Road and Trail Conditions

Kenai Fjords National Park is open year-round; however, the road to Exit Glacier is closed to cars for the winter months and much of the spring. Snow at higher elevations on the Harding Icefield trail can persist into mid-summer. It is always a good idea to check on current conditions before setting out.

Please check this site for the lastest conditions, or call the park at [phone].

 

Road to Exit Glacier:
The road will open to vehicle traffic past the gate at the Resurrection Bridge on Friday, May 24, 2013.
(Update 5/23/2013).

 

Exit Glacier trails:
The boot pack on the trail to Exit Glacier is well established. Access to the Outwash Plain, on the other hand, is very treacherous. Melt water is running on top of and through the snow. Beware of sinking in the slush. Rubber boots are well advised.
(Update 5/22/2013)

 

Harding Icefield Trail:
Wednesday (5/22) was the first day of trail-marking along the Harding Icefield Trail (HIT) for the 2013 season. The trail past the Exit Glacier Nature Center remains covered by several feet of snow but an established foot path has been packed down until the junction of the main trail and the HIT. After this junction the trail is less established and remains mostly covered in several feet of snow (some small stretches of trail have already melted out in the first .25 miles). If the weather is warm and or sunny you can expect wet and slushy snow and deep post-holing so gaiters, snowshoes or skis are recommended. The trail was navigated using a GPS unit and orange flags have been placed in the snow above the trail. As of this report, flagging has been completed to the area just beyond the bridge (0.8 miles). Please follow the orange flags to the best of your ability if you head up the trail.

Please use extreme caution, and be prepared for slippery and cold conditions. Appropriate footwear, trekking poles, and bear spray are all recommended.
(Updated 5/22/2013).

 

Closures

Seward Highway Conditions

Bear activity updates