Kenai Fjords National Park, Glaciers slide into the sea, wildlife thrives

Alaska, United States

Arriving at the glacier is very spectacular

4.7

Introduction

Kenai Fjords National Park is located in the southern part of the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, in the North Pacific's Gulf of Alaska. It is approximately 100 miles from Anchorage and covers an area of 600,000 acres. This is the smallest national park in Alaska and includes vast ice fields, over ten glaciers, and several fjords. Fjords are a special type of glacier trough formed by the erosion of glaciers slumping into valleys. Visitors to this national park can see glaciers that slide directly into the ocean and glaciers that have slumped into valleys. The latter will grow into new fjords in millions of years. In addition to the stunning natural scenery, visitors can also see wildlife such as humpback whales, orcas, fin whales, sea lions, seals, otters, black bears, puffins, and deer. There is only one short gravel road to reach the Exit Glacier near the eastern edge, and other attractions require a boat or plane to reach. Tourists can take a cruise or raft to visit the habitat of marine glaciers and marine animals.