Alaska: The Perfect Trip

Alaska has more coastline and rugged wilderness than the rest of the United States combined. It also resides victoriously on the list of states with the fewest bugs. These two factors make Alaska the perfect destination for a once-in-a-lifetime trip. However, Alaska is absolutely enormous – sitting at six hundred sixty-three thousand three hundred acres. It could fit up to nineteen other American states and is home to over one thousand different species. Since I was younger, I have been obsessed with animals like moose, grizzly bears, and wolverines – essentially any animal relatively exotic compared to the squirrels in Illinois. My dream is to visit Alaska and drive a loop around the entire state, visiting every Alaskan national park. I’m going to outline the perfect itinerary for a vacation with no rival. 

Wherever you are starting from, the first step is to fly into Anchorage, as it is the only town in the area with a large enough airport. It is the largest city in Alaska and a wonderful place to take a whale-watching excursion or stargaze and spot the northern lights. The Aurora is beautiful in pictures but is truly breathtaking to see in person – it fluctuates before your eyes.

Get ready for a lot of blue. Only accessible by boat, Glacier Bay is almost entirely water, between the inlets, harbors, and striking turquoise glaciers. The UNESCO World Heritage sight is one of the only places where you can spot glacier bears – black bears with silverish-grey coats.

After a short drive, unbeatable views of snow-capped mountains and glacial lakes will fill your windshield. The largest US national park and bigger than Switzerland, Wrangell St-Elias is filled to the brim with glaciers, volcanos, and four different mountain ranges. 

Next on the list is Kenai, where you can rent a cabin and kayak through glacial fjords. The rugged coastline is shaped by storm surges, glaciers, and changing tides, resulting in a very dynamic environment. If you’re lucky you can catch the breach of an orca, framed by the snow-covered mountains. 

Once you have exhausted the Gulf of Alaska, it is time to move on to Lake Clark. You can spend time learning about the native Dena’ina people whose ancestral homelands are preserved by the protective boundaries of the park, while also enjoying the enduring scenery. Home to the largest sockeye salmon fishery in the world, Lake Clark and the local waterways offer legendary bear watching.

If the bear viewing at Lake Clark sounds amazing, wait for the next stop. Visiting Katmai tacks on a chunk of extra time, however, it is undoubtedly worth it. Katmai contains the largest known concentration of grizzly bears in the world. There is even an island off the coast that is home to Kodiak bears – a larger, more aggressive, and somehow more terrifying species of brown bear. It isn’t uncommon to spot a handful of bears fishing in Brooks River Falls. 

Buckle up – the road to Denali is one of the longest stretches of driving on the itinerary. You cannot be bored, though, as there are very few places in Alaska that are not cool to experience. Witnessing the highest peak in North America, taller from base to peak than Mt. Everest, will make the car time worth it. Denali is also known for its variety of wildlife including caribou, moose, wolves, and Dall sheep. 

The second to last National Park on the list is Kobuk Valley. Known mostly for being inhabited by humans since they existed, the Kobuk River corridor provided passage for the first Americans. Today, you can spend time backpacking or hiking with views of great sand and river dunes as your backdrop, and wondering whether you’re stepping in the ancient footprint of a wooly mammoth. 

Gates of the Arctic – last but definitely not least – is a true test of character. Known for its raw wilderness and untouched nature, the park contains no trails, campsites, or roads. It establishes a new definition of remote and provides an incomparable experience. 

The short drive to Fairbanks and the flight back home will be – by far – the most disappointing leg of the trip. After witnessing rugged Alaskan beauty, home will be a difficult place to return to.