The Kenai Fjords area was not considered to be of the first priority for park designation under the ANCSA. The park protects the icefield, a narrow fringe of forested land between the mountains and the sea, and the deeply indented coastline. Just one day in December saw temperatures dip below freezing, as measured at the Seward airport. A single ranger was assigned to Seward as a local liaison. [10], Several gold mines from historical times have been documented in the park. Commentary from the onboard naturalist makes the most of this 100-mile (160-kilometer) cruise through the stunning landscapes of Kenai Fjords National Park, including stops at Holgate Glacier and the Chiswell Islands, home to large populations of wildlife. By early April, Park Service personnel established oil containment boom lines across the mouths of salmon streams and conducted preliminary inventories of plants and animals that might be affected by the oil. [18] Alaskan opposition to ANILCA prompted President Jimmy Carter to proclaim Kenai Fjords National Monument under the provisions of the Antiquities Act on December 1, 1978, pending final passage of an Alaskan lands bill. This proposal allowed logging and mining in the area. Secretary of the Interior Cecil D. Andrus proposed a 410,000-acre (640.6 sq mi; 1,659.2 km2) Kenai Fjords National Park. 1980). [46][47] Smaller mammals include coyote, beaver and river otter. Follow rangers on an immersive 360° journey through the #HiddenWorlds of our National Parks. A beach site near MacArthur Pass was discovered during cleanup operations. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the Plant Hardiness zone at Exit Glacier Visitor Center at 463 ft (141 m) elevation is 4b with an average annual extreme minimum temperature of -20.3 °F (-29.1 °C). A network of trails from the Nature Center provide access to the glacier, and the 7.4-mile (11.9 km) Harding Icefield Trail. [22] In 1982, a general management plan for the park was finalized, designating Exit Glacier as "front-country," the fjords as "back-country," and the icefield as wilderness. [65][66], Harsh conditions at higher altitudes limit tree growth above the tree line, creating an alpine ecosystem. Action. Bear Lake in the Kenai Fjords National Park manages to stand out, thanks to its massive glaciers, year-round water sports (kayaking, dog mushing), and occasional viewings of the Northern Lights. The park includes the region's deeply indented glaciated coastline and its interior icefields. [20], On December 2, 1980, the ANILCA bill was signed into law by Jimmy Carter, converting Kenai Fjords to a national park. The first oil arrived on April 10. [35], Kenai Fjords is extensively glaciated, with 51% of the park covered by ice. We wanted to be more active, getting out of the car & we didn't want to do the long bus ride (just wasnt our cup of tea for what we wanted to do).. We found beautiful nature and scenery in Kenai NP. Subsequent reports indicated that water levels peaked in the lagoon on August 14th and breached the moraine on August 15th. At Kenai Fjords National Park, the average monthly temperature in December was nearly 6 degrees Fahrenheit above normal, the same departure noticed in November. The alpine regions support shrubby grown to alders, devil's club, elderberry, lady fern, cow parsnip and other plants. The oil did not reach the fjords, repelled by heavy spring water flows from the land. The proposed monument totaled 300,000 acres (468.8 sq mi; 1,214.1 km2) in three areas: the icefield and two island groups. The fjords are glacial valleys that have been submerged below sea level by a combination of rising sea levels and land subsidence. On Friday, August 15th, Kenai Fjords National Park staff received numerous reports that water from Bear Glacier Lagoon had breached the moraine separating the lagoon from the mouth of Resurrection Bay, also referred to as the Harding Gateway. Eleven mine sites have been documented and two of the mine sites have been determined to be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. [37] The erosive power of the glaciers produces sediment as rock flour coloring the waters around the toes of glaciers, carrying minerals into the ecosystem that support phytoplankton, which in turn sustain larger animals. The nearest large town is Seward, immediately to the east of the park on Resurrection Bay. The park is inhabited by a variety of terrestrial and marine mammals, including brown and black bears, moose, sea otters, harbor seals, humpback and killer whales. Negotiations between the Park Service, Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service and the