National parks in Alaska

Alaska's 19 National Park Service units are different from those in the Lower 48 states. They are spread across a state larger than Texas, California, and Montana put together. These units include Katmai, known for bear watching, and Glacier Bay, with its tidewater glaciers. The remote Kobuk Valley sees most visitors arrive by small plane, encountering almost no other people. The south-central coast has the most accessible parks. Kenai Fjords is reachable from Seward. Klondike Gold Rush is in the historic town of Skagway. Inland, the scale of these parks changes significantly. Wrangell-St. Elias covers more land than many countries. Yukon-Charley Rivers offers wild river country with almost no infrastructure. Lake Clark is roadless, between the two coasts. It rewards those who manage the logistics to visit. Alaska is for visitors who see planning as part of their adventure. They understand that weather, floatplanes, and bears ultimately determine their experience.