mahlersharieAlaska is indescribably big. This behemoth of an outdoor wonderland can be viewed by boat, car, foot, or plane and yet one would still have the most astonishing experience- AND- only see a small slice of what this northern landscape has to offer.
As an introductory, maiden journey to Alaska (there will definitely be more after one trip, I assure you), I’d encourage you to base your travels out of Anchorage. While it is a resourceful place to stock up on essentials (bear spray, mosquito nets, rain equipment), it’s also centrally located from two National Parks that offer incredibly unique experiences, with varying highlights in terrain: Kenai Fjords NP and Denali NP. In this post, I’ll highlight the southern part of this voyage: Seward and Kenai Fjords.
Seward Scenic Byway
The drive from Anchorage to Seward is worth all of the hype on it’s own. The Seward Scenic Byway immediately transports you to a waterfront wilderness silhouetted by snow-capped mountains. Make time in your day to take plenty of stops along the 126 mile voyage to Seward. From overlooks on the side of the highway to the Alaksan Wildlife Conservation Center, your trip will be off to a magnificent foundation.
The Wildlife Conservation Center can be driven or walked, and I HIGHLY recommend you get out and stretch your legs to experience the most of what the Center has to offer. For $17 per adult, you can see wolves, bison, black and brown bears, caribou, and reindeer from a close, but safe, vantage point.
The last main attraction approaching Seward is Exit Glacier of Kenai Fjords National Park. If you’re travelling during the summer months when the sun sets well after midnight, take the exit to the right and swing past Exit Glacier. At the visitor center, you can check out short trails that will take you under and hour and give you a pretty sweet viewpoint of the full glacier and the surrounding valley such as the Exit Glacier Overlook Trail. Taking this trail later in the evening (we started at 8:00 PM) will give you less crowds than earlier in the day. After all, the days are longer so take advantage of all the extra daylight you can get in this trip.
For more stop recommendations, check out This Big World’s post on 13 Beautiful Places to Stop When Driving From Anchorage to Seward
Kenai Fjords Kayaking Day Trip
Most of the fjords are not accessible via trail, so the best way to see this park is by boat. Now, you can jump on a people mover and spend a few hours on a charter boat, or you can spend the entire day out on the coast on a full day kayaking excursion. While it is on the more extravagant side of our adventures, I can promise you, you’ll never experience something quite like kayaking in Kenai Fjords.
There are so many companies you can charter for these full day excursions, however we found that the best value was Miller’s Landing- specifically the Captain’s Choice Tour. The captains of these excursions aren’t going to sail you into unsafe waters anyway, so save yourself $100 by selecting this specific tour and you’ll still have a once-in-a-lifetime experience navigating the waters of Alaska’s Kenai Fjords. The tour package comes with breakfast, lunch, snacks, and hot chocolate, so you are absolutely going to get your money’s worth with booking through them.
The actual time spent kayaking is divided into two blocks, separated by an hour(ish) lunch break. The morning block was spent paddling through the Northwestern Lagoon to arrive at Northwestern Glacier by lunch (approximately a 2 mile paddle). Even with absolutely no experience kayaking, you can find yourself navigating these waters pretty successfully. The water, while 400-500ft deep in some places was unbelievably calm, and the guides were helpful throughout the day in giving helpful pointers and tips to kayak more efficiently.
Post-lunch paddles offered more glacier and wildlife experiences. You’ll float past thundering ice walls, curious sea lions, and towering mountains, all the while breathing in the Harding Icefield’s fresh, crisp breeze. By the time your body begins to tire in the afternoon, you’ll have started making your way to the nearest rocky beach to await the water taxi.
This is a great way to spend an entire day in Seward/Kenai Fjords National Park. Kayaking through the Fjords is the ultimate way to bask in the magnificence that is Coastal Alaska. The entire day (including the water taxi) will be spent witnessing wildlife, gazing upon The Kenai Mountains, and enjoying the company of the crew and other tourists. Plan to arrive back in Seward after most restaurants have closed for the night. You can hit up the local Safeway for some quick groceries, or pack a backpacking meal (or two) for a waterfront meal at a price that can’t be beat.
Harding Ice Field Trail via Kenai Fjords NP
The most all-around breathtaking hike we took in Seward was the Harding Ice Field Trail. Clocking in at over 8 miles, this will be a hike that will take some internal motivation and desire to see a better view of the Exit Glacier
In the beginning to middle of summer (June-July), conditions change variably for this trail. Muddy pathways and steep climbs on rocks- or even snow- make this trail a challenging one. However if you buy or rent some hiking poles, you can save yourself from some falls or missteps. In addition, there are a few places to “pull over” and enjoy the views of the glacier as you climb in elevation. Below are the views from Marmot Meadows and Top of the Cliffs.
We were unable to climb higher to the peak (the view on top of the Ice Field) due to the snow covering the trail, however the brief break in cloud coverage allowed us to gaze upon the sheer grandeur of the Ice Field from the Top of the Cliffs. Even without being able to complete this trail as is, this day hike is worth your time and energy.
Seward Food and Accommodations Recommendation
Seward is not a big city, so unfortunately, hotels are few and on the higher end for basic lodging (around $300 per night), however there are yurts and cabins for a slightly cheaper price on Airbnb if that’s more of your style. If you can “rough” it for a few nights, I’d like to open your eyes to a cheaper way to travel to Seward.
The Seward Municipal Campgrounds are a fantastic way to have waterfront lodging (literally twenty steps from the bay) at an unbeatable price. Resurrection South Campground has tent sites for only $20 per night- 1/10th of the price for a cabin and 1/15th of the price for a hotel room.
When in Seward, trying the local catch is a must. The Highliner Restaurant was BY FAR the greatest and tastiest value we found in Seward. No matter if you like it grilled, fried or on a sandwich, try the halibut and the Backcountry Blueberry Beer for a taste of Coastal Alaska you couldn’t forget if you tried. The fish and chips platter could easily feed two people and this was one of the cheaper meals in Alaska.
