Would you like your visit to include informative visitor centers, guided tours, and paved hiking trails? Then going to one of the more heavily visited parks is your best option. Or perhaps you’d prefer a trek into pure wilderness, just you and the amazing surroundings with no other humans for miles around.

Whichever you prefer, there’s a national park in Alaska that’s perfect for you.   Check out this list of the most popular Alaska national parks in descending order:

Glacier Bay National Park

2010 visitorship: 444,530
Size: 3,283,246 acres
Closest lodge: Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge

Glacier Bay National Park hosts the most visitors of any park in Alaska.  Located on the Alaskan panhandle in the southeastern corner of the state, Glacier Bay is home to some of the most beautiful vistas of active glaciers the state has to offer.  Sign up for a boat tour and you might get a glimpse of a mammoth section of glacier spectacularly calving into the ocean.

Denali National Park

2010 visitorship: 378,855
Size: 6,075,107 acres
Closest lodge: Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge

When your park is home to the tallest mountain on the entire continent, you know you’re going to attract a lot of visitors.  Nearly 400,000 people every year visit Denali National Park to get an up close and personal look at the majestic Mt. McKinley.  If you’d like a quick hike the whole family will enjoy, try the Horseshoe Lake trail near the visitor’s center.

Kenai Fjords National Park

2010 visitorship: 297,596
Size: 699,983 acres
Nearest lodge: Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge

The word “fjord” is a Norwegian term for a glacier-carved inlet.  And while you may not hear it invoked often in the lower 48, Alaska has an abundance of beautiful fjords that enchant visitors every year.  Kenai Fjords is an easy trip over from the Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge.

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park

2010 Visitorhip: 73,170
Size:  13,175,901 acres 
Nearest Lodge: Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge

Now we’re getting into the parks that are off the beaten path of the Alaskan tourist industry.  Wrangell-St. Elias is on the Alaska-Canada border and is the largest national park in the US.  It’s also home to the second largest mountain in America, the breathtaking Mt. St. Elias.

Katmai National Park

2010 visitorship: 55,172
Size: 4,725,188 acres
Closest lodge: Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge

Katmai National Park is home to Mt. Katmai, an active volcano which blew its top in 1912 in what was the largest volcanic eruption in Alaska’s recorded history.  Mt. Katmai now features a beautiful crater lake where its peak once stood.  The park is also famous for its abundant brown bear population, with an estimated 2000 making their home within Katmai’s boundaries.

Gates of the Arctic National Park

2010 visitorship: 10,840
Size: 8,472,506
Closest lodge: Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge

Gates of the Arctic National Park is located entirely within the Arctic Circle, meaning round-the-clock sunshine in the summer and perpetual nighttime in the winter. The park received its dramatic name from wilderness explorer John Marshall in 1929, who thought that Boreal Mountain and Frigid Crags which flanked the Koyukuk River resembled imposing “gates to the Arctic.”

Lake Clark National Park

2010 visitorship: 9,931
Size: 4,030,025 acres
Closest lodge: Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge

While Lake Clark National Park isn’t too far from the more populous areas of Alaska, it receives very low annual visitorship due to the fact that no roads exist leading into the park.  All visitors must book a float plane to experience its splendor first hand, but those who do are treated to awe-inspiring views of three converging mountain ranges, picturesque lakes, and lush rainforests.

Kobuk Valley National Park

2010 visitorship: 3,164
Size: 1,669,813
Closest lodge: Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge

If you really want to escape civilization and trek into the wilderness, then Kobuk Valley National Park is the place for you.  Also north of the Arctic Circle, Kobuk Valley receives under 5000 visitors annually.  And while you might not see any other humans during your trip there, you’ll have plenty of Caribou to keep you company.  Over 400,000 Caribou are believed to roam the park’s stunning environs.

Photo courtesy State of Alaska Tourism / Frank Flavin

The tallest peak in North America, Mt. McKinley stands a towering 20,320 feet tall. It’s located inside Denali National Park and Preserve, an area of more than 6 million acres – slightly larger than the state of Massachusetts – often ranked as one of Alaska’s top attractions.

It’s more than just McKinley that make the park a special place. It’s home to 37 species of mammals, everything from moose, caribou, wolves and brown bears.

The roads inside the park are closed to most vehicles, but buses still give guests one of the best wildlife viewing experiences in Alaska. Additionally, day hikers can get off the bus anywhere along the Park Road and then just flag down a bus for a ride back to the park’s entrance when they’re done.

Photo courtesy State of Alaska Tourism / Matt Hage

Denali National Park and Preserve might be rugged, but that doesn’t mean visitors have to rough it. There are two Princess wilderness lodges located near the park to help travelers unwind in luxury and comfort after a day of exploring.

Located just one mile from the park’s entrance, the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge has comfortably appointed rooms and an expansive deck with outdoor hot tubs overlooking the park and the Nenana River.

The Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge is located south of the national park on the banks of the Chulitna River. The great room at this lodge features enormous floor-to-ceiling windows that look out on Mt. McKinley and the Alaska Range.

The ruins of the 1900-era Kennecott copper mine in Wrangell-St Elias National Park. Photo courtesy State of Alaska Tourism / Matt Hage.

Located in Eastern Alaska, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve is the largest national park in the United States. Its 13.2 million acres form an area larger than Rhode Island and Vermont combined.

Amongst the mountains and wilderness are the historic towns of McCarthy and Kennicott and the Kennecott Mine (a clerical worker misspelled Kennicott). The town is being preserved by the National Park Service, with rangers leading tours past the huge mill, bunkhouses, a train depot, worker’s cottages and a power plant. Kennecott was designated a National Historic Landmark since 1986 and is considered the best remaining example of early 20th Century copper mining. From 1911 to 1938, nearly $200 million worth of copper was processed in the area.

The Kennecott mine produced 591,000 tons of pure copper before closing in 1938. Photo courtesy State of Alaska Tourism / Matt Hage.

The Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge is perfectly positioned to be part of your trip to see the Kennecott Mine. Located near milepost 102 on the Richardson Highway, the lodge is situated on 200 acres at the junction of the Klutina and Copper Rivers. From the Copper River Lodge, it’s about 50 miles to Chitna. Travel to McCarthy and Kennicott from Chitna requires driving a 60-mile gravel McCarthy Road built on the Northwest-Copper River Railroad bed right of way. The road was known for being rough in the past, but was designated a scenic corridor and major upgrading began in 2006. Those uncomfortable driving can easily arrange to take a flight or shuttle into town.

Kennicott Glacier flows south from the Wrangell Mountains in Wrangell-St Elias National Park.

Located at the junction of the Klutina and Copper Rivers, The Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge is perfectly situated to take in the magnificent scenery of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Whether you want to spend your days hiking on land, floating on the water, soaring in a flight seeing plane or mushing behind a dog team, there are plenty of ways for you to enjoy the sights of America’s largest national park. Here are a couple popular activities at the Copper River Lodge:

WORTHINGTON GLACIER HIKE
The hike starts with a van through the spectacular scenery of Thompson Pass with Worthington Glacier dominating the landscape. At the Worthington Glacier State Recreation Site an experienced guide helps participants strap crampons on their shoes, then its time to hike and explore the crevasses and sculptured ice. After a lunch break, the hike heads further up the glacier to take in intricate ice formations and expansive views of the Chugach Mountains.

HISTORIC KENNICOTT & WRANGELL-ST. ELIAS FLIGHTSEEING
With over 20,000 square miles of roadless wilderness, flying is an incredible way to see and experience the wonders of the beautiful park. The tour’s first stop is the frontier town of McCarthy. The copper mines in the area produced over $207 million before they were abandoned more than 100 years ago. The post office, saloon, and many of the original structures still stand. Next, stop for lunch in Kennicott and tour the copper mine. Visitors will learn about one of the richest copper discoveries in history and hear stories of how people lived and worked in this remote, mountain wilderness.

SALMON FISHING BY RAFT – HALF OR FULL DAY OPTION
Novice or professional, take a half or full day floating trip down the scenic tributaries of the Copper River and fish for world famous, trophy-sized salmon. Your guide will take you to either the Gulkana or Klutina Rivers. Depending on the season, visitors can fish for king or sockeye salmon. The excursion includes fishing gear, a personal floatation device and food. Caught fish can even be processed, frozen and shipped.

SLED DOG DEMONSTRATION AND RIDE
Meet a local musher and his dog sled team and learn how dogs are kept in shape during the summer months. Native Alaskans used dog sleds to haul food and to pull heavy loads. During the gold rush, dog sleds brought much-needed supplies over mountain passes and glaciers. When winter’s over, mushers use wheeled carts to keep their dogs fit for winter sporting events and everyday transportation. After a brief demonstration, visitors can experience the strength and enthusiasm of the dogs and take a ride through the wilderness.

For more information on these activities, visit our Copper River excursions page or call 1-800-426-0500.

Head to the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge and go on a half-day tour to the Husky Homestead, run by Jeff King, four-time champion of the Iditarod. Like a lot of Alaskans, Jeff moved here in search of adventure. Dog mushing and Alaskan huskies piqued his interest, and in 1992 he went from spare time to full time, winning his first Iditarod the following season. He took the mushing world by storm and has become recognized as the “winningest musher in the world.” You might know about the Iditarod, but come see what it takes to create a professional Iditarod racing team. Meet Jeff and more than 75 friendly, energetic huskies ready to share their enthusiasm for the sport. The adventure can be booked at the tour desk at the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge.

