Experience 23,000 Years of Ice Field History at This National Park

Phillip Sauerbeck/Unsplash

Alaska is home to seven of the country’s ten largest national parks. With such a vast and rugged expanse of land, it’s no wonder that much of it remains virtually unexplored wilderness today.

Out of the reach of human development, nature reigns supreme here—and that’s a huge part of the allure. With landscapes as varied as pristine lakes and rivers, massive sand dunes, steaming volcanoes, ice fields, and jagged snow-capped mountains, there’s no shortage of breathtaking scenery to take in within the state of Alaska.

With a total of eight national parks to choose from, it can be tough to know where to go. While each park within its borders offers its own treasures and appeals, there’s something extra unique about Alaska’s smallest national park—Kenai Fjords National Park.

Imagine an ice field so immense it covers 700 square miles, so dense it’s up to a mile thick, so powerful it feeds almost 40 glaciers and so ancient it dates back 23,000 years.

Centennial Travel magazine is describing the park’s Harding Icefield here. It’s one of four remaining ice fields in the United States and the largest contained entirely within U.S. borders.

No matter how many times I re-read the description, I still can’t wrap my head around it; it’s simply unimaginable to my mind. There’s only one way to better understand it, and that’s by seeing it in person.

There are a few ways to do this, though it’s not easy. The first is to take a boat tour departing from Seward harbor that travels around the fjords, giving you an opportunity to marvel at the scenery and possibly even spot some of the area’s wildlife. Both full-day and half-day tours are available, depending on how far you want to venture.

Another option is to kayak among the blue-white icebergs, which allows you to get much closer and provides a much more personal experience than seeing them from a boat. This is something I’ve wanted to do since seeing my very first iceberg while cruising Alaska’s Inside Passage years ago. If this is the route you go, the NPS strongly recommends using an experienced guide, as the weather can make the fjords' waters unpredictable.

No matter what mode of transportation you choose to explore this beautiful and fascinating place, you’re sure to remember the sights and sounds of the popping, creaking and cracking ice that surrounds you for a lifetime!

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