Chugach Alaska Corporation resulted in a decision by the Department of the Interior to make the Park Service the lead agency for the Kenai Fjords area. Much of the interior is covered by the Harding Icefield. Kenai Fjords National Park Crowned by an icefield and carved by glaciers, Kenai Fjords is continually reshaped by ice and sea. When you absolutely, positively, need to get away for a winter adventure, look north to Kenai Fjords National Park and its Willow Public Use Cabin. The park's headquarters is in Seward. This new video gives their volunteers, many of whom have been on multiple beach cleanups, a chance to express their feelings about marine debris, about cleaning it up, and about their personal connections to the ocean. In 1971 the Seward National Recreation Area was proposed for the area between the head of Resurrection Bay and Turnagain Arm, extending east to Whittier and west to Exit Glacier. Tracking Climate Change In Kenai Fjords National Park: What Will Happen? [5] It is a relatively small and accessible park by Alaskan national park standards, about 88% as big as Yosemite National Park. Postal Service. The park covers an area of 669,984 acres (1,046.85 sq mi; 2,711.33 km) on the Kenai Peninsula in southcentral Alaska, near the town of Seward. Headlands were the most affected areas. [10] A 1993 Park Service survey documented several village sites dated between 1200 AD and 1920. [38] More than thirty glaciers originate in the icefield, which first formed about 23,000 years ago. [25] Most of the lands claimed were on the coastline. Dwarf plants in this region include bog blueberry, partridgefoot, black crowberry and Aleutian mountainheath, all of which are vulnerable to damage from foot traffic. Watch a whale breach and glaciers calve into the water. 30,295 acres (47.3 sq mi; 122.6 km2) were repurchased by the Park Service in the 1990s, retaining subsistence rights on about 9,000 acres (14.1 sq mi; 36.4 km2). The most significant fjords include Aialik Bay, Harris Bay, McCarty Fjord and Nuka Bay. The remainder of the park is accessible by boat,[3] airplane,[4] and hiking. [62][65], The grounding of the oil tanker Exxon Valdez in Prince William Sound on March 24, 1989, produced extensive contamination of the Kenai Fjords coastline. [30], The park has established a cooperative relationship with the Alaska SeaLife Center, exchanging interpretive services. The Harding Icefield receives 60 feet (18 m) of snowfall per year. The first season's work stopped in September. Exit Glacier Kenai Fjords. The survey also found evidence that an earthquake dating to about 1170 AD lowered the shoreline by at least 1.8 metres (5.9 ft), potentially inundating earlier sites. [10], Bear Glacier Lake in Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, List of birds of Kenai Fjords National Park, List of national parks of the United States, "Listing of acreage as of December 31, 2011", Full list of all state parks, recreation areas and sites, historic parks and sites, and marine parks, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kenai_Fjords_National_Park&oldid=990313557, Bodies of water of Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 24 November 2020, at 00:28. Another proposal placed the Aialik Peninsula under US Fish and Wildlife Service jurisdiction. Kenai Fjords National Park is an American national park established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2rio's travel planner. The enormous variety of areas in the National Park System means there's also quite a range of experiences when it comes to getting to and from your park destination. [61] Marine birds include tufted and horned puffin,[62] common and thick-billed murre,[63] and marbled murrelets. Herbaceous plants can grow in areas with better soils, supporting grasses, Nootka lupine, fireweed and other perennial plants. There are 6 ways to get from Kenai Fjords National Park to Wrangell–St. Answer 1 of 5: Hi there! Things are warming up in Alaska, and that's not a good thing. New lands exposed in former glacier beds are at first stony, lacking in soil. There are hundreds of glaciers in Kenai Fjords National Park (KEFJ) and Katmai National Park and Preserve (KATM) covering over 2,276 km 2 of park land (ca. The Resurrection Bay Conservation Alliance has been removing marine debris from the beaches around Seward, Kenai Fjords National Park, and even Prince William Sound for more than a decade. Discover the magic of the internet at Imgur, a community powered entertainment destination. The impenetrable beauty of Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska, USA [OC] [5472x3648] June 2020. [31], The