NPS Photo/KEFJ The southcentral region of Alaska is home to over half the state’s population with the majority of that half residing in Anchorage. Among the Anchorage destination stops, a visitor should include a visit to the Anchorage Alaska Public Lands Information Center located in the historic federal building downtown. The center presents a mini tour of Alaska, but if you are the adventurous traveler looking to plan your exploration, knowledgeable National Park Service Rangers are available to assist. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Alaska Maritime National Wildlife RefugeOther Region(s):Southwest Region
Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge was established to conserve marine mammals, seabirds and other migratory birds, and the marine resources upon which they rely. The Refuge's 3.4 million acres include the spectacular volcanic islands of the Aleutian chain, the seabird cliffs of the remote Pribilofs, and icebound lands washed by the Chukchi Sea, providing essential habitat for some 40 million seabirds, of more than 30 species. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Anchor River and Fritz Creek Critical Habitat AreaCities Nearby: Homer
In the heart of the southern Kenai Peninsula, spanning the Anchor River and Fritz Creek drainages, lies the Anchor River/Fritz Creek Critical Habitat Area. Created in 1985 to protect natural habitat critical to perpetuation of fish and wildlife, especially moose, the area is one of the only major moose overwintering areas on the southern Kenai Peninsula. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Anchorage Coastal Wildlife RefugeCities Nearby: Anchorage
Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge, with its extensive tidal flats, marsh communities, and alder-bog forest, supports some of the greatest numbers and diversity of birds in the Anchorage area. At least 130 bird species have been sighted in the refuge. Moose and muskrats are commonly found on the refuge and moose are sometimes seen feeding on aquatic or shrubby vegetation in Potter Marsh. Coyotes, least weasels, mink, snowshoe hares, red squirrels, voles, and shrews are also residents of the refuge. Rabbit Creek, Little Rabbit Creek, and Little Survival Creek, which flow into Potter Marsh, all support populations of pink, coho, and chinook salmon and Dolly Varden char. An ideal mix of fresh and salt water combined with a nutrient-rich environment contribute to the importance of Potter Marsh as a juvenile fish-rearing area. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Caines Head State Recreation AreaCities Nearby: Seward
Caines Head State Recreation Area, the scenic site of an abandoned World War II fort, can be reached by boat or foot from Seward. The massive headland rises 650 feet above Resurrection Bay, against a back drop of rolling alpine meadows and sharp peaks, giving way to a sweeping view of the North Pacific Ocean. Visitors are invited to explore the remains of Fort McGilvray, the South Beach Garrison and the many natural attractions of this 6,000 acre state recreation area. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Campbell TractCities Nearby: Anchorage
The 730-acre Campbell Tract serves as a forested recreation site in the heart of Anchorage. With its 12 miles of trails, the tract offers four-season outdoor recreation opportunities. The area's diverse plants, wildlife, and habitats also serve as a wonderful outdoor classroom for the Anchorage community. The Campbell Tract is also home to the BLM Campbell Creek Science Center, a unique outdoor education center that promotes appreciation, understanding, and stewardship of the natural world. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Chugach National ForestCities Nearby: Cordova, Girdwood, & Seward
The Chugach National Forest is located in southcentral Alaska and is the farthest north and west of all national forests in the National Forest System. One of two national forests in Alaska and one of the largest in the National Forest System, the Chugach National Forest is approximately 5.4 million acres. From the Kenai Peninsula to Prince William Sound to the eastern shores of the Copper River Delta, the forest is full of special places. Thirty percent of the Chugach National Forest is covered in ice, including 20 tidewater glaciers. Stretching across 700,000 acres of the national forest, the Copper River Delta is the largest contiguous wetlands complex on North America’s Pacific Coast. The Chugach National Forest includes more than 1,800 miles of anadromous fish streams and 48,100 acres of anadromous fish lakes. Hike along Resurrection Pass Trail, kayak to a public use cabin, go fishing in Russian River, or take a cruise to see tidewater glaciers. There is something for everyone in the Chugach National Forest! 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Chugach State ParkCities Nearby: Anchorage
