Kenai Fjords National Park – Alaska – USA
In the middle of the Harding Icefield
The Kenai Fjords National Park is located on the Kenai Peninsula of the same name in the south of the US state of Alaska. The – Kenai Mountain – in the national park with a height of 1,600 meters is completely surrounded by the Harding Icefield.
Fantastic coastal landscape with a rocky island – Kenai Fjords
With a size of about 775 km², the Harding Icefield is the largest ice field in the USA. The ice fields protrude as glaciers into the Pacific. The Harding Icefield alone forms 38 glaciers in the national park. The national park was founded in 1980.
Small national park on the Pacific
According to mcat-test-centers, the nearest town to Kenai Fjords National Park is Seward, Alaska. About 240,000 tourists come to Kenai Fjords National Park every year. Kenai Fjords National Park is the smallest national park in Alaska. Nevertheless, it has a 965-kilometer-long coastline on the Pacific, some of which cuts deep into the country.
Fjord with solitary rocks near Seward in the national park
Hiking and boat trips
Exit Glacier is the only road-accessible glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park. There are numerous hiking trails in the national park. Park rangers offer tours of the national park. Boat and kayak trips are also popular in Kenai Fjords National Park.
Camping at Exit Glacier
There is a small campsite at Exit Glacier. Camping in the hinterland of Kenai Fjords National Park is permitted with restrictions.
Kobuk Valley National Park – Alaska – USA
Glaciers, rivers and dunes
The Kobuk Valley National Park is located in northwestern Alaska, in the wide valley of the Kobuk River in arctic North America. The Kobuk River is the central body of water in the national park. Rafting on the Kobuk River is offered. The beautiful landscape and the unique flora and fauna of the protected area can be easily explored from the water. The Kobuk Valley is bordered by the Waring Mountains and the Baird Mountains. Just about 6,000 visitors come to the arctic national park every year. The size of the Kobuk Valley National Park is 6,758 km². The region in Alaska was placed under protection in 1980. Kotzebue is the town closest to the protected area. The Kobuk Valley is almost entirely surrounded by mountains. The Kobuk River is partly flanked by high cliffs.
Lonely river landscape with mountains in the national park
The Kobuk Valley was declared a US National Monument in 1978. The Kobuk Valley National Park is known for its large herds of caribou. Kobuk Valley National Park is currently home to approximately 490,000 caribou, the highest number in all of Alaska. Caribou herds move across the country on relatively fixed migration routes throughout the year, as they have for thousands of years. The sanctuary lies at the transition of the boreal forest belt to the treeless tundra in the north.
Archaeological finds in the eternal ice
The Kobuk Valley National Park is also very interesting from an archaeological point of view. Due to the sheltered location and the constantly frozen ground, the permafrost, a large number of Ice Age fossils have been preserved in a relatively good condition. Presumably only a small part of the fossils have been discovered to date. Most Ice Age fossils still lie dormant in the cold, frozen Alaskan soil.
Rocky tundra in Kobuk Valley National Park in Alaska
Kobuk Valley with sand dunes
The Great Kobuk Sand Dunes are located in the protected area, about 120 kilometers from the town of Kotzebue. Almost the entire southern area of Kobuk Valley National Park is strewn with these sand dunes, covering an area of approximately 65 km². The dunes can reach heights of up to 35 meters. In the national park there are sand dunes down to minus 40°C! In summer, on the other hand, temperatures in the dune region can reach up to +35°C. The dunes were created by the interaction of wind and glacial movements over the course of thousands of years.
For real guys and specialists
For very die-hard nature lovers, the Kobuk Valley National Park is also an experience in the very long and cold winter months. A period with reasonably tolerable temperatures can only be found in the very short summer. The Kobuk Valley is a worthwhile destination for specialists and nature lovers, but not only.
Caribou in the treeless Alaskan tundra
Kobuk Valley – recreational activities
The Kobuk Valley National Park in the Arctic Circle has a lot to offer in terms of recreational opportunities. The visitor center is outside the national park in the town of Kotzebue. This is open all year round. There are no roads or campsites in Kobuk Valley National Park in Alaska. There are no entrance fees to the sanctuary. The national park can be reached by air taxi from the surrounding towns. The region can also be reached and explored by dog sled or snowmobile. The Kobuk River in the national park is well suited for rubber boat rides. Besides boat trips and dog sled expeditions, hiking and fishing are popular in Kobuk Valley National Park. The rivers and lakes in the reserve are extremely rich in fish.