park lies on the southeastern side of the Kenai Peninsula, about 130 miles (210 km) south of Anchorage. [35] The motion of the North Pacific Plate has accreted a variety of terranes against the shoreline, so that the coastal region is a mixture of rocks that originated elsewhere, together with local igneous rock. Douglas area, the Kukak Volcano to Mt. [14], The earliest proposals for a national park at the Kenai Fjords was raised in the 1970s. Plants and animals adapt to incredibly dynamic conditions. Click and drag to explore. At the edge of the Kenai Peninsula lies a land where the ice age lingers. Icefield coverage has declined, with a 3% reduction in coverage over a 16-year study period. The field is the source of at least 38 glaciers, the largest of which is Bear Glacier. Just one day in December saw temperatures dip below freezing, as measured at the Seward airport. The Latest Articles from the National Parks Traveler. The field is the source of at least 38 glaciers, th… [15] Internal Park Service documents envisioned an 800,000-acre (1,250.0 sq mi; 3,237.5 km2) park protecting the coast and the icefield, but this conflicted with the Seward National Recreation Area and a proposed expansion of the Kenai National Moose Range. We chose Kenai over Denali.. We did go to Talkeetna and do the Talkeetna Air Taxi *flightseeing and landing on Ruth Glacier in Denali National Park. [11], Early studies of possible new Park Service units in Alaska took place in the 1930s and 1940s. The floors of the fjords can be from 600 to 1,000 feet (180 to 300 m) below the present sea level. These pioneers are followed by other plants as the moss and lichen break rock down into soil. Where Will You Explore Winter In The National Park System? Kenai Fjords National Park is a United States National Park established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. Come Monday, you can send Kenai Fjords National Park around the country. [42], Large terrestrial mammal species in the park include timber wolf, porcupine, Canadian lynx, brown bear,[43] black bears,[44] moose[45] and mountain goat. Katmai area, and … Another site was used from 1785 to 1820. [32], The park can be reached from Seward, 130 mi (210 km) south of Anchorage at the southern terminus of the Seward Highway. The tree line at Kenai Fjords is between 750 and 1,000 feet (230 and 300 m) above sea level. Denali National Park and Preserve‎ (3 C, 30 P) G Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve‎ (11 P) Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve‎ (2 C, 7 P) K Katmai National Park and Preserve‎ (1 C, 18 P) Kenai Fjords National Park‎ (8 P) [26], Seward is a departure point and destination for large cruise ships from Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line, Royal Caribbean International and others. In the following video, produced by the Eppley Institute for Parks and Public Lands, the National Park Service’s Interpretive Development Program, and the NPS Climate Change Response Program, how climate change might impact Kenai Fjords National Park is examined. There’s a simple reason why Kenai Fjord Tours is so popular for glacier tours out of Seward: This veteran tour operator offers a ton of variety in its day trips into Resurrection Bay and Kenai Fjords National Park. Elias National Park and Preserve by bus, shuttle, train or plane. Higher alpine regions support a dwarf shrub community less than 1 foot (30 cm) high, at a very slow rate of growth. Katmai National Park and Preserve (KATM), and Kenai Fjords National Park (KEFJ). The park is named for the numerous fjordscarved by glaciers moving down the mountains from the ice field. S01:E05 - Kenai Fjords At the edge of the Kenai Peninsula lies a land where the ice age lingers. Starting to plan a trip for the end of August and wanted to get some thoughts on a couple options we've been considering. Although the proposal had support in Congress and from the US Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, it was overcome by difficulties with native land claims. A previous fisheries inventory of Lake Clark National Park and Preserve (LACL) matching the scope of current I&M program objectives was conducted by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) in 1980 (Russell et al. At least figuratively, thanks to a new stamp from the U.S. [40], According to the Köppen climate classification system, Kenai Fjords National Park has a Subarctic climate (Dfc) with cool summers and year around precipitation. The Kenai Fjords region was designated Study Area 11. [68], Archeological sites were also affected by the oil. Willows and alders are followed by