Alaska National Parks & Public Lands

Explore Over 322 Million Acres of America's Most Remote Wilderness

Looking for wild landscapes and wide open spaces? Alaska has an astounding number of national parks, state parks, and other public lands that offer outdoor adventures at every turn. With over 322 million acres of public lands — that’s over three times the size of the state of California — the opportunities for exploration are endless.

Denali National Park, Kenai Fjords National Park, Glacier Bay National Park, and Katmai National Park are the most well-known of our 8 national parks in Alaska, but that's just the beginning when it comes to our diverse range of national parks, national historical parks, national monuments, national preserves, and national wildlife refuges. In addition to national parks, Alaska has the United States’ largest state park system, with 3.2 million acres in over 120 state park units spanning every region of the state.

Our parks and public lands are vast and varied, from sand dunes to the tallest mountain in North America to rugged coastal islands, highlighting Alaska’s wildlife, natural beauty, Alaska Native culture, and history. A wealth of activities are at your fingertips in Alaska’s national parks and public lands, including hiking, camping, rafting, flightseeing, day cruising, fishing, wildlife viewing, kayaking, Alaska Native cultural opportunities, northern lights viewing, historical landmarks, and so much more.

Alaska's National Parks: How to Get There & When to Visit

Alaska's most famous and iconic public lands are our national parks. The state is home to about 60% of the United States’ total national park lands at 56 million acres. Entry into all of Alaska's National Parks is free. There are 8 national parks in Alaska:

National Parks & Public Lands by Region

Arrigetch Peaks in Gates of the Arctic National Park

Arctic Parks & Public Lands

7 Parks

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Gateway Communities: Coldfoot, Deadhorse, Fort Yukon
Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, Gateway Communities: Nome, Kotzebue
Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Gateway Communities: Kotzebue, Bettles
Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve, Gateway Communities: Anaktuvuk Pass, Bettles, Coldfoot
Kobuk Valley National Park, Gateway Communities: Kotzebue, Bettles
Noatak National Preserve, Gateway Communities: Kotzebue, Bettles
Selawik National Wildlife Refuge, Gateway Community: Kotzebue

Misty Fjords National Monument flightseeing

Inside Passage Parks & Public Lands

14 Parks

Admiralty Island National Monument, Gateway Communities: Juneau, Angoon
Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, Gateway Community: Haines
Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, Gateway Community: Gustavus
Haines Area State Parks, Gateway Community: Haines
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Gateway Community: Skagway
Mendenhall Wetlands State Game Refuge, Gateway Community: Juneau
Misty Fjords National Monument, Gateway Community: Ketchikan
Pack Creek Bear Viewing Area, Gateway Community: Juneau
Point Bridget State Park, Gateway Community: Juneau
Sitka Area State Parks, Gateway Community: Sitka
Sitka National Historical Park, Gateway Community: Sitka
Tongass National Forest, Gateway Communities: Juneau, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Hoonah, Sitka, Wrangell, Yakutat
Totem Bight State Historical Park, Gateway Community: Ketchikan
Wickersham State Historic Site, Gateway Community: Juneau

Interior Parks & Public Lands

17 Parks

Big Delta State Historical Park, Gateway Community: Delta Junction
Birch Lake State Recreation Site, Gateway Community: Fairbanks
Chatanika State Recreation Areas, Gateway Community: Fairbanks
Chena River State Recreation Area, Gateway Community: Fairbanks
Creamers Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge, Gateway Community: Fairbanks
Delta Junction State Parks, Gateway Community: Delta Junction
Denali National Park & Preserve, Gateway Communities: Denali Park, Cantwell, Healy, Talkeena
Harding Lake State Recreation Area, Gateway Community: Fairbanks
Innoko National Wildlife Refuge, Gateway Community: McGrath
Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge, Gateway Community: Bettles
Koyukuk National Wildlife Refuge, Gateway Communities: Fairbanks, Galena
Nowitna National Wildlife Refuge, Gateway Communities: Galena, Ruby
Salcha River State Recreation Site, Gateway Communities: Salcha, Fairbanks, Delta Junction
Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge, Gateway Communities: Tok, Northway
Tok Area Parks, Gateway Community: Tok
Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve, Gateway Communities: Eagle, Circle
Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge, Gateway Communities: Fort Yukon, Fairbanks

