Visiting Alaska's National Parks

[ROJO23]

We are looking at going to Alaska next year for our 25th anniversary. We are looking at flying into Anchorage, and wondering if we would be able to visit all the southern national parks on 1 trip. We have already been to Glacier Bay, but looking to visit the other 5 from Denali south. Most likely we will set aside 10 days for the trip.

Any recommendations, expectations, or information would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[AKJ]

We are looking at going to Alaska next year for our 25th anniversary. We are looking at flying into Anchorage, and wondering if we would be able to visit all the southern national parks on 1 trip. We have already been to Glacier Bay, but looking to visit the other 5 from Denali south. Most likely we will set aside 10 days for the trip.

Any recommendations, expectations, or information would be appreciated.
Thanks

I would say it depends on your budget and how much you would like to see in each park. Many of the parks are remote and require getting there by small aircraft or boat. Trying to do all those parks in 10 days would require a lot of travel and transport expenses. Denali is the most easily accessible and is very commercialized and on the road system. It is only accessible by tour bus unless you possess a road lottery permit (held only for one weekend in September). Some of the park is currently unaccessible due to a road washout and a new bridge being constructed. I hope this helps.

 

[ROJO23]

thanks for the information. I figured it might be a stretch trying to fit in all of these parks

 

[kherbstreit1775]

My family and I did a road trip around Alaska for a week out of Anchorage when I was in middle school, and we were able to at least do Denali and Wrangell-St Elias within that time frame, along with a bunch of other non-national park stuff. However, "do" is a relative term because you can only do so much at each with a limited amount of time. At Wrangell we pretty much just did a hike around the visitors center because anything else would have taken a lot more time/wasn't very accessible from the road from what I understand. We did the bus tour at Denali and that was great, got to see tons of wildlife. I would have liked to hike around there more, but we were only there for a day and the bus tour took most of the time.

 

[Beendare]

Spray a set of clothes with Premerthrin….

 

[mtnbiker208]

how would you get to lake clark national park?
pretty cool place.

 

[Chumsnagger]

Easy trip.

Day 1 Fly into Anchorage, rent vehicle, drive north, stop at WalMikes in Trapper Creek for real Alaska souvenirs. Continue north, stop at Denali state park and look at clouds surrounding Denali. Stay at Glitter Gulch.
Day 2 Denali NP with shuttle bus to the bus turnaround-think it is just past Teklanika this year. Again stay at Glitter Gulch.
Day 3 Drive towards McCarthy via the Denali Highway, Stay in Glennallen with supper at Tok Thai.
Day 4 Drive to Kenny Lake and Chitna to McCarthy. Stay at the Kennicott hotel in Wrangell–St Elias NP
Day 5 Long drive back to Anchorage
Day 6 Fly out to Lake Clark NP from Merrill field, hit Twin Lakes and “the Farm”, fly back to Anchorage
Day 7 Take the early morning train to Seward. Ride a tour boat to Kenai Fjords NP. Return to Anchorage on train that night.
Day 8 Fly to King Salmon and take float plane to Brooks Camp.
Day 9 Take shuttle to Vally of ten-thousand smokes. Stay at Brooks Camp again
Day 10 Reverse day 8, arrive in Anchorage and fly back outside.

5 National Parks off your bucket list in 10 days!

 

[Chumsnagger]

Seriously, 5 parks in 10 days would not be fun at all. I would skip Denali NP for 2023-2025 because of the park road closure. Depending on the time of summer, Recommend going to Brooks Camp Katmai NP and the Valley of ten-thousand smokes for a few days. Then back to Anchorage and cruise the AK RR down to Seward for a a few days as well- go to the SeaLife center and take some wildlife cruises on the ocean.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[wildwilderness]

Easy trip.

Day 1 Fly into Anchorage, rent vehicle, drive north, stop at WalMikes in Trapper Creek for real Alaska souvenirs. Continue north, stop at Denali state park and look at clouds surrounding Denali. Stay at Glitter Gulch.
Day 2 Denali NP with shuttle bus to the bus turnaround-think it is just past Teklanika this year. Again stay at Glitter Gulch.
Day 3 Drive towards McCarthy via the Denali Highway, Stay in Glennallen with supper at Tok Thai.
Day 4 Drive to Kenny Lake and Chitna to McCarthy. Stay at the Kennicott hotel in Wrangell–St Elias NP
Day 5 Long drive back to Anchorage
Day 6 Fly out to Lake Clark NP from Merrill field, hit Twin Lakes and “the Farm”, fly back to Anchorage
Day 7 Take the early morning train to Seward. Ride a tour boat to Kenai Fjords NP. Return to Anchorage on train that night.
Day 8 Fly to King Salmon and take float plane to Brooks Camp.
Day 9 Take shuttle to Vally of ten-thousand smokes. Stay at Brooks Camp again
Day 10 Reverse day 8, arrive in Anchorage and fly back outside.

5 National Parks off your bucket list in 10 days!

I don't think Day 8 would work with a King Salmon stop. Would have to find a charter flight straight to Brooks Camp from Anchorage if you want to do it in 1 day.