black cottonwoods, then Sitka spruce. Willows also appear at this stage. So that was our "fix" for Denali. [28] Seward is a destination for cruise ships. A similar succession pattern is seen at the park's nunataks, exposed rock outcroppings in the Harding Icefield. Work resumed the next year and continued in 1991. The park is named for the numerous fjords carved by glaciers moving down the mountains from the ice field. [9] Mining activity centered on Nuka Bay. Action. The tours provide views of land and marine wildlife, particularly Steller sea lions, puffins, Dall's porpoises, American black bear, snowshoe hares, Mountain goats, and humpback and orca whales, as well as natural sights such as the fjords and tidewater glaciers. Kenai Fjords National Park was established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA). The site showed that contrary to earlier beliefs, portions of the park had been used over a long term by native peoples. Her love and curiosity of the earth's wildlife and ecosystems quickly fueled a passion to share their stories and the stories of the people who have dedicated their lives to learning about and protecting these ecosystems. At Kenai Fjords National Park, the average monthly temperature in December was nearly 6 degrees Fahrenheit above normal, the same departure noticed in November. Marine mammals include sea otter,[48] harbor seal[49] and Steller sea lion. Some of these are on native corporation lands, with a portion of the use fee going to the native community. Forested portions of the park are dominated by conifers, with deciduous forests confined to areas recently vacated by glaciers. Here, birds swim better than fly, mythical ice worms really do exist, and mammals are better adapted to life in water than on land. The park contains the Harding Icefield, one of the largest ice fields in the United States. In time, about 20 miles (32 km) of coastline was oiled, amounting to about 4% of the total coastline. Some sites had been active into the 1980s. [16] The same day the National Park Service formed an Alaska Task Force to study proposed park lands. The first plants to appear in recently glaciated areas are lichens and mosses, with a few hardy plants such as dwarf fireweed and yellow dryas. Nearly 40 glaciers flow from the Harding Icefield, Kenai Fjords' crowning feature. Bus tours from Seward visit Exit Glacier and boat tours visit other parts of the park[29], The park maintains public-use cabins and shelters in coastal areas and at the edge of the Harding Icefield. This is the official YouTube Channel for Kenai Fjords National Park. Incubating eggs in the harsh coastal expanses of Kenai Fjords National Park and Preserve in Alaska is tough business to start with, and with predators on the prowl, it becomes even more difficult to rear a brood. The most accessible glacier, and the only portion of the park accessible by road, is Exit Glacier. Crowned by an icefield and carved by glaciers, Kenai Fjords is continually reshaped by ice and sea. It is only one of three national parks in Alaska that can be reached by road, via the Exit Glacier Nature Center. about Tracking Climate Change In Kenai Fjords National Park: What Will Happen? It is believed that coastal subsidence and rising water levels have inundated many sites, as the shoreline was the place richest in resources for early peoples. Wildlife thrives in icy waters and lush forests around this vast expanse of ice. 2000). A third site showed occupancy from 1850 to 1890. Visit the land where the ice age still lingers. On March 15, 1972, four areas of the Kenai Peninsula were set aside under the ANCSA for federal protected areas. [17], Legislation stalled in Congress during the Watergate scandal, and was not pursued again until the Carter administration. A dozen days spent in national parks in Alaska this summer helped high school students from Ohio learn a little bit more about climate change up close. Establishment as a national park followed the passage of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act in 1980. There are 6 ways to get from Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve to Kenai Fjords National Park by car ferry, bus, train or plane. The park is bordered on the west by Kenai National Wildlife Refuge and on the south by Kachemak Bay State Park. [6] It is the only Alaska national park that did not originally allow subsistence use by Native Americans, but native village corporations continue to have interests in inholdings within the park,[7] and have since established subsistence rights on those properties. Sweeping from rocky coastline to glacier-crowned peaks, Kenai