How to Visit Alaska’s National Parks on a Cruise
Alaska cruises are best known for their scenery: dramatic fjords with calving glaciers, lush forested islands, and rocky, rugged shorelines are just a few of the sights you can expect to sail through. But cruise ships also serve as excellent gateways to some of the nation’s most wild and remote National Parks. While cruise ships often sail directly into several national parks, a few more protected areas can be accessed on shore excursions, and others can be reached with post-cruise land extensions or independent add-ons.
Choosing the right land and sea combination is key to getting what you want from your Alaska visit. Consider routes and ports: do you want to stick with an Inside Passage cruise only, or travel beyond to places such as Whittier, Seward, Kodiak, or Homer? Would you rather add a land tour on, or organize your land excursions independently? Budget, time, and individual desires regarding wildlife and landscapes are all also important factors for you to consider. A cruise can be a standalone scenic trip or the starting point for a broader national park journey, depending on how you structure it.
National Parks from the Cruise
Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve is the national park most commonly visited by cruise ships. Glacier Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a highlight of any cruise through Southeast Alaska. Ships usually spend a full day cruising through the Park’s fjords, often catching sight of thunderous calving tidewater glaciers as well as wildlife such as humpback whales, sea otters, seals, and bald eagles. You might even spot a bear ambling along the shoreline.
Some itineraries also pass near Hubbard Glacier, located within Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve, offering another chance to witness an active tidewater glacier from the ship. Though you aren’t likely to go ashore here or in Glacier Bay, on board park rangers usually narrate the ship’s journey so you can learn about the history and geology of the area.
National Park Shore Excursions
If Seward, in Southcentral Alaska, is a port of call on your itinerary, your ship will pass through Kenai Fjords National Park. Though you will sail through it, Kenai Fjords is best visited on a shore excursion where you are more likely to see wildlife such as whales, sea lions, and puffins. Shore excursions on smaller boats can also access tidewater glaciers, and a guided kayak tour can get you much closer to the massive termini of these rivers of ice. There is also one road into Kenai Fjords National Park, which allows you to see Exit Glacier up close with a short hike.
While the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park isn’t a true wilderness park, it’s historically significant and a common part of land tours from Skagway. The park traces the routes stampeders once took in their search for gold, including sections of the challenging Chilkoot Trail and White Pass. The White Pass & Yukon Route Railway is a popular way to experience this history, climbing steeply out of Skagway and following the original stampeders’ route into the mountains. Along the way, you’ll be treated to dramatic views of waterfalls, glaciers, and sheer cliffs. For those who prefer to explore on foot, ranger-led walks and short hikes around Skagway offer a look at the people and stories that shaped this corner of Alaska.
From Juneau, shore excursions can also reach the edge of Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve via day trips into nearby wilderness areas, as well as glacier-focused experiences such as the Mendenhall Glacier area. While not a full park visit, these excursions offer a closer and more intimate way to experience Southeast Alaska’s glacial landscapes.
National Park Land Extensions
Denali National Park is a popular pre- or post-cruise land extension. Two story domed rail cars travel to the park between Anchorage and Fairbanks as part of packaged land tours, and the larger cruise ship companies have dedicated lodges in the park village. From there, you can embark on bus tours with the possibility of spotting brown bears, caribou, moose, and wolves. The scenery is astounding, and on a clear day you’ll be treated to neck-craning views of North America’s tallest mountain. It’s worth staying at least two nights.
Though it’s not a typical post-cruise land tour extension, visiting Wrangell-St Elias National Park deserves a mention. It’s the largest national park in the US, and a few off-the-beaten path land extension itineraries include a visit to this stunning locale. Here you can explore the Copper River Valley, known for its Alaska Native culture and the namesake river’s delicious red salmon. You can explore Kennecott Mine on a day trip, or walk on Root Glacier on a guided trek. Wrangell St-Elias can also be visited independently; you’ll need to rent a car.
Independent Add-Ons
A couple of national parks are very popular day-trip bear viewing destinations: Katmai National Park and Preserve and Lake Clark National Park. Kamai is one of the most compelling add-ons, with its iconic Brooks Falls. This is where you can witness the iconic scene of brown bears catching salmon as they jump upstream. You’ll need to take a floatplane into Katmai; most sightseeing day tours depart from Anchorage (with a few from Homer and Kodiak).
Like Katmai, Lake Clark National Park is also a fly-in experience, and also known for excellent bear viewing opportunities. Here you’re likely to catch sight of coastal brown bears in open habitats. Flights land on remote beaches or small airstrips, and you’ll need to arrange this through an outfitter rather than your cruise line. For both parks, weather also plays an important part, so planning a couple extra days in Anchorage to allow for flexibility is worthwhile.
Alaska: AKA Your Next Adventure
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