The State of Alaska (NPS, USA)

Wild River

Alagnak

Anchorage, the Home of the King Salmon

Located in the neighboring Katmai National Park and Preserve, the Alagnak Wild River's origins can be found in the park's rocky Aleutian Range. The Alagnak River, which meanders across the stunning Alaska Peninsula on its way west toward Bristol Bay and the Bering Sea, gives visitors a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn about and appreciate the rich natural and cultural history of southwest Alaska.

Open Space in Alaska

Located in Anchorage, Alaska

Alaska's natural areas, such as its parks, forests, and refuges, are exceptionally diverse and well-maintained. Visitors and locals alike are encouraged to take care of Alaska's natural and cultural resources by stopping by one of the many Alaska Public Lands Information Centers. Travelers of all ages can take advantage of the information, interpretation, and educational opportunities offered by these facilities.

Heritage Site

Island of Aleutians Second World War

Dutch Harbor/Unalaska, Alaska

Over the course of World War II, the remote Aleutian Islands, home to the Unangax (Aleut) people for over 8,000 years, became a hotly contested battleground in the Pacific. One of the deadliest battles of World War II took place on this thousand-mile-long archipelago after Japanese forces invaded and occupied two islands, forced the relocation of thousands of Unangax civilians, and fought an air war for 15 months.

Landmark and Protected Area of National Significance

Aniakchak

Salmon King, Alaska

As a result of its isolation and harsh climate, Aniakchak is one of the National Park Service's least frequented and wildest areas. An impressive six-mile (10 km) wide, 2,500 ft (762 m) deep caldera formed during a massive volcanic eruption 3,500 years ago, making this landscape a vivid reminder of Alaska's location on the volcanically active "Ring of Fire."

Protected Area of National Significance

The Bering Strait Link

Nome, AK

During the Pleistocene Epoch, the distribution of life in the Western Hemisphere was profoundly impacted by the location of the Bering Land Bridge National Preserve. Indigenous peoples still rely heavily on this land, as they have for hundreds of years. Unique in its natural beauty and ecological vitality.

We Have a National Monument Here

Krusenstern Cape

Location: Kotzebue, Alaska

Located in the Arctic, the monument stretches along the Chukchi Sea for 70 miles. Over 114 beach ridges show signs of human habitation dating back at least 5,000 years. It is still used by the Inupiat today. Large wetland areas host shorebirds from as far away as South America. As hikers and boaters travel through the region, they will come across carpets of wildflowers interspersed with shrubs that host qiviut from muskoxen.

Reserved as a National Park

Denali

The Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska

Denali is a wild expanse of six million acres that is split in two by a single highway. Along it, visitors can watch the lowland taiga forest give way to the high alpine tundra and snowy mountains, and finally to Denali, the highest peak in North America at 20,310 feet. Large and small wild animals alike continue to live free in the wild, unrestrained by human interference. The wilderness, solitude, and peace of mind are waiting.

This is a national park and preserve, which is a protected area.

The Arctic's Southern Door

A.K. Bettles

Absolutely no trails or roads can be found in this enormous wilderness. The pristine ecosystems there reveal the thousands of years of human interaction with the land. In this land, wild rivers wind through valleys carved by glaciers, caribou follow ancient migration routes, and the endless daylight of summer gives way to the dazzling northern lights of winter. In the hands of nature alone, it has changed little if at all.

Reserved as a National Park

Bay de Glacier

Alaska; Gustavus

Covering 3 Highlighting Alaska's Inside Passage, Glacier Bay National Park spans 3 million acres of rugged mountains, dynamic glaciers, temperate rainforest, wild coastlines, and deep sheltered fjords as part of a 25 million acre World Heritage Site. Glacier Bay is a place of boundless potential for exploration and ingenuity, from sea to summit.

Inuit Cultural Center

Location: Barrow, Alaska

The Iupiat Heritage Center in Barrow, Alaska, tells the story of the Iupiat people who live on the Arctic Plateau. Hunting the bowhead, or "Agviq," they have survived for thousands of years in one of the harshest climates on Earth. "Commercial whalers from New England swarmed these solitary seas in the 19th century in search of the bowhead for its valuable baleen and blubber.

Protected Area and National Park

Katmai

Salmon King, Alaska

The ground beneath our feet is teeming with life, inhabited by creatures that bring us back to our wild roots. During World War One, the area around Novarupta and the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes was devastated by a volcanic eruption, so in 1918, Katmai was created to protect it. At present, Katmai National Park and Preserve safeguards not only 9,000 years of human history but also an important salmon habitat and tens of thousands of brown bears.

Park that is protected by national law

The Kenai Peninsula and its fjords

Seward, AK

Somewhere near the tip of the Kenai Peninsula is a frozen wasteland. Harding Icefield, the crown jewel of Kenai Fjords, is the source of nearly forty glaciers. Animals thrive in the cold waters and verdant forests that surround this massive ice sheet. These were the foundations upon which the Sugpiaq built a culture deeply intertwined with the ocean. The effects of our altering climate are now visible in receding glaciers.

A Protected Area or Park

Kobuk Vally

A.R.T. : Kotzebue, Alaska

Kobuk Valley National Park is home to a wide variety of wildlife and landscapes, including caribou, sand dunes, the Kobuk River, and Onion Portage. There are half a million migrating caribou, and their tracks can be seen all over the sculpted sand dunes. Historically and currently, the Kobuk River serves as a passageway for a wide variety of animals and people. For the past 9,000 years, visitors have swum the river to Onion Portage in search of caribou. This illustrious custom is still practiced today.

Protected Area and National Park

Lake Clark

Alaska; Port Alsworth

The landscape of Lake Clark National Park and Preserve is absolutely breathtaking. The steam of volcanoes, the splash of salmon, the foraging of bears, and the reflection of jagged mountains in turquoise lakes all add up to a breathtaking natural setting. The local population and way of life still rely heavily on their natural environment. To immerse yourself in nature, try visiting a park.

Park Service

Noatak

Cotzebue, Alaska

The Noatak River and its surroundings are home to some of the Arctic's finest collections of flora and fauna because the area is one of the largest mountain-ringed river basins with an intact ecosystem in North America. In other words, the river is protected as a wild and scenic river. From the depths of the Brooks Range to the briny Chukchi Sea, it provides breathtaking opportunities for wilderness float trips.

State-Owned Museum

Sitka

Sitka, AK

The island of Sitka, Alaska, is home to Sitka National Historical Park, which protects the site of a battle between invading Russian traders and native Kiks. Adi Tlingit The park's restored Russian Bishop's House is a rare reminder of Russia's colonial legacy in North America, and totem poles from the Tlingit and Haida areas line the park's scenic coastal trail.

The National Park and Preserve System

Location: Wrangell-St. Elias

Alaska, Copper Center

Wrangell-St The vast national park of Elias extends from the coast to an elevation of 18,008 feet. At 13 The park spans 2 million acres, making it larger than Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Switzerland put together. In this untamed environment, people still rely on the land for their survival, as they have for centuries. There's so much to explore in this wild and beautiful land.

Reserved for National Use

Arctic - Charley Rivers Yukon

Eagle, AK

Yukon–Charley Rivers, found in Interior Alaska, is a largely uncharted region ripe for exploration. Experiences on the whitewater of the Charley River or the mighty Yukon will leave you with stories to tell for the rest of your life. A wide variety of geological and cultural features, historical relics from the gold rush, wildlife, and expansive landscapes await you. However, being alone will be the most significant factor. There's a whole world out there waiting for you to explore it.