Fjords National Park encompasses 607,805 acres of unspoiled wilderness on the southeast coast of Alaska's Kenai Peninsula. [24], Under the provisions of ANILCA the park included 119,000 acres (185.9 sq mi; 481.6 km2) of "native selected lands," property that was taken out of federal ownership and conveyed to Alaskan native corporations. In 1964 George B. Hartzog Jr., director of the National Park Service, initiated a new study entitled Operation Great Land, advocating the development and promotion of the existing Alaska parks. Various companies offer tours, many guided by National Park Rangers. The first study, entitled Alaska - Its Resources and Development was centered on the development of tourism, despite a dissent from co-author Bob Marshall, who advocated strict preservation. Katmai National Park and Preserve & Kenai Fjords National Park Kaiti Chritz is a Central Michigan University undergraduate student majoring in biology and photojournalism. Only with a National Park Service Ranger does a cruise through Alaska’s famously beautiful fjords become an educational excursion. Denali National Park and Preserve is a national park and preserve located in Interior Alaska, centered around Denali, the highest mountain in North America. [12] Another study, funded as part of the Alaska Highway in the 1940s drew similar conclusions to the first study's majority opinion. Border Patrol Turns To Explosives To Build Wall In Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Exploring The Parks: Wisconsin’s Ice Age National Scenic Trail, Pressure Mounts For Environmental Cleanup At Caneel Bay. There are two primary glacierized areas in KEFJ (the Harding Icefield and the Grewingk-Yalik Glacier Complex) and three primary glacierized areas in KATM (the Mt. On Friday, August 15th, Kenai Fjords National Park staff received numerous reports that water from Bear Glacier Lagoon had breached the moraine separating the lagoon from the mouth of Resurrection Bay, also referred to as the Harding Gateway. National Parks Traveler is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit media organization. Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2rio's travel planner. Their experience was part of the first “Climate Change Academy,” an immersive, comprehensive climate change course offered through the National Park Service. New Postage Stamp Putting Kenai Fjords National Park On The Map, Er, The Envelope. It was phenomenal. A 2003 follow-up survey indicated that one site was occupied between 950 AD and 1800. [8] A lodge was developed by the Port Graham community on Aialik Bay. Whether you're taking the subway or city bus to an urban park or riding a train, small plane or ferry to reach your destination in Alaska, there are plenty options for a memorable trip...and sometimes they can be memorable indeed. Thirty three species of Lift your spirits with funny jokes, trending memes, entertaining gifs, … The site proved to be particularly challenging to clean up without disturbing the area. In particular, Sitka alder is capable of fixing nitrogen, supporting itself and enriching the soil. Exit Glacier is a popular destination at the end of the park's only road. It is the fifth most-visited park in Alaska, but the 11th of 13 Alaska parks in area, and is the closest national park to Anchorage. [21] The first park improvements focused on improving access to Exit Glacier. about New Postage Stamp Putting Kenai Fjords National Park On The Map, Er, The Envelope, National Parks Traveler 2019-2020 Annual Report, Kenai Fjords Visitors Cautioned About Glacial Outburst At Bear Glacier Lagoon, Winter Hasn't Been Cold At Kenai Fjords National Park And Preserve In Alaska, For Some Park Visits, Getting There Is Definitely Part Of The Fun, A Great Winter Escape: The Willow Public Use Cabin At Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska Trip Helps High School Students Learn About Climate Change, Glacial Outburst Noted At Kenai Fjords National Park, Black Oystercatchers Risk Predation When They Leave Their Nests, Kenai Fjords National Park Beach Cleanup, The Video. [27] Cruise tours originating from Seward provide access to the park via Resurrection Bay. [8], At the time of the park's establishment, there were few permanent inhabitants. This altered the original intent of the park to include subsistence claims, previously unrecognized. Kenai Fjords National Park is an American national park established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. https://www.alltrails.com/parks/us/alaska/kenai-fjords-national-park That year Exxon settled with the federal and Alaskan governments, paying about $870 million