Alaska State Parks
Alaska is the biggest, wildest, most scenic state in the union – with a state park system to match. Encompassing over 3.2 million acres of rugged, unspoiled terrain, Alaska's state parks provide endless recreation opportunities year round, and are a priceless resource for residents and visitors alike.
Alaska is a land of extremes, a place where one can sit in awe of the full majesty of nature. You can view the tallest mountain in North America from Denali State Park, watch a 10-foot-tall bore tide rush past at 15 mph from Bird Point along the Seward Highway, or fish for world-record salmon on the azure Kenai River. Alaska State Parks also maintains a number of uniquely Alaskan historic and cultural sites. You can explore an abandoned hard-rock gold mining camp in the rugged Talkeetna Mountains at Independence Mine near Palmer; visit the remains of a WWII-era Army artillery installation perched atop surf-pounded cliffs at Fort Abercrombie in Kodiak; or view authentic Tlingit and Haida designs, meticulously recreated in the totem poles and clanhouse at Totem Bight near Ketchikan.
From frozen arctic tundra to towering temperate rainforests, the sheer diversity of the landscape is reflected in the range of activities available at our parks. Where else in the U.S. can you pick berries along a high alpine meadow under full daylight at 1:00 am, or cross-country ski on fresh backcountry snow under the aurora borealis? Our state parks offer a wide array of activities including: hiking, camping, canoeing, fishing, snowshoeing, rock climbing, snowmachining (Alaskan for snowmobiling,) wildlife viewing, geocaching, skiing, mountain biking, hunting, ocean kayaking, mountaineering, bird watching, whitewater rafting, dog mushing, spelunking, ORV riding, paragliding, power boating and probably even things we've never thought of - it's wild out there!
State parks are an essential component of the "Alaskan lifestyle," with locals participating in wilderness recreation at a rate twice that of the national average. With the beautiful 495,204-acre Chugach State Park in the mountains just above Anchorage – Alaska’s biggest city – it’s not hard to understand why Alaskans make up over two-thirds of the 4.9 million annual visitors to our parks. Outdoors is "where it’s at" in the last frontier, and with a square mile of land for every resident, we have plenty of room for you to come and find your Alaska!