If you are going to be on the Kenai Peninsula this summer, meet dog musher Lorraine Temple. She is a strong advocate of Alaska’s official state sport. She’ll share tales of the trail, introduce you to her sled dogs and tell you what it takes to make it through the Iditarod. Get hands-on experience by harnessing the dogs and hooking them into the team. Her tour also includes a video and slideshow that features glaciers, wildlife, activities, wildflowers, the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and of course, adorable puppies!

Wrangell-St Elias National Park is considered one of the most spectacular destinations in Alaska and is the largest national park. At the Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge, learn about mushing the best way possible, by actually riding in a sled. See how mushers use wheeled carts to keep their dogs fit for winter races and everyday transportation. Head out to the lodge’s main entrance and instead of hailing a cab, hail a ride with a local musher and his team.

If you’ll be in Fairbanks this summer soaking up the midnight sun, stop by the home and kennels the late Susan Butcher with The Riverboat Discovery Cruise. She was the second woman to win the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in 1986, the second four-time winner in 1990, and the first to win four out of five sequential years. She is commemorated in Alaska every year on Susan Butcher Day, March 1. Susan’s husband Dave Monson, a champion of the Yukon Quest, shares stories of life in the dog yard and on the trails. Book this expedition from the tour desk at the Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge.

The 34.5-pound Stanley Cup will arrive at the Big Dipper Ice Arena on February 13. Organizers hope to draw a big crowd and take a group photo of Fairbanks fans with the cup, followed by opportunities for individual photos.  So grab your favorite hockey jersey (preferably blue and gold) and head on down to the arena to get your picture taken with the Stanley Cup.

The fifth annual Hockey Week in Fairbanks is scheduled for February 10-20. The week kicks off with the unveiling of the event’s official ice sculpture, followed by Fairbanks Ice Dog and Kenai River Brown Bears hockey games Feb. 11 and 12 at the Big Dipper Ice Arena. Celebrity games have become one of the highlights of Hockey Week in Fairbanks. Some of the games are dueling old rival teams, such as the “guns and hoses” game, pitting the local police department against the fire department. There are at least five celebrity matches already planned.

Another traditional event of Hockey Week is the Backyard Rink Contest, drawing attention to the number of well-manicured rinks around Fairbanks’ neighborhoods. Other returning traditional activities include a 3-on-3 youth hockey tournament, Hall of Fame induction ceremony and “Wear your jersey to school day.”

Last year, Skate the Lake was added as a great family-oriented event. Participants can skate on a track plowed around the perimeter of a local pond. The event returns this year to conclude Hockey Week on Feb. 20 at King’s Pond and includes a fundraising skate-a–thon for the Breast Cancer Detection Center. There will be a bonfire and hot chocolate to keep everyone warm and marshmallows to roast.

So grab your skates and head to Fairbanks next month. Don’t worry if they’re dull, select stores will be offering free skate sharpening. If you’re coming from out of town, base your Fairbanks Hockey Week adventure at Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge.

For more information on events and the schedule for the 2011 Hockey Week in Fairbanks, visit the Fairbanks Hockey Hall of Fame on Facebook.

It’s easy to take a trip to Talkeetna from Fairbanks or Anchorage (located 115 miles north of Anchorage and 278 miles south of Fairbanks) and easy to explore once you get there, on foot along the dirt streets you’ll share with mountaineers, travelers, locals and more than a few friendly local dogs who roam free in the streets. Travel back in time and have breakfast at the Talkeetna Roadhouse, which was built between 1914 and 1917 to host railroad workers when President Woodrow Wilson authorized Talkeetna as the divisional headquarters for the Seward to Fairbanks government railroad route. Better bring your appetite, because it’ll be hard to choose just one course from the giant cinnamon rolls, colossal sourdough hotcakes, eggs and home fries or homemade rhubarb pie (because who says you can’t have pie for breakfast?).

Today mountaineers from all over the world flock to Talkeetna to climb Mount McKinley or nearby Mount Foraker, the Moose’s Tooth and scores of other challenging peaks, adding an international flavor to the town. You’ll likely encounter climbers (as well as bush pilots and airplane mechanics) lounging around at the new Denali Brewing Company or Mountain High Pizza Pie awaiting flight shuttles up to the glacier base camp. Even better is hopping on one of those planes yourself for a scenic fightseeing tour around Mount McKinley. If you’ve never done it, put it at the top of your list.

To work off the calories from breakfast, bring along cross-country skis or snowshoes and explore the miles of scenic trails in Talkeetna. There are also dog mushing tours as well as snowmobiling (snowmachining)  just a short drive in nearby Trapper Creek. In the evenings, take a walk down the street and watch smoke slowly billow out of the chimneys of log homes, watch the northern lights or just relax by the fire. If you’d prefer a more lively evening, check out the schedule of events at the Sheldon Community Arts Hangar for a play, concert, circus, art show or even a masquerade ball.

