Outdoor Adventure

a raft rests on the shore of a river with mountains in the background
The Tlikakila National Wild River flows through a narrow, scenic valley surrounded by jagged mountain peaks, making for a scenic float trip in Lake Clark National Park & Preserve. NPS Photo / Kevyn Jalone
Alaska's national parklands are an ultimate destination for outdoor adventure. The expansive wilderness of the 49th state is a playground for exploration, with soaring mountain peaks, glaciers, rushing rivers, dramatic coasts, and rolling tundra. No shortage of activities can be found here, from watching wildlife, hiking, camping, hunting, and winter sports to taking in the scenic views. The tales and opportunities for adventurers and expeditions in Alaska's parklands are innumerable- read about some of them below.

For inspiration in planning an Alaskan outdoor adventure of your own, explore Things to Do or Trip Ideas.
Showing results 1-9 of 9

  • Kenai Fjords National Park

    Harding Ice Cap Camp

    • Type: Article
    • Locations: Kenai Fjords National Park
    Harding Ice Cap warming hut and Ski-Doo line-up, 1970.

    In the spring of 1970, The Fish House News advertised round trip tickets from Seward to the Harding “Ice Cap” for $15.00 per person. Jackie and Joe Stanton, owners of Harbor Air, and Jim Arness of Nikiski partnered to provide this unique sightseeing experience. Ten Ski-Doos and three Ski-Boose awaited visitors on top of the ice field where they could be rented for $7.00 an hour.

    • Type: Article
    • Locations: Kobuk Valley National Park
    Forested river valley with green mountains in the distance

    No one visits Kobuk Valley National Park because it’s easy. A remote park in Alaska north of the Arctic Circle, Kobuk Valley rewards those intrepid enough to venture there. It’s the wonder and promise of true wilderness that draws you to Kobuk Valley. It’s the thrill of knowing you’ve visited one of the most distant, undeveloped national parks.

    • Type: Article
    • Locations: Kenai Fjords National Park
    a humpback whale leaping from the ocean, in front of a small rocky island

    A short drive from Anchorage you'll find Kenai Fjords National Park, a beautiful wilderness park that you can explore by boat or kayak!

    • Type: Article
    • Locations: Denali National Park & Preserve
    Campers wave and smile while hiking up a mountain

    Denali Discovery Camp is a signature summer education program for the Murie Science and Learning Center. The program started originally as an idea from local parents who had a common goal of wanting their children to be able to go explore and learn about Denali National Park. That idea grew into a partnership program between the park and the Denali Education Center that now caters to campers between 6 and 14 years old.

  • Denali National Park & Preserve

    The Day I Hiked Up Stony

    • Type: Article
    • Locations: Denali National Park & Preserve
    grizzly bear wandering through a field

    After a 2011 residency in Denali, writer Carolyn Kremers conjures the excitement - and fear - that comes from hiking off-trail up a mountain in grizzly country in "The Day I Hiked Up Stony,"

    • Type: Article
    • Locations: Denali National Park & Preserve
    Caribou in a grass field

    Most visitors only experience the park during summer, and they are very curious about Denali in winter. They've heard it's cold and that the days are short. While both are true, either experience in Denali will be unforgettable.

    • Type: Article
    • Locations: Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve
    sea otter surfacing in the water

    If you've ever dreamed of the ice age and wondered how our planet might have looked as it emerged from the grip of massive glaciers, pondered how a river of ice could carve mountains into flour or wanted to watch the birth of an iceberg, then Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve is the place for you!

    • Type: Article
    • Locations: Yukon - Charley Rivers National Preserve
    Aerial view of the Yukon River during fall colors

    Just shy of the Arctic Circles lies a land literally frozen in time—Yukon Charley Rivers National Preserve. Come retrace the routes of ancient nomadic hunters, dog-team mail carriers, and supply-laden steamboats through one of the great North American geologic faults that bore the 1890s gold rush. Solitude awaits.

    • Type: Article
    • Locations: Lake Clark National Park & Preserve
    Cabin by a lake in front of a mountain

    Solitude is found around every bend in the river and shoulder of a mountain. Lake Clark National Park and Preserve extends from the saltwater shores of Cook Inlet, through the craggy Chigmit and Neacola Mountains, includes the steaming Redoubt and Iliamna volcanoes, and crosses through alpine tundra studded with shimmering turquoise lakes and braided glacial rivers. Shhh… this is 4 million acres of wonder!

Last updated: November 29, 2017