Kenai Fjords National Park
Encyclopedia
Kenai Fjords National Park is a United States National Park established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act
. The park covers an area of approximately 1760 sq mi (4,558.4 km²) on the Kenai Peninsula
in southcentral Alaska
, near the town of Seward
. The park contains the Harding Icefield
, one of the largest ice field
s in the United States
. The park is named for the numerous fjords carved by glaciers moving down the mountains from the ice field. The field is the source of at least 38 glaciers, the largest of which is Bear Glacier.
The park can be reached from Seward, 130 mi (209.2 km) south of Anchorage
at the southern terminus of the Seward Highway
. It is only one of three national parks in Alaska that can be reached by road, via the Exit Glacier
Nature Center. A network of trails from the Nature Center provide access to the glacier, and the 7.4 miles (11.9 km)
Cruise tours originating from Seward also provide access to the park via Resurrection Bay
. Various companies offer tours, many guided by National Park Ranger
s. The tours provide views of land and marine wildlife, particularly Steller sea lions, puffins, Dall's porpoise
s, American black bear
, Mountain goat
s, and humpback and orca whales, as well as natural sights such as the fjords and tidewater glaciers.
Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act
The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act was a United States federal law passed in 1980 by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Jimmy Carter on December 2 of that year....
. The park covers an area of approximately 1760 sq mi (4,558.4 km²) on the Kenai Peninsula
Kenai Peninsula
The Kenai Peninsula is a large peninsula jutting from the southern coast of Alaska in the United States. The name Kenai is probably derived from Kenayskaya, the Russian name for Cook Inlet, which borders the peninsula to the west.-Geography:...
in southcentral Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, near the town of Seward
Seward, Alaska
Seward is a city in Kenai Peninsula Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 3,016....
. The park contains the Harding Icefield
Harding Icefield
The Harding Icefield is an expansive icefield located in the Kenai Mountains of the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. It is also partially located in Kenai Fjords National Park. It is named for United States President Warren G...
, one of the largest ice field
Ice field
An ice field is an area less than 50,000 km² of ice often found in the colder climates and higher altitudes of the world where there is sufficient precipitation. It is an extensive area of interconnected valley glaciers from which the higher peaks rise as nunataks...
s in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The park is named for the numerous fjords carved by glaciers moving down the mountains from the ice field. The field is the source of at least 38 glaciers, the largest of which is Bear Glacier.
Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage is a unified home rule municipality in the southcentral part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the northernmost major city in the United States...
at the southern terminus of the Seward Highway
Seward Highway
The Seward Highway is a highway in the U.S. state of Alaska that extends 127 miles from Seward to Anchorage. It was completed in 1951 and runs through the scenic Kenai Peninsula and Turnagain Arm, for which it was designated an All-American Road by the U.S...
. It is only one of three national parks in Alaska that can be reached by road, via the Exit Glacier
Exit Glacier
Exit Glacier is a glacier derived from the Harding Icefield in the Kenai Mountains of Alaska.It received its name because it served as the exit for the first recorded crossing of the Harding Icefield in 1968.- History :...
Nature Center. A network of trails from the Nature Center provide access to the glacier, and the 7.4 miles (11.9 km)
Cruise tours originating from Seward also provide access to the park via Resurrection Bay
Resurrection Bay
Resurrection Bay is a bay on the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska, United States. Its main settlement is Seward, located at the head of the bay. It received its name from Alexandr Baranov, who was forced to retreat into the bay during a bad storm in the Gulf of Alaska...
. Various companies offer tours, many guided by National Park Ranger
National Park Ranger
National Park Service Rangers are among the uniformed employees charged with protecting and preserving areas set aside in the National Park System by the United States Congress and/or the President of the United States...
s. The tours provide views of land and marine wildlife, particularly Steller sea lions, puffins, Dall's porpoise
Dall's Porpoise
Dall's porpoise is a species of porpoise found on the North Pacific. It came to worldwide attention in the 1970s when it was disclosed for the first time to the public that salmon fishing trawls were killing a lot, thousands of Dall's porpoises and other cetaceans each year by accidentally...
s, American black bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
, Mountain goat
Mountain goat
The Mountain Goat , also known as the Rocky Mountain Goat, is a large-hoofed mammal found only in North America. Despite its vernacular name, it is not a member of Capra, the genus of true goats...
s, and humpback and orca whales, as well as natural sights such as the fjords and tidewater glaciers.