Chugach State Park is located in Southcentral Alaska mostly within the Municipality of Anchorage. The park contains approximately 495,000 acres of land and is one of the four largest state parks in the United States. The park’s westernmost boundary lies in the western foothills of the Chugach Mountain Range and is a mere seven miles to the east of downtown Anchorage. The park is further defined by the Knik Arm on the north, Turnagain Arm on the south, and Upper and Lower Lake George and Chugach National Forest on the east. It is the backyard and playground for locals, with endless hiking possibilities! 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Clam Gulch Critical Habitat AreaCities Nearby: Soldotna
Extending along the eastern shores of Cook Inlet from Cape Kasilof south to Happy Valley, Clam Gulch Critical Habitat Area was established in 1976 to ensure that the public continues to have the opportunity to enjoy its prolific razor clam beds. The condition of the beach is critical to the success of each year's clam population. A healthy, unpolluted beach is essential to ensure a continuing abundance of razor clams. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Copper River Delta Critical Habitat AreaCities Nearby: Cordova
East of Cordova, in the productive interface between the marine environment and the coastal rain forest of the North Gulf Coast, the Copper River Delta Critical Habitat Area's vast 35-mile wide wetland complex is a critical stop for millions of migratory birds on the Pacific Flyway. A great diversity of bird species during spring migration makes the delta popular for wildlife watching in May. Fall waterfowl hunting, moose and bear hunting, trapping, salmon fishing, and clamming are popular pursuits. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Denali State ParkCities Nearby: Talkeetna & Trapper Creek
Denali State Park is an integral part of one of North America's most spectacularly beautiful regions. The park's 325,240 acres, almost one-half the size of Rhode Island, provide the visitor with a great variety of recreational opportunities, ranging from roadside camping to wilderness exploration. The park is about 100 air miles north of Anchorage and is divided roughly in half by the George Parks Highway, the major road link between Anchorage and Fairbanks. Situated between the Talkeetna Mountains to the east and the Alaska Range to the west, the landscape varies from meandering lowland streams to alpine tundra. Dominating this diverse terrain are Curry and Kesugi Ridges, a 35 mile-long north/south alpine ridge, the backbone of the eastern half of the park. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Fox River Flats Critical Habitat AreaCities Nearby: Homer & Soldotna
Located at the head of Kachemak Bay, Fox River Flats Critical Habitat Area encompasses expansive intertidal mud flats and a complex of low-lying marshlands in the lower Fox River Valley. Each fall, waterfowl and moose are hunted on the flats. A few bear may also be taken each year. Residents of Kachemak Selo and other non-road communities at the head of Kachemak Bay, as well as cattlemen with grazing leases in the Fox River Valley, are the most frequent visitors to the area year-round. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Goose Bay State Game RefugeCities Nearby: Anchorage, Palmer, & Wasilla
Goose Bay wetlands provide an important spring and fall resting and feeding area for waterfowl on their way to and from northern nesting grounds. Over twenty thousand geese stop to rest and feed in the refuge in the spring (mid-April to mid-May). Canada geese are most numerous, with several thousand snow geese and an occasional white-fronted goose sighted as well. Several thousand trumpeter and tundra swans can also be observed in the area during spring migration. Waterbird species known to nest in the wetlands include mallards, green-winged teal, pintails, northern shovelers, snipe, and yellowlegs. Frequently, sandhill cranes can be viewed in the refuge. In the fall, many of these same species stop once again on their way south. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Gulkana Wild and Scenic RiverCities Nearby: Glennallen
The Gulkana is one of the most popular sportfishing rivers in Alaska, providing rich habitat for rainbow trout, arctic grayling, king salmon, red salmon, whitefish, longnose suckers, and lamprey. A poplular river for fisherman and boaters in the summer, this river has also played an important role in the lives of the Ahtna, providing access to subsistence resoucres throughout history and pre-history. The most popular Gulkana River float trip begins at BLM's Paxson Lake Campground boat launch located at mp 175 of the Richardson Highway. This 47 river mile float meanders 20 river miles before reaching the Class III/IV Canyon Rapids. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Hatcher Pass East Management AreaCities Nearby: Anchorage, Palmer, Wasilla, & Willow