into a restoration fund, some of which was earmarked for Kenai Fjords. Editor's note: The following article was prepared by Deb Kurtz, the natural resources program manager at Kenai Fjords National Park and Preserve in Alaska. [41], Kenai Fjords National Park is dominated by a glaciated landscape. Kenai Fjords National Monument was initially designated by President Jimmy Carter on December 1, 1978, using the Antiquities Act, pending final legislation to resolve the allotment of public lands in Alaska. The park lies just to the west of Seward, a cruise ship port. [13] Follow-up action by Hartzog brought the Park Service into discussions over the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA). Kenai Fjords Tours (1:07). The park covers an area of 669,984 acres (1,046.9 sq mi; 2,711.3 km ) on the Kenai Peninsula in south-central Alaska, near the town of Seward. Plants and animals adapt to incredibly dynamic conditions. The park contains the Harding Icefield, one of the largest ice fields in the United States. [64], The plant communities at Kenai Fjords are shaped by glacial retreat. The mature forest features Sitka spruce and mountain hemlocks, with an understory of devil's club, Alaska blueberry, elderberry, baneberry, watermelon berry and lady fern in the coniferous forest understory. The park is capped by the Harding Icefield, a relic from past ice-ages … Play. Skip. Read more [50][51] Cetaceans seen in park waters include orca,[52] fin whale,[53] humpback whale,[54] minke whales,[55] Dall's porpoise[56] and Pacific white-sided dolphin. In 1973 the Nixon administration proposed the Harding Icefield–Kenai Fjords National Monument as part of the ANILCA legislation. [36] Predominant rock types include shale and graywacke, with greenstone, tuff and chert. [33][34], The park's landscape has been shaped by plate tectonics, with the Pacific Plate subducting beneath the North American Plate. about Kenai Fjords Visitors Cautioned About Glacial Outburst At Bear Glacier Lagoon, about Winter Hasn't Been Cold At Kenai Fjords National Park And Preserve In Alaska, about For Some Park Visits, Getting There Is Definitely Part Of The Fun, about A Great Winter Escape: The Willow Public Use Cabin At Kenai Fjords National Park, about Alaska Trip Helps High School Students Learn About Climate Change, about Glacial Outburst Noted At Kenai Fjords National Park, about Black Oystercatchers Risk Predation When They Leave Their Nests, about Kenai Fjords National Park Beach Cleanup, The Video. [57], Birds that nest in this park include bald eagle,[58] the Peale's subspecies of peregrine falcon,[59] black-billed magpie,[60] and Steller's jay. [19] No visitor facilities or full-time local management structure resulted from the monument's proclamation. Action. [23] The park was initially administered by a small cadre of permanent and seasonal rangers and technicians who put considerable emphasis on community liaison. [67] Clean-up was difficult, as the oil became a tarry emulsion that could not be skimmed, and had to be dredged. The park's glaciers have retreated through the twentieth century, exposing new lands to colonization by plant and animal life. Abstract. Ontdek de schoonheid van Alaska tijdens deze bijzondere achtdaagse expeditie met National Geographic.Vanuit het majestueuze Fairbanks reist u aan boord van de beroemde Denali Star Train naar het beeldschone natuurreservaat Denali National Park and Preserve. The park covers an area of 669,984 acres (1,046.9 sq mi; 2,711.3 km2)[1] on the Kenai Peninsula in south-central Alaska, near the town of Seward. Passenger traffic through Seward is projected at 68,000 for 2013. Hier ervaart u al wandelend door het adembenemende landschap het geweldige natuurschoon dat Alaska te bieden heeft. The process has lowered the elevation of the Kenai Mountains, gradually pulling glacial features down into the sea, which is at the same time rising. [9] Archeological surveys have altered the early view that the area was subject to only transient occupation as evidence has accumulated of long-term use. Predicting the behavior of glaciers is tricky business, but with a recent record for glacier lake outburst floods affecting Bear Glacier Lagoon in Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska, park officials are urging visitors to be cautious when exploring this area in the coming weeks. [39] The park's largest glacier is Bear Glacier. The park also features a significant marine environment. Sugpiaq people relied on these resources to nurture a life entwined with the sea. The park's highest point is an unnamed peak of 6,450 feet (1,970 m) in the Kenai Mountains.