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Photo: NPS Photo / C. Grobelny / Public domain · source

Lakes & rivers

Kenai Fjords National Park

Seward, AK · Kenai Peninsula, AlaskaFreeFree to enter

About

Half of Kenai Fjords National Park, just outside Seward, lies under the Harding Icefield, and at least 38 glaciers flow off it. Boats leave Seward's small boat harbor daily in summer; the full-day trips go out to the tidewater glaciers and the half-day ones stay in Resurrection Bay. Exit Glacier pulled back about 2,640 feet between 2003 and 2023. Most people can no longer reach it from the lower trails. Its road is usually under snow from about October to May, and summer parking is tightest from 10 am to 3:30 pm. The Harding Icefield Trail climbs about 3,500 feet in 3.9 miles and takes 6 to 8 hours or more.

Highlights

Exit Glacier area, by road from SewardStrenuous Harding Icefield Trail overlookTidewater glaciers calving on boat toursWildlife: whales, sea otters, puffins, sea lionsHarding Icefield covers half the park

Getting there

Kenai Fjords National Park Visitor Center, 411 Washington St, Seward, AK 99664

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The United States National Parks63 places

The United States National Parks

All 63, for anyone keeping count, with the famous ones up top and the quieter ones further down.