"Boating and other ice adventures" Kenai Fjords National Park by goingsolo

Kenai Fjords National Park Travel Guide: 21 reviews and 52 photos

Kenai Fjords National Park - Kenai Fjords National Park

Kenai Fjords NP is located off south central Alaska and is the smallest national park in the state. The fjords are a series of atolls that reach outward into the Gulf of Alaska. Sea lions often lounge along the shores of their jagged rocky coastlines. Within the fjords lie hundreds of bays and coves whose calm waters are perfect for sea kayaking, even on a typically stormy day.

The majority of the park is accessible by boat and is best explored on one of the small ships that leave the Seward Harbour and cruise among the glaciers, stopping to view sea lions, whales and the occasional calving glacier. In Seward, the gateway to Kenai Fjords, Exit Glacier is accessible by car and about a half mile walk to an up close and personal view of this gigantic ice mass created from the Harding Icefield. The Icefield is almost 700 square miles and is part of the ice sheet that covered the earth during the ice age. The Harding Icefield is also reachable by land and involves a somewhat strenuous nearly all day hike.

I spent two rainy days in Seward in an attempt to tour the park. On day one, I took a hike to Exit Glacier and watched a large mass of ice calve off its face. I intended to hike to the Harding Icefield but was deterred from that plan by two rangers who reported that they spotted a black bear and her cubs along the trail.

On day two, I braved seasickness and the mighty waters of the stormy gulf for a boat tour of the fjords and a sea kayaking trip in Ayalik Bay. We saw sea lions, sea otters and puffins along the way and made a stop on the way back for some whale watching.

The incessant pelting rain destroyed most of my photo opportunities and made the few photos I took unable to depict the beauty of this isolated landscape. But even in the rain, this was magnificent landscape.

Pros and Cons

Pros:Beautiful unspoiled wilderness chock full of marine life
Cons:Incessant rain and choppy boating conditions
In a nutshell:A must see stop in any tour of South Central Alaska; just don't forget the Dramamine.

Last visit to Kenai Fjords National Park: Aug 2002
Intro Updated Aug 23, 2004
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Reviews (10)

Through mist and fog Favorites (8)

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Boat launch Favorites (8)

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Tourists in the midst Favorites (8)

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From rough waves to calm seas Favorites (8)

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Things to Do (2)
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Comments (5)

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mikelisaanna Jun 20, 2008 at 7:20 PM

Too bad you had lousy weather at Kenai Fjords. We got lucky and had a great day there last summer. Definitely an underrated national park.
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Jim_Eliason Sep 22, 2006 at 2:32 PM

cool! One of the few states I hven't been to yet!
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cachaseiro Apr 27, 2005 at 7:31 PM

very nice photos from alaska. alaska is a real dream destination i willcertainly visit one day.
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ophiru Apr 3, 2005 at 9:47 AM

beautiful pictures ! alaska in one of my wish list
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mrclay2000 Sep 30, 2004 at 8:36 AM

Can you put some meat on this skeleton (once you dig out from under the hurricane damage) and let me know when you're finished? Great pictures but hard to decipher.