Kenai Fjords National Park

entrance sign with Exit Glaicer in the background

Visited: Sept 2021

Nearby town: Seward, AK

Kenai Fjords is a spectacular National Park on the Kenai Peninsula in south-central Alaska, about 130 miles south of Anchorage.

It preserves the Harding Icefield, approximately 40 glaciers, and numerous coastal fjords and islands. Kenai Fjords was designated a National Park on December 2, 1980.  

We visited the park via both land and sea. Our first stop was Exit Glacier, the only portion of the park that is accessible by road, a few miles north of the town of Seward. Exit Glacier derives from the large Harding Icefield. An icefield is a mass of interconnected glaciers high atop a mountain range. Harding Icefield is one of only four icefields in the United States, and is the largest icefield contained entirely within United States boundaries. Harding Icefield is approximately 700 sq. mi. and sits at an elevation of 4,000 to 6,000 ft. About 38 glaciers spill off of the Harding Icefield, the most accessible being Exit Glacier.

At the visitor center you can take the Glacier Overlook Trail: a short, relatively easy trail to the toe (or base) of the glacier. More adventurous hikers can take the Harding Icefield Trail (aka "The HIT") - a 9.2-mile out-and-back that climbs over 3,500 ft and offers extensive views of Exit Glacier and views of the icefield itself. We opted to take the Glacier Overlook Trail (about 2.5 miles round trip). 

along the trail

Exit Glacier snakes down the mountainside, like the tongue of a dragon. 

the katabatic wind ("glacial wind" or "glacial breeze") that sweeps off the toe of the glacier is quite cold. Standing here feels like standing in a refrigerator. It was brisk and refreshing. 😬😄

Exit Glacier is about 14 sq. miles, but is shrinking rapidly. This sign marks where the toe of the glacier reached in 2010. The retreat of the glacier has been quite pronounced in the last 20-30 years.

I love the vibrant blue color of a glacier in the sunlight. 

the glacial melt produces this milky, threaded river

...taking a break...

Tara looking sassy in nature 😁😉

Exit Glacier from the park road

The next day, we took a boat tour to explore the fjords and see more glaciers in the park. There are two main companies that offer day-cruises: (1) Kenai Fjords Tours and (2) Major Marine Tours. We did the Northwestern Fjord tour via Major Marine Tours. It's a long cruise (about 8.5 hours), and is a smaller boat that offers a little more intimate experience and better opportunities for wildlife viewing. Due to the long duration of the tour, it is only for ages 12+

There are a number of different tour options, check out the websites for pricing and tips to maximize the enjoyment of the cruise experience. Most tours sail on the Gulf of Alaska, so if you're prone to seasickness prepare yourself (I use the scopolamine patch and place it behind my ear, it works like a charm). I highly recommend taking a cruise. The views are fantastic and we saw lots of wildlife (otters, bald eagles, puffins, jellyfish, Steller's Sea Lion, Dall's porpoise, and even a few humpback whales!) The cruises depart from the town of Seward, and you start out on the calm waters of Resurrection Bay. 

marina in Seward

our tour boat, the Orca Song

picked a good seat for scenic and wildlife viewing

this bald eagle is marking its territory big time 😁

Resurrection Bay

it was overcast morning, but it would clear up by the time we reached Northwestern Fjord

you can see the towering icebergs of the toe of Bear Glacier. Bear Glacier is the longest glacier in park boundaries.

Bear Glacier

as we leave Resurrection Bay and enter the Gulf of Alaska, we pass by Spire Cove. These gnarled and spectacular sea stacks are a highlight of the cruise.

the tail of a humpback whale

humpback whale

the Aialik Peninsula juts into the Gulf of Alaska

a bunch of Steller's Sea Lions chillin' on an island

we saw alot of puffins (pelagic seabirds) in the ocean

jellyfish

entering Harris Bay as we approached the Northwestern Fjord

a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides/cliffs, created by a glacier

Tara was wise and brought these masks to help brave the wind and the cold

the clouds start to break, revealing the mighty peaks and glaciers cascading down from the Harding Icefield

a rocky mountaintop protruding from a glacier (as seen in the upper right) is known as a "nunatak"

waterfalls breaking forth from the toe of a glacier

our first glimpse of the Northwestern Glacier

Northwestern Glacier is a tidewater glacier (a glacier that flows into the sea)

the boat stopped at the toe for a few minutes, and we got to see some of the ice chunks fall into the sea (a process known as calving)

Dall's Porpoise

We stayed 2 nights in Seward, which was a neat town and a great home base for your visit to Kenai Fjords National Park. Seward has a population of about 2,700 and is one of the most lucrative commercial fishing ports in the United States. Seward serves as the southern terminus of the Alaska Railroad and is also the starting point of the famous Iditarod Trail.

Seward lies along the western shore of Resurrection Bay

had a great dinner at this restaurant along the harbor

clam chowder

crab cakes and shrimp. Tara also got halibut (not pictured) Excellent seafood! 😄

view of the harbor from the restaurant as the sun set

great dessert as well

walking along the harbor back to our hotel for the night was very pleasant

dog sled

starting point (Mile 0) of the Iditarod Trail

Kenai Fjords National Park Visitor Center

fish and chips! 

deep fried goodness 😀

we stayed the night at this Best Western

Lowell Creek waterfall in "downtown" Seward

We had a wonderful time at this amazing National Park. If visiting Alaska, make sure to take some time and head out to Seward and take a cruise through Kenai Fjords National Park! 

For more info: https://www.nps.gov/kefj/index.htm