Kenai Fjords National Park

Kenai Fjords National Park showcases Alaska's dramatic interface between ice, land, and sea. The massive Harding Icefield, covering 700 square miles, feeds over 40 glaciers that flow toward the ocean. Tidewater glaciers actively calve icebergs into pristine fjords, creating thunderous spectacles as ancient ice crashes into the sea. Marine waters teem with life - orcas, humpback whales, sea otters, and Steller sea lions thrive in nutrient-rich currents. Steep fjord walls provide nesting sites for thousands of seabirds including puffins, kittiwakes, and murres. The dramatic coastline, carved by glaciers and pounded by North Pacific storms, creates a dynamic ecosystem where terrestrial and marine environments merge. Climate change impacts are starkly visible as glaciers retreat at unprecedented rates, yet the park also demonstrates nature's resilience. Newly exposed land undergoes primary succession as life colonizes bare rock. Boat tours from nearby Seward offer intimate glacier encounters while backcountry kayaking provides solitude among icebergs. This accessible park perfectly captures Alaska's essence of ice, wildlife, and rugged beauty.

Water Features

Tidewater glaciers, fjords, ocean

Ecosystem

This destination features a coastal & marine ecosystem.