Kenai Fjords National Park
Sights to See at Kenai Fjords
Exit Glacier is Kenai Fjords National Park's premier attraction and also one of its most accessible. Literally the remains of a massive glacier that once extended to Resurrection Bay, this slow-moving blanket of ice is truly a sight to behold. It is like the tongue of a massive giant, speckled with debris and splintered with crevices, as it barges through the Alaskan landscape in a slow and methodical path. Exit Glacier is a half-mile wide, a dynamic river of ice whose source is the 700-square-mile Harding Icefield. Slowly, it cascades out of the higher Harding Icefield and down the U-shaped glacial valley, traveling a distance of approximately three miles and descending nearly 2,500 feet. As it moves, the glacier carries rock material plucked from the underlying rock and walls and deposits it at the glacial edge in a pile of debris called a moraine. Rocks embedded in the bottom of the moving ice continually gouge and grind the underlying base rock, leaving distinctive striations and scars on the rock below. As you explore the Exit Glacier area, please stay on the trails and clear of the ice at the foot of the glacier. Glacier ice is unstable, unpredictable and extremely dangerous to be near. There are no fees for the Exit Glacier area.
After you've thoroughly explored the glacier's edge, visitors looking for a challenge should hike the difficult, but breathtakingly beautiful Harding Icefield Trail. This challenging seven-mile round-trip hike parallels Exit Glacier up to the Harding Icefield. The trail is steep—every mile equals a thousand-foot gain in elevation! However, the results make the effort worthwhile. At the end of the trail, you will find outstanding views of the 700-square-mile Harding Icefield, the dominant feature of the park. This immense piece of ice, named after President Warren Harding, is one of only four remaining ice fields in the United States. It seems to stretch into oblivion as it enshrouds entire valleys and mountaintops. The Harding Icefield Trail is accessible from mid-June to early October. For the remainder of the year, the trail is snow covered and requires special equipment and climbing experience.
One of the most memorable moments in Kenai Fjords National Park will undoubtedly occur when you spot some of the park's magnificent wildlife. If you're hiking, look for mountain goats, marmots, bears, moose and bald eagles. Be cautious when encountering moose and bears, however, since these animals can be dangerous.
The coastal area also has abundant marine life, including seals, sea lions, sea otters and migrating whales. One of the most impressive sights to behold is the large number of sea birds that occupy the coastal cliffs during the summer. Thirty species of sea birds—with total numbers exceeding 174,000—occupy discrete nesting habitats. Two of the most popular and abundant are the colorful tufted puffin and the squealing black-legged kittiwakes.
Kenai Fjords In Depth
News from the Parks
High Mountain Meadows at Rainier Melt Away
October 6, 2008 - 4:07pm
Nothing lures visitors to Paradise like the transitory displays of wildflowers that populate Mount Rainier’s high mountain meadows. But summer sojourns could fade into memory and panoramic vistas vanish as alpine asters, rosy pussytoes and purple lupines are crowded out by trees.
October 6, 2008 - 4:07pm
Nothing lures visitors to Paradise like the transitory displays of wildflowers that populate Mount Rainier’s high mountain meadows. But summer sojourns could fade into memory and panoramic vistas vanish as alpine asters, rosy pussytoes and purple lupines are crowded out by trees.
Yellowstone Justifies Tag as World's Most Famous National Park
October 6, 2008 - 4:04pm
About four million people visit Yellowstone, the world's oldest and most famous national park, every year. It's a measure of the pulling power of this corner of northwest Wyoming - home to more than half of the world's geysers, famed for its rainbow-hued hot springs and populated by an array of wildlife that includes buffalo, elk, moose, wolves, bears and coyotes.
October 6, 2008 - 4:04pm
About four million people visit Yellowstone, the world's oldest and most famous national park, every year. It's a measure of the pulling power of this corner of northwest Wyoming - home to more than half of the world's geysers, famed for its rainbow-hued hot springs and populated by an array of wildlife that includes buffalo, elk, moose, wolves, bears and coyotes.
The Best National Parks You’re Not Visiting #2: Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial
October 6, 2008 - 4:02pm
You’re not the first person to say, “Thaddeus who?” This tiny national park site in Philadelphia, PA (in fact, it’s the smallest park in the system) brings attention to the achievements of this brilliant engineer whose work had much to do with the Continental Army’s success over the British at key points in the American Revolution. Despite having a national memorial created in his honor, however, Kosciuszko’s story remains obscure: Only about 4,600 people visit this site each year.
