The park covers an area of 669,984 acres (1,046.85 sq mi; 2,711.33 km) on the Kenai Peninsula in southcentral Alaska, near the town of Seward. The first study, entitled Alaska - Its Resources and Development was centered on the development of tourism, despite a dissent from co-author Bob Marshall, who advocated strict preservation. This proposal allowed logging and mining in the area. [46][47] Smaller mammals include coyote, beaver and river otter. The park contains the Harding Icefield, one of the largest ice fields in the United States. On March 15, 1972, four areas of the Kenai Peninsula were set aside under the ANCSA for federal protected areas. Predicting the behavior of glaciers is tricky business, but with a recent record for glacier lake outburst floods affecting Bear Glacier Lagoon in Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska, park officials are urging visitors to be cautious when exploring this area in the coming weeks. Another proposal placed the Aialik Peninsula under US Fish and Wildlife Service jurisdiction. Bear Lake in the Kenai Fjords National Park manages to stand out, thanks to its massive glaciers, year-round water sports (kayaking, dog mushing), and occasional viewings of the Northern Lights. A beach site near MacArthur Pass was discovered during cleanup operations. [8], At the time of the park's establishment, there were few permanent inhabitants. [5] It is a relatively small and accessible park by Alaskan national park standards, about 88% as big as Yosemite National Park. [8] A lodge was developed by the Port Graham community on Aialik Bay. Icefield coverage has declined, with a 3% reduction in coverage over a 16-year study period. Nearly 40 glaciers flow from the Harding Icefield, Kenai Fjords' crowning feature. Thirty three species of The most accessible glacier, and the only portion of the park accessible by road, is Exit Glacier. Come Monday, you can send Kenai Fjords National Park around the country. The alpine regions support shrubby grown to alders, devil's club, elderberry, lady fern, cow parsnip and other plants. Kenai Fjords National Park was established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA). The Latest Articles from the National Parks Traveler. Denali National Park and Preserve is a national park and preserve located in Interior Alaska, centered around Denali, the highest mountain in North America. The Harding Icefield receives 60 feet (18 m) of snowfall per year. Bus tours from Seward visit Exit Glacier and boat tours visit other parts of the park[29], The park maintains public-use cabins and shelters in coastal areas and at the edge of the Harding Icefield. Wildlife thrives in icy waters and lush forests around this vast expanse of ice. Border Patrol Turns To Explosives To Build Wall In Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Exploring The Parks: Wisconsin’s Ice Age National Scenic Trail, Pressure Mounts For Environmental Cleanup At Caneel Bay. Their experience was part of the first “Climate Change Academy,” an immersive, comprehensive climate change course offered through the National Park Service. Douglas area, the Kukak Volcano to Mt. The enormous variety of areas in the National Park System means there's also quite a range of experiences when it comes to getting to and from your park destination. The Kenai Fjords area was not considered to be of the first priority for park designation under the ANCSA. Just one day in December saw temperatures dip below freezing, as measured at the Seward airport. [6] It is the only Alaska national park that did not originally allow subsistence use by Native Americans, but native village corporations continue to have interests in inholdings within the park,[7] and have since established subsistence rights on those properties. We wanted to be more active, getting out of the car & we didn't want to do the long bus ride (just wasnt our cup of tea for what we wanted to do).. We found beautiful nature and scenery in Kenai NP. [35], Kenai Fjords is extensively glaciated, with 51% of the park covered by ice. 1980). At Kenai Fjords National Park, the average monthly temperature in December was nearly 6 degrees Fahrenheit above normal, the same departure noticed in November. Subsequent reports indicated that water levels peaked in the lagoon on August 14th and breached the moraine on August 15th. [25] Most of the lands claimed were on the coastline. [11], Early studies of possible new Park Service units in Alaska took place in the 1930s and 1940s. [36] Predominant rock types include shale and graywacke, with greenstone, tuff and chert. [10], Several gold mines from historical times have been documented in the park. Skip. [12] Another study, funded as part of the Alaska Highway in the 1940s drew similar conclusions to the first study's majority opinion. S01:E05 - Kenai Fjords At the edge of the Kenai Peninsula lies a land where the ice age lingers. It is only one of three national parks in Alaska that can be reached by road, via the Exit Glacier Nature Center. A 2003 follow-up survey indicated that one site was occupied between 950 AD and 1800. So that was our "fix" for Denali. When you absolutely, positively, need to get away for a winter adventure, look north to Kenai Fjords National Park and its Willow Public Use Cabin. Marine mammals include sea otter,[48] harbor seal[49] and Steller sea lion. There are hundreds of glaciers in Kenai Fjords National Park (KEFJ) and Katmai National Park and Preserve (KATM) covering over 2,276 km 2 of park land (ca. [33][34], The park's landscape has been shaped by plate tectonics, with the Pacific Plate subducting beneath the North American Plate. [37] The erosive power of the glaciers produces sediment as rock flour coloring the waters around the toes of glaciers, carrying minerals into the ecosystem that support phytoplankton, which in turn sustain larger animals. In 1971 the Seward National Recreation Area was proposed for the area between the head of Resurrection Bay and Turnagain Arm, extending east to Whittier and west to Exit Glacier. The park's headquarters is in Seward. The park lies just to the west of Seward, a cruise ship port. Kenai Fjords Tours (1:07). Follow rangers on an immersive 360° journey through the #HiddenWorlds of our National Parks. Sweeping from rocky coastline to glacier-crowned peaks, Kenai Fjords National Park encompasses 607,805 acres of unspoiled wilderness on the southeast coast of Alaska's Kenai Peninsula. The park's highest point is an unnamed peak of 6,450 feet (1,970 m) in the Kenai Mountains. [26], Seward is a departure point and destination for large cruise ships from Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line, Royal Caribbean International and others. A similar succession pattern is seen at the park's nunataks, exposed rock outcroppings in the Harding Icefield. The fjords are glacial valleys that have been submerged below sea level by a combination of rising sea levels and land subsidence. A single ranger was assigned to Seward as a local liaison. The tree line at Kenai Fjords is between 750 and 1,000 feet (230 and 300 m) above sea level. [28] Seward is a destination for cruise ships. National Parks Traveler is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit media organization. [38] More than thirty glaciers originate in the icefield, which first formed about 23,000 years ago. [27] Cruise tours originating from Seward provide access to the park via Resurrection Bay. [19] No visitor facilities or full-time local management structure resulted from the monument's proclamation. [31], The park lies on the southeastern side of the Kenai Peninsula, about 130 miles (210 km) south of Anchorage. The nearest large town is Seward, immediately to the east of the park on Resurrection Bay. The Kenai Fjords region was designated Study Area 11. Willows also appear at this stage. [42], Large terrestrial mammal species in the park include timber wolf, porcupine, Canadian lynx, brown bear,[43] black bears,[44] moose[45] and mountain goat. Here, birds swim better than fly, mythical ice worms really do exist, and mammals are better adapted to life in water than on land. [23] The park was initially administered by a small cadre of permanent and seasonal rangers and technicians who put considerable emphasis on community liaison. In the following video, produced by the Eppley Institute for Parks and Public Lands, the National Park Service’s Interpretive Development Program, and the NPS Climate Change Response Program, how climate change might impact Kenai Fjords National Park is examined. [50][51] Cetaceans seen in park waters include orca,[52] fin whale,[53] humpback whale,[54] minke whales,[55] Dall's porpoise[56] and Pacific white-sided dolphin. The Resurrection Bay Conservation Alliance has been removing marine debris from the beaches around Seward, Kenai Fjords National Park, and even Prince William Sound for more than a decade. Action. There’s a simple reason why Kenai Fjord Tours is so popular for glacier tours out of Seward: This veteran tour operator offers a ton of variety in its day trips into Resurrection Bay and Kenai Fjords National Park. Visit the land where the ice age still lingers. [61] Marine birds include tufted and horned puffin,[62] common and thick-billed murre,[63] and marbled murrelets. Katmai National Park and Preserve & Kenai Fjords National Park Kaiti Chritz is a Central Michigan University undergraduate student majoring in biology and photojournalism. [9] Archeological surveys have altered the early view that the area was subject to only transient occupation as evidence has accumulated of long-term use. A dozen days spent in national parks in Alaska this summer helped high school students from Ohio learn a little bit more about climate change up close. Plants and animals adapt to incredibly dynamic conditions. Another site was used from 1785 to 1820. [16] The same day the National Park Service formed an Alaska Task Force to study proposed park lands. Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2rio's travel planner. In 1964 George B. Hartzog Jr., director of the National Park Service, initiated a new study entitled Operation Great Land, advocating the development and promotion of the existing Alaska parks. Willows and alders are followed by black cottonwoods, then Sitka spruce. Herbaceous plants can grow in areas with better soils, supporting grasses, Nootka lupine, fireweed and other perennial plants. It is the fifth most-visited park in Alaska, but the 11th of 13 Alaska parks in area, and is the closest national park to Anchorage. Much of the interior is covered by the Harding Icefield. The park covers an area of 669,984 acres (1,046.9 sq mi; 2,711.3 km ) on the Kenai Peninsula in south-central Alaska, near the town of Seward. The park is capped by the Harding Icefield, a relic from past ice-ages … Secretary of the Interior Cecil D. Andrus proposed a 410,000-acre (640.6 sq mi; 1,659.2 km2) Kenai Fjords National Park. The park's glaciers have retreated through the twentieth century, exposing new lands to colonization by plant and animal life. Whether you're taking the subway or city bus to an urban park or riding a train, small plane or ferry to reach your destination in Alaska, there are plenty options for a memorable trip...and sometimes they can be memorable indeed. New Postage Stamp Putting Kenai Fjords National Park On The Map, Er, The Envelope. There are 6 ways to get from Kenai Fjords National Park to Wrangell–St. The park is named for the numerous fjordscarved by glaciers moving down the mountains from the ice field. The oil did not reach the fjords, repelled by heavy spring water flows from the land. [14], The earliest proposals for a national park at the Kenai Fjords was raised in the 1970s. That year Exxon settled with the federal and Alaskan governments, paying about $870 million into a restoration fund, some of which was earmarked for Kenai Fjords. [15] Internal Park Service documents envisioned an 800,000-acre (1,250.0 sq mi; 3,237.5 km2) park protecting the coast and the icefield, but this conflicted with the Seward National Recreation Area and a proposed expansion of the Kenai National Moose Range. The first oil arrived on April 10. The most significant fjords include Aialik Bay, Harris Bay, McCarty Fjord and Nuka Bay. Where Will You Explore Winter In The National Park System?