Kenai Fjords National Park
Alaska, USA

Frigid waters and over three dozen glaciers highlight this beautiful Alaskan park. While most of the park can only be accessed by water travel, there are some key sites that can be visited by land.

When you get to Seward, you'll find the Kenai Fjords Visitor Center and a park film. The boat tours depart from Seward's harbor. I recommend the tours, as many of the sites are too far for kayaking. Reservations should be made in advance and there are several tour companies to choose from. A full day tour will take out to the tidewater glaciers, whereas a half-day tour will occur in Resurrection Bay.

Major Marine Tours is a good company to chose because many of their tours are narrated by a park ranger. The full-day tours present the best change to see whales and other wildlife. However, the shorter tours will still offer abundant animal viewing, especially for birds, sea lions, and otters. And who knows... you could still see a whale! Either way, grand scenery will be seen.

Exit Glacier is accessible without a boat and is a must-do. Be sure to check out the Exit Glacier Nature Center to learn more about the area. Then, hike the trails to visit the glacier. I recommend the 1-mile Glacier View Loop Trail first for a panoramic view of where the glacier washes out. But instead of completing the loop, turn onto the Glacier Overlook Trail. This adds 1.2-miles of moderate hiking to the round trip, but is absolutely esssential to do because it takes you right up to the glacier.

The main campground at Exit Glacier is first come, first served. There are also a few public use cabins available via reservation. For the more adventurous, backcountry kayaking and camping is available.

Happy Travels!