Alaska Railroad Glacier Discovery Train Spencer Whistle Stop

Southcentral Parks & Public Lands

23 Parks

Alaska State Marine Parks, Gateway Communities: Seward, Valdez, Whittier
Anchor River State Recreation Area, Gateway Community: Anchor Point, Homer
Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge, Gateway Community: Anchorage
Caines Head State Recreation Area, Gateway Community: Seward
Captain Cook State Recreation Area, Gateway Communities: Nikiski, Kenai
Chugach National Forest, Gateway Communities: Girdwood, Whittier, Cordova, Hope, Seward, Valdez
Chugach State Park, Gateway Communities: Anchorage, Girdwood, Eagle River, Eklutna
Clam Gulch State Recreation Area, Gateway Communities: Kasilof, Anchor Point
Deep Creek State Recreation Area, Gateway Community: Ninilchik
Denali State Park, Gateway Community: Talkeetna
Independence Mine State Historical Park, Gateway Communities: Palmer, Willow, Hatcher Pass
Kachemak Bay State Park, Gateway Community: Homer
Kasilof Area State Parks, Gateway Community: Kasilof
Kenai Fjords National Park, Gateway Community: Seward
Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Gateway Communities: Cooper Landing, Soldotna, Kenai, Sterling
Kenai River, Gateway Communities: Cooper Landing, Soldotna, Kenai
Lake Louise State Recreation Area, Gateway Communities: Lake Louise, Glennallen
Matanuska Glacier, Gateway Communities: Chickaloon, Palmer
Nancy Lake State Recreation Area, Gateway Communities: Wasilla, Willow
Ninilchik State Recreation Area, Gateway Community: Ninilchik
Portage Glacier, Gateway Communities: Girdwood, Anchorage
Summit Lake State Recreation Site, Gateway Communities: Hatcher Pass, Palmer, Willow
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Gateway Communities: McCarthy, Chitina, Copper Center

Southwest Parks & Public Lands

15 Parks

Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, Gateway Communities: Unalaska, Kodiak, Pribilof Islands, Adak, Seward, Homer
Alaska Peninsula National Wildlife Refuge, Gateway Communities: King Salmon, Cold Bay & King Cove, Sand Point
Aleutian Islands WWII National Historic Site, Gateway Community: Unalaska
Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve, Gateway Community: King Salmon
Becharof National Wildlife Refuge, Gateway Community: King Salmon
Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, Gateway Community: Cold Bay
Katmai National Park & Preserve, Gateway Communities: King Salmon, Kodiak, Homer, Anchorage
Kodiak Area State Parks, Gateway Community: Kodiak
Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, Gateway Community: Kodiak
Lake Clark National Park & Preserve, Gateway Communities: Port Alsworth, Iliamna, Homer, Anchorage
McNeil River State Game Sanctuary, Gateway Communities: King Salmon, Kodiak, Homer
Togiak National Wildlife Refuge, Gateway Communities: Dillingham, Bethel, King Salmon
Walrus Islands State Game Sanctuary, Gateway Community: Dillingham
Wood-Tikchik State Park, Gateway Community: Dillingham
Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Gateway Community: Bethel

Frequently Asked Questions About Alaska’s National Parks

Which Alaska national parks can you visit by car?

Three National Parks are accessible by road: Denali National Park (4.5 hours from Anchorage, 2.5 hours from Fairbanks), Kenai Fjords National Park (2.5 hours from Anchorage), and Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (6.5 hours from Anchorage, 8 hours from Fairbanks). The remaining five parks — Glacier Bay, Katmai, Gates of the Arctic, Lake Clark, and Kobuk Valley — are accessible by air or water.

How much does it cost to visit Alaska’s national parks?

Entry is free at all 8 Alaska national parks. Transportation is the main cost: floatplane access to remote parks can run from around $500 to several thousand dollars per person roundtrip, depending on departure and drop-off locations. Bear viewing flightseeing day trips to Katmai National Park and Lake Clark National Park range from $1,000–$1,500. Day cruises are between $100 - $300 in Kenai Fjords National Park, and $250 - $300 in Glacier Bay National Park.

When is the best time to visit Alaska’s national parks?

Most parks are best visited late May through early September. July through September are peak for bear viewing in Katmai National Park and Lake Clark National Park. Late May through early September offers the best wildlife viewing in Denali National Park. Day cruises in Kenai Fjords National Park run March through October, with peak whale watching from May through September. Remote parks (Gates of the Arctic, Kobuk Valley) are most accessible June through August.

Which Alaska national park is best for seeing bears?

Katmai National Park is world-renowned as one of Alaska’s best bear viewing destinations, where brown bears gather July through September to catch salmon at Brooks Falls. Lake Clark National Park offers excellent bear viewing from July through September. Bears can also be seen on bus tours in Denali National Park. Other public lands in Alaska offer excellent bear viewing, including McNeil River State Game Sanctuary, Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, Anan Wildlife Observatory in Tongass National Forest, and Pack Creek Bear Viewing Area.

How do you visit Alaska’s remote national parks?

Five of Alaska's parks have no road access: Katmai, Gates of the Arctic, Lake Clark, Kobuk Valley, and Glacier Bay. Flightseeing day trips and air taxis from the closest gateway communities is the most common way to access these remote parks, besides Glacier Bay, which is most commonly accessed by cruise ship. Katmai is most commonly accessed by plane from Anchorage, Homer, and King Salmon. Lake Clark is most commonly accessed by float plane from Anchorage and Homer. Gates of the Arctic is most commonly accessed by bush plane from Fairbanks, Bettles, or Coldfoot. Kobuk Valley is most commonly accessed by bush plane from Kotzebue.