Time to Visit Kenai Fjords National Park, Get updates on road conditions and trail closures, as you plan your trip and just before your visit, on the, Read all of our articles about Alaska in our. Mostly popular for: Glacier, National Parks, Entertainment, Hiking, Island Kenai Fjords became a National Park in 1980 in order to protect the Harding Icefield and its outflowing glaciers and coastal fjords. And the landscapes are breathtaking. Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. _______________________________ We even saw a black bear walking along the shoreline! Location: Alaska Acreage: Sweeping from rocky coastline to glacier-crowned peaks, Kenai Fjords National Park encompasses 607,805 acres of unspoiled wilderness on the southeast coast of Alaska's Kenai Peninsula. Most success doesnt happen overnight, and we cant expect the truly good things in life to be easy. become a Junior Ranger At the edge of the Kenai Peninsula lies a land where the ice age lingers.
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