The Hatcher Pass Management Area primarily consists of mountainous terrain in the Talkeetna Mountain Range that climb from the 1000 ft. valley floor to summits higher than 6,000 ft. The area includes more than 30 prominent summits and associated glaciers. It can be accessed on paved roads and is only an hour and 20 minutes away from Anchorage, and 20 minutes from either Palmer or Wasilla. Hatcher Pass offers access to extraordinary mountaineering terrain, beautiful mountain scenery, gold panning, berry picking, hiking, biking and horseback riding in the summer. It also offers mountain skiing, snowboarding, sledding, snowshoeing and snowmobiling in the winter. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Homer Airport Critical Habitat AreaCities Nearby: Homer
The Critical Habitat Area is located within the City of Homer and provides important habitat for over a hundred species of birds and provides critical winter habitat for the local moose population. Recreational activities, including wildlife viewing sites, are easily accessed and can be enjoyed in all seasons. A wildlife-viewing platform is located across the street from the Homer Airport passenger terminal at the end of FAA Drive. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Iditarod National Historic TrailOther Region(s): Northwest & Arctic Region & Interior Region
The Iditarod National Historic Trail commemorates a 2,300-mile system of winter trails that first connected ancient Alaska Native villages, opened up Alaska for the last great American gold rush, and now plays a vital role for travel and recreation in modern day Alaska. Over 1,500 miles of the historic winter trail system are open today for public use across state and federal lands. The Bureau of Land Management, under the National Trails Act, is the designated Trail Administrator, and works to coordinate efforts by federal and state agencies on behalf of the entire trail. BLM maintains about 150 miles of the trail, including five public shelter cabins. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Independence Mine State Historical ParkCities Nearby: Palmer & Wasilla
What is now called Independence Mine was once two mines: The Alaska Free Gold (Martin) Mine on Skyscraper Mountain, and Independence Mine on Granite Mountain. In 1938 the two were bought together under one company, the Alaska-Pacific Consolidated Mining Company (APC). With a block of 83 mining claims, APC became the largest producer in the Willow Creek Mining District. In 1974, Independence Mine was entered into the National Register of Historic Places, a list of cultural resources significant to American history. Today you can walk around the old structures in summer or ski the area's groomed trails in the winter. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Kachemak Bay Critical Habitat AreaCities Nearby: Homer
Easy access, outstanding recreational opportunities, and a diverse and productive environment make Kachemak Bay important to residents and visitors alike. Fish and shellfish populations abound year-round, supporting several significant fisheries. In the spring, summer, and fall, the bay hosts tens of thousands of feeding waterfowl, shorebirds, and seabirds. In the winter, marine mammals and waterbirds remain in the bay's protected waters. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Kachemak Bay State Park and State Wilderness ParkCities Nearby: Homer
Alaska's first state park, and only wilderness park, contains roughly 400,000 acres of mountains, glaciers, forests and ocean. The bay's twisted rock formations are evidence of the movement of the earth's crust. Highlighted by constantly changing weather patterns, the park's outstanding scenery is a backdrop for high quality recreation. Opportunities for hiking, kayaking, and camping are prime! 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Kalgin Island Critical Habitat AreaCities Nearby: Soldotna
Located on Kalgin Island in Lower Cook Inlet east of Redoubt Bay and approximately 20 miles southwest of Kenai, Kalgin Island Critical Habitat Area is a flat green expanse of wetlands surrounding Swamp Creek. The critical habitat area provides spring and fall resting and feeding habitat for swans, geese, ducks, and shorebirds and is an important alternative habitat used each year by a portion of the thousands of waterfowl that use nearby Redoubt Bay wetlands. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Kenai Fjords National ParkCities Nearby: Seward
