Alaska national parks
8 Alaska national parks are spread from Gates of the Arctic National Park in the north to Katmai National Park in the south.
Only Katmai National Park has anything on Recreation.gov to book ahead, and it covers one activity rather than getting into the park.
Driving between these parks
No two Alaska national parks are within a 4-hour drive of each other, so a trip here is built around one park rather than a loop.
Parks no road reaches
5 of the 8 Alaska national parks have no road link to the others, so reaching them means a flight or a boat: Gates of the Arctic, Glacier Bay, Katmai, Kobuk Valley, and Lake Clark.
| Park | How you get there |
|---|---|
| Gates of the Arctic National Park | Reached by bush plane from Bettles or Coldfoot, and the park itself has no roads and no maintained trails. |
| Glacier Bay National Park | Reached by air or ferry to Gustavus, then a 10-mile road to Bartlett Cove. |
| Katmai National Park | Reached by floatplane from King Salmon. |
| Kobuk Valley National Park | Reached by bush plane from Kotzebue or Bettles. |
| Lake Clark National Park | Reached by floatplane from Anchorage or Kenai. |
What to book before you go
Recreation.gov lists 2 permits or lotteries for Alaska national parks, and each park's own page carries its full list.
| Park | Booking | Covers | How it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Katmai National Park | Brooks Camp Camping Permit | One hike or backcountry trip | Permit or lottery |
| Katmai National Park | Brooks River Corridor Group 7-Day Permits | One hike or backcountry trip | Permit or lottery |
Recreation.gov lists 6 campgrounds at 5 Alaska parks, one of which never takes reservations.
First-come sites never show up as bookable inventory, so a park that reads as full online can still have space for someone who arrives early.
When to go
All 8 Alaska national parks share one window: mid-June through early September.
The usable season is short and weather closes in fast. Build spare days into any trip that depends on a flight or boat.
All 8 Alaska national parks
| Park | Where | Best window | Book ahead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denali National Park | AK | mid-June through early September | Nothing on Recreation.gov |
| Gates of the Arctic National Park | AK | mid-June through early September | Nothing on Recreation.gov |
| Glacier Bay National Park | AK | mid-June through early September | Campsites only |
| Katmai National Park | AK | mid-June through early September | Permit or reservation |
| Kenai Fjords National Park | AK | mid-June through early September | Campsites only |
| Kobuk Valley National Park | AK | mid-June through early September | Nothing on Recreation.gov |
| Lake Clark National Park | AK | mid-June through early September | Campsites only |
| Wrangell–St. Elias National Park | AK | mid-June through early September | Campsites only |
Go state by state
Each state page lists that state's parks and the towns closest to them, which is the quicker route when you already know where you are starting from.
Other U.S. regions
Common questions
Do any Alaska national parks need a reservation just to get in?
No Alaska national park sells a park-wide entry reservation on Recreation.gov, where the bookings cover individual hikes, roads, tours, and campsites. Entry rules are set park by park and change between years, so check the park's own site for your dates.
Can you drive between the Alaska national parks?
3 Alaska national parks sit on the road network, and no two of them are within a 4-hour drive of each other. The rest are reached by air or boat.
When is the best time to visit Alaska?
Every national park in Alaska is best mid-June through early September, with shoulder weeks in late May and mid-September.
How many campgrounds do Alaska national parks have?
Alaska national parks have 6 campgrounds on Recreation.gov, one of which is first-come only and never appears as bookable inventory.
Which states this covers
Alaska on this site means Alaska.
One state, split out of the Census Bureau Pacific division because access and season work unlike anywhere else.