October 6, 2008 - 4:02pm
You’re not the first person to say, “Thaddeus who?” This tiny national park site in Philadelphia, PA (in fact, it’s the smallest park in the system) brings attention to the achievements of this brilliant engineer whose work had much to do with the Continental Army’s success over the British at key points in the American Revolution. Despite having a national memorial created in his honor, however, Kosciuszko’s story remains obscure: Only about 4,600 people visit this site each year.
Park budget Is Continued
October 6, 2008 - 3:59pm
As of Tuesday, both the U.S. House and Senate had passed a continuing resolution to fund most federal government agencies from Oct. 1, the beginning of the 2009 fiscal year, through March 5. A continuing resolution allows government agencies to operate at the same levels as in the previous year. For the resolution to be effective, it must be signed by the president.
October 6, 2008 - 3:59pm
As of Tuesday, both the U.S. House and Senate had passed a continuing resolution to fund most federal government agencies from Oct. 1, the beginning of the 2009 fiscal year, through March 5. A continuing resolution allows government agencies to operate at the same levels as in the previous year. For the resolution to be effective, it must be signed by the president.
Be Green and Stand Out this Halloween
October 3, 2008 - 8:43pm
It’s the time of year when ghouls, goblins, ghosts and good witches show up in public. And as people of all ages embrace their inner child and alter egos, it becomes increasingly difficult to stand out in the crowd. Instead of fighting the masses at your local costume store, save a little dough and create a custom costume that reuses fabrics and items from around your house. Our teammate Leyla inspired us with her homemade strawberry costume. Made from pillowcases, buttons and colored stockings, it’s a shining example of how to be unique and green—whether your kids are trick or treating or you’re heading to a Halloween ball. Take a closer look at Leyla’s technique, and get inspired to think outside of the storefront and see the costume potential all around you. Leyla’s costume consists of two, red heavyweight pillow shams that she folded—like the first step of a paper airplane nose—into tapered berry-like edges. She used safety pins to secure these edges (so you don’t have to be a wiz on the sewing machine for this). She secured the tops of the pillows together in the same way, leaving an opening in the middle for her head. For a final touch on the berry look, she sewed white seed beads to the cases. You can use green felt and pipe cleaners with a hot glue gun to make a strawberry leaf crown. Leyla suggests wearing a green beret as an alternative, if you can find one. With all of the main components in place, the wearer can use their judgment about green or red apparel and stockings. You can find other great costume ideas here: http://www.robinsfyi.com/holidays/halloween/costumes.htm. Learn how you can transform into a bunch of grapes using purple or green leotards and balloons; a bag of jellybeans costume using colored balloons and a clear garbage bag; and a bat costume using black umbrella and tights. Have a Green Halloween!
October 3, 2008 - 8:43pm
It’s the time of year when ghouls, goblins, ghosts and good witches show up in public. And as people of all ages embrace their inner child and alter egos, it becomes increasingly difficult to stand out in the crowd. Instead of fighting the masses at your local costume store, save a little dough and create a custom costume that reuses fabrics and items from around your house. Our teammate Leyla inspired us with her homemade strawberry costume. Made from pillowcases, buttons and colored stockings, it’s a shining example of how to be unique and green—whether your kids are trick or treating or you’re heading to a Halloween ball. Take a closer look at Leyla’s technique, and get inspired to think outside of the storefront and see the costume potential all around you. Leyla’s costume consists of two, red heavyweight pillow shams that she folded—like the first step of a paper airplane nose—into tapered berry-like edges. She used safety pins to secure these edges (so you don’t have to be a wiz on the sewing machine for this). She secured the tops of the pillows together in the same way, leaving an opening in the middle for her head. For a final touch on the berry look, she sewed white seed beads to the cases. You can use green felt and pipe cleaners with a hot glue gun to make a strawberry leaf crown. Leyla suggests wearing a green beret as an alternative, if you can find one. With all of the main components in place, the wearer can use their judgment about green or red apparel and stockings. You can find other great costume ideas here: http://www.robinsfyi.com/holidays/halloween/costumes.htm. Learn how you can transform into a bunch of grapes using purple or green leotards and balloons; a bag of jellybeans costume using colored balloons and a clear garbage bag; and a bat costume using black umbrella and tights. Have a Green Halloween!