At the edge of the Kenai Peninsula lies a land where the ice age lingers. Nearly 40 glaciers flow from the Harding Icefield, Kenai Fjords' crowning feature. Wildlife thrives in icy waters and lush forests around this vast expanse of ice. Native Alutiiq peoples relied on these resources to nurture a life entwined with the sea. Today, shrinking glaciers bear witness to the effects of our changing climate. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Kenai National Wildlife RefugeCities Nearby: Soldotna
At the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge your opportunities for outdoor adventures extend year-round and include world-class fishing, hunting, hiking, cross-country skiing, canoeing, and camping. Whether you choose to fish or float the emerald waters of the Kenai River or experience wilderness solitude canoeing in lowland lakes or hiking high into the alpine tundra, you are sure to create life-long and indelible memories. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Kenai River Special Management AreaCities Nearby: Soldotna
Kenai River Special Management Area is Alaska’s largest sport fishery, world renowned for its record-sized Chinook salmon. The Kenai River is an angler’s paradise, boasting all five species of Pacific salmon and large rainbow trout. All in all, 36 different species of fish, call the mighty Kenai River home. Fish and anglers aren’t the only ones who benefit from the remarkable Kenai; bald eagles, caribou, trumpeter swans, moose, and bears are just a few of the inhabitants that make the Kenai River a prime location for watchable wildlife. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Lake Clark National Park and PreserveCities Nearby: Port Alsworth
Lake Clark National Park is a land of stunning beauty where volcanoes steam, salmon run, bears forage, craggy mountains reflect in shimmering turquoise lakes, and local people and their culture still depend on the land and water. Solitude is found around every bend in the river and shoulder of a mountain. Venture into the park to become part of the wilderness. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Matanuska Valley Moose RangeCities Nearby: Palmer & Wasilla
Nestled in the southern foothills of the Talkeetna Mountains east of the Little Susitna River lies the 130,000 acre Matanuska Valley Moose Range. The lands within the Range support abundant fish and wildlife populations, contain marketable timber products and high-valued coal reserves and provide a variety of outdoor recreational and cultural opportunities. The area also has abundant water resources and can provide for limited grazing opportunities. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Nancy Lake State Recreation AreaCities Nearby: Wasilla & Willow
Nancy Lake State Recreation Area is different from most Alaskan park areas. It is one of the few flat, lake-studded landscapes in Alaska preserved for recreation purposes. The recreation area's clear waters are ringed with unspoiled forests, and provide tranquil settings for canoeing, fishing, hiking and camping. In winter, the rolling topography is ideal for cross-country skiing, dog mushing and snowmachining. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Palmer Hay Flats State Game RefugeCities Nearby: Palmer & Wasilla
Created in 1975, this Upper Cook Inlet refuge located near Wasilla protects 28,800 acres of coastal and freshwater wetlands, tidal sloughs and mudflats, lakes and streams, as well as upland birch forests. Today, easy access and proximity to over half of Alaska's population has made the Palmer Hay Flats refuge one of the most important year-round wildlife and outdoor recreational areas in the state. While the refuge is mostly undeveloped, several sites provide parking and access to marked trails, streams and lakes. Waterfowl hunting, bird dog (retriever) training, trapping, bird watching, nature study, hiking, sport fishing, canoeing and winter snow machining and cross-country skiing provide diverse opportunities for those wishing to enjoy the refuge. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Redoubt Bay Critical Habitat AreaCities Nearby: Kenai & Soldotna
The Redoubt Bay Critical Habitat Area is a 268 square mile low lying expanse of wetlands braided with riparian habitat. It is best known as the nesting ground of the Tule white-fronted goose and is located approximately 40 miles southwest of Anchorage on the west side of Cook Inlet. Redoubt Bay is one of the most popular non-road accessible waterfowl hunting areas in the state. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Richardson HighwayOther Region(s): Interior Region
