Latitudes with Lucy

Kenai Fjords National Park is on the coast of Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula. I spent one day seeing it by land and one by sea, both of which are a must-do for visitors. (There are also flightseeing tours, but I’d rather save that budget for Denali.)

If you’re planning a trip to Kenai Fjords National Park, these are two experiences you cannot miss!

When to Visit

By Land: If you’re planning to hike at the park’s higher elevations, like the Harding Icefield Trail, late summer is the ideal time to avoid snow crossings. My trip in early August was perfect.

By Sea: Early summer is the best time for whale watching and glacial calving in Kenai Fjords. Whales migrate—by August, most have begun heading south. May and June are the best months to see orcas, and, surprisingly, glacial calving. I would’ve thought the glaciers would be most active during summer’s warmest months, but we learned on the tour that they calve most frequently when they “wake up” for summer.

We opted for an August trip, as hiking was my priority. Fortunately, we still saw a couple humpback whales, glacial calving, and lots more on our boat tour.

By Land

Kenai Fjords National Park has few maintained trails because most of its land is covered by Harding Icefield. The main hike in the park is the 9-mile Harding Icefield Trail. This trail climbs above Exit Glacier to an expansive view of the ice field. For an easier option, there’s a 2-mile loop to see Exit Glacier from below. Unfortunately, since the glacier has receded so much, that viewpoint isn’t as great as it once was.

Harding Icefield Trail was incredible. The trail begins in a lush valley with wildflowers and ascends toward rocky mountain peaks. There were only small snow patches on the trail during my visit in August, but it might be covered in snow in July.

This is bear country! A mama black bear with her cub were in a tree right off the trail. Carry bear spray and know how to use it (don’t spray yourself or bears who are just minding their own business). Bears and other animals like to use trails; if one is walking toward you on the trail, step out of its way. If possible, it’s better to step downhill to appear unthreatening.

I was lucky to see a cloud inversion on my hike. We thought the clouds would ruin our view, but it was perfectly clear above them!

In the Nature Center at the trailhead, there is a 3D model of the park showing the size of Harding Icefield. It is far vaster than what we could see from the trail.

By Sea

Hiking is one of the greatest joys of my life. So, when I say that this boat tour was more memorable than the hike, that is the highest compliment.

We booked the six-hour Classic Kenai Fjords National Park Tour with Pursuit. Tickets start at $235 per person, but I got a discount from my friend who works for the company (thanks, Rachel!).

The highlight of the tour was getting up close to Holgate Glacier. It’s a tidewater glacier—a river of ice flowing into the sea. This glacier is super active, and we stopped to watch large chunks of ice calving off the glacier. Calving is natural, so I tried to enjoy the spectacle, but it must be acknowledged that climate change has accelerated the process.

The wind coming off the glacier is frigid; I’m glad I brought both my puffer and rain jacket.

Dozens of seals lounged dangerously close to the glacier, seemingly unbothered by the ice raining down from it.

The captain searched for whales and took us by various animal nesting sites. We saw seals, sea lions, otters, humpback whales, puffins, and bald eagles—all of which are fairly common sights in August.

Kenai Fjords Visitor Center is in Seward near the boat docks. Stop in after your tour!

Where to Stay

Seward is the gateway city to Kenai Fjords National Park. It’s a decent-sized town with plenty of hotels, shops, and restaurants.

I spent three nights at Exit Glacier Lodge, a little place tucked away from town in the woods. It’s basic and comfortable; I have no complaints about my stay. It’s owned and operated by a family, so it’s great to support a local business.

My friend Rachel works at Windsong Lodge (next to Exit Glacier Lodge), a 3-star hotel and probably the most “upscale” accommodation in Seward. It’s owned by Pursuit, a company with properties and tours at several national parks.

It might be nice to stay in town within walking distance of restaurants and shops. You could opt for a water view over the woods.

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