For my second trip to Alaska, I wanted parks that are not terribly hard to plan for or expensive to get to. Kenai Fjords is a breeze due to its accessibility by car. Denali would have been my next choice, but the main road through the park is partially closed due to a landslide through at least 2027. The only other park accessible by car is Wrangell-St Elias, but “accessible” is a strong word. The 60-mile gravel road that leads into the park, McCarthy Road, is not for the faint of heart. Only certain car rental agencies allow their cars on that road, and drivers are advised to have a full size spare and to know how to put it on. In the end, we decided to fly into the park with Copper Valley Air, which freed up our time and wasn’t that much more expensive than renting a McCarthy Road approved car. It was definitely worth it and still much cheaper than flying into some of the other Alaska parks.
When to Visit
Weather in Alaska can throw a wrench in your plan no matter the time of year, so always be prepared for that. Both of my trips so far have been in the last week of July. Weather has been mostly good with occasional rain.
Where to Stay
In Seward, I cannot recommend Glacier Creek Lodging enough. It’s a 15-minute drive from Seward but it’s tranquil, affordable and comfortable. The small Bed & Breakfast has only 3 rooms. We stayed in the King Suite. It’s on the same floor as the kitchen, which makes it convenient at breakfast or to grab snacks and drinks throughout the day. It is the only guest room on that floor and it has its own access through the balcony. The bathroom has double sinks!
We had only one night in Glenallen, which was necessary because of the flight schedule for Copper Valley Air. We stayed at Antler’s Bed & Breakfast, which was quite comfortable.
In Kennicott/McCarthy, you don’t have a lot of options. I reserved the Kennicott Glacier Lodge inside the park. I booked at the end of September for the following July. Book even earlier for your choice of dates. Most activities in the park begin across the street from the lodge, making this a super convenient choice. Note that there is a 2-night minimum for the South Wing, which has rooms with private bathrooms. The main lodge has rooms with shared bathrooms only.
We had 1 night in Anchorage before our flight home. I found hotels in Anchorage in summer to be ridiculously expensive for what you get. The SpringHill Suites in midtown Anchorage was in a good location but it was a bit dated.
Itinerary
This is the exact itinerary we followed. I’ve linked the blog posts for each day, where you can find more details. Unfortunately, we had to book most tours/activities ahead of time, which left little wiggle room for weather. Luckily, it was not an issue for us. If you want more flexibility, I would add at least 1 night in Seward and 1 night in Kennicott.
| Day | Activity | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | fly to Anchorage, drive to Seward | Seward, AK |
| 2 | Kenai Fjords boat tour | Seward, AK |
| 3 | Harding Ice Field hike to Exit Glacier | Seward, AK |
| 4 | travel day – Seward to Glenallen | Glenallen, AK |
| 5 | fly Glenallen to McCarthy, spend the day in McCarthy | Kennicott, AK |
| 6 | Root Glacier Hike | Kennicott, AK |
| 7 | Kennecott Mill tour, dinner at Salmon & Bear (requires reservation) | Kennicott, AK |
| 8 | Fly McCarthy to Glenallen, then drive to Anchorage; Alaska Native Heritage Center | Anchorage, AK |
| 9 | fly home | n/a |