The Richardson Highway runs north-south, connecting the communities of Valdez and Fairbanks, Alaska. Along the road are numerous trailheads and river access points. Be advised that some of these trails are 17 (b) easements providing access to public lands or waterways, across private land, but they are for access only, no camping allowed. See each land agency for further information. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Susitna Flats State Game RefugeCities Nearby: Anchorage & Palmer
Perhaps the most spectacular feature of the Susitna Flats State Game Refuge is the spring and fall concentration of migrating waterfowl and shorebirds. Usually by mid-April, mallards, pintails, and Canada geese are present in large numbers. Peak densities are reached in early May when as many as 100,000 waterfowl are using the refuge to feed, rest, and conduct their final courtship prior to nesting. This is a popular area for sport fishermen in summer and hunters in the fall. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Tangle Lakes Archaeological DistrictCities Nearby: Glennallen
The Tangle Lakes Archaeological District (TLAD) is a 226,660 acre Archaeological District listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This national list contains one of the most culturally and historically important places in the United States. The TLAD was nominated to this list in 1971 because of its present and future contributions to the understanding of the prehistory of central Alaska and North America. This Archaeological District is the largest in subarctic North American and contains the densest grouping (over 600 documented sites) of early prehistoric archaeology in Alaska. The archaeology of the area is managed by two agencies: the BLM manages about 185,321 acres south of the Denali Highway and north of the highway in the Delta Wild and Scenic River Corridor. The State of Alaska’s Department of Natural Resources manages about 41,339 acres north of the highway. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Trading Bay State Game RefugeCities Nearby: Anchorage & Palmer
The lowlands of Trading Bay provide important wintering habitat for approximately 500 moose. Trading Bay wetlands provide critical spring feeding, summer nesting, and fall staging habitat for thousands of ducks, geese, swans, and cranes. The first habitat to be used in spring is a narrow band of ice-free coast where large concentrations of waterfowl rest and feed. Access to the refuge is by small plane or boat, or by road access from the nearby communities of Tyonek and Shirleyville. There are no developed public use facilities on the refuge. Fly-in sport fishermen enjoy the refuge lakes and streams in summer months, while waterfowl and moose hunting frequent the area in the fall. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Willow Mountain Critical Habitat AreaCities Nearby: Willow
In the Talkeetna Mountain Range east of the Parks Highway between Willow Creek and the Kashwitna River, the Willow Mountain Critical Habitat Area supports some of the largest concentrations of moose found anywhere in the state. Located along the western slopes of Willow Mountain, the area encompasses both the upper extent of mixed forest and the lower alpine zone. The remote character of the area combined with little use by other competing interests have served to limit use of the area to hunters, trappers, and other outdoor enthusiasts. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Wrangell St. Elias National Park and PreserveCities Nearby: Glennallen
Wrangell St. Elias is the largest national park in the United States, where the land rises from the ocean all the way up to the 18,008 ft. peak of Mount St. Elias. At 13.2 million acres, it’s the same size as Yellowstone and Yosemite National Parks and Switzerland combined! Within this wild landscape, people continue to live off the land as they have done for centuries. This is a rugged, beautiful area filled with infinite opportunities for truly epic adventure. 
NPS Graphic/ANCH Yakataga State Game RefugeCities Nearby: Cordova
Yakataga State Game Refuge is located along the main Pacific migration route of birds flying north to breed, where the high coastal mountain range funnels millions of birds along this narrow coastal corridor. A majority of waterfowl migrating north along the coast stops to rest and feed in these coastal lowlands on their way to summer nesting grounds. There are no developed public access or public use facilities in the refuge. Accessible primarily by plane but also by boat, the area has long been important for hunting and fishing by residents of Yakutat and Cordova. Commercial set net sites, concentrated at the mouths of every major river, target coho salmon. Sport fishing opportunities are also abundant, with the Tsiu River a popular coho fishing stream. Waterfowl, moose, black and brown bear, and mountain goat are hunted by residents and guided non-residents. |
Last updated: December 26, 2023