It’s not too late to vote Talkeetna number one so be sure and cast your vote online here.

If you visit Talkeetna in the summer, stay with us at Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, or swing into Talkeenta for the day on your way up to Fairbanks Princess Hotel.

If your Alaskan vacation includes a trip to the Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge, make sure to plan a trip to Denali National Park.  Home to the tallest mountain on the continent – the majestic Mt. McKinley – Denali National park emerges from under the snow every spring to display some of the most breathtaking scenery you can find in the world.

From Fairbanks you can easily book a ticket on a Princess rail tour down to Denali, or if you’d rather do things on your own time, the drive down George Parks Highway is simple and straightforward.

Here are some amazing vistas you can expect to see on your trip to one of America’s proudest National Parks:

8:00 AM- Fairbanks

The First Family of Fairbanks statue inspires travelers to explore Alaska’s wilderness (source: Joyce Longfellow)

8:30 AM- Tanana Valley

Less than an hour outside Fairbanks is the lush Tanana Valley State Forest, which surrounds George Parks Highway on both sides (Source: Justus Havelaar)

9:00 AM- Nenana, AK

The highway crosses the Tanana River near the tiny town of Nenana, home to the Nenana Ice Classic. Every year a state-wide contest is held to see who can guess the moment the ice breaks for the spring. The winner gets thousands; in 2010, the grand prize was $279,030. (Wikimedia Commons)

9:30- First Glimpse of Mt. McKinley

A picture only conveys a fraction of the true majesty of Mt. McKinley, seen here from George Parks Highway (Wikimedia Commons)

9:45- Healy, AK

Greetings from Healy, the last town before Denali. Healy was also the last town Chris McCandless passed through before his ill-fated trek through the wilderness, as profiled in the book Into the Wild.

10:15 AM- Denali Visitor Center

Just a 2 hour drive from Fairbanks, Denali Visitor Center is the gateway to Denali National Park. (Source: Ron Niebrugge)

Rest of the Day:

Now that you’ve made it to Denali, there are countless things to see and do. Find the best view of Mt. McKinley from countless vantage points.  Go on an exhilarating hike through Alaska’s wilderness.  Canoe on Wonder Lake in the shadow of the tallest mountain on the continent.  Or drive to the park’s furthest reaches on the Denali Highway.  As these images attest, you can never have a bad day in Denali National Park.

Denali National Park offers a wide array of gorgeous natural colors (Wikimedia Commons)

Be warned, after canoeing Wonder Lake you may never think any other canoe trip is worth taking. (Denali National Park Website)

While its summit is lower in elevation than Mt. Everest’s, Mt. McKinley’s peak raises 18,000 feet from its base, 6,000 feet more than Mt. Everest. (Wikimedia Commons)

6:00 PM- Denali Princess Lodge

The Denali Princess Lodge awaits just outside the park, so you can unwind with world-class accommodations after a fruitful day exploring the foremost of Alaska’s natural splendor.

Mushing Terminology

Mush = In the beginning days of mushing, the dog commands were brought over to America from Siberia and they adopted the strong command of MUSH to tell the dogs to go. Today, the drivers are referred to as mushers, but the term more commonly used for “GO” is HIKE. Or a simple “let’s go!” will usually get the frenzied pups into gear.

Gee = Right

Haw = Left

Whoa = stop

Line out = command to lead dog to pull the team out straight from the sled. Used mostly while hooking dogs into the team or unhooking them.

Trail! = a friendly request for right of way on the trail

*If a moose happens to land in the trail or a lead dog gets distracted and the team is tangled, I’m told various other colorful expressions are used. We won’t list them here.

All of this information will come in handy when you experience the strength and enthusiasm of the dogs for yourself on the Sled Dog Demonstration and Ride. The tour aboard a wheeled cart used by mushers to exercise their dogs in the summer takes off right from the entrance of the Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge. The cart seats four and is a great experience for kids as well as adults. You’ll also learn the ropes of training and caring for the dogs — keeping them in sublime shape in the summer and warm and healthy in the winter.

“Activity of the Week” is a weekly blog series that profiles adventures, destinations and tour operators from across Alaska.

Copper Center sprang up as one of the first tent cities during the god rush by miners seeking a shortcut to the Klondike. Then came Ringwald Blix, coined the “Grand Poobah” of Copper Center. In 1896, he built a roadhouse, was named U.S. Commissioner, postmaster, notary public, hotel proprietor, farmer and miner.  Soon after the turn of the century, Copper Center became a major military telecommunications route between Valdez and Fairbanks. Many historic buildings still remain, including the Copper Center Lodge (in the location of Ringwald’s original roadhouse), The Chapel on the Hill and the Copper Valley Historical Society Museum.

Copper Center may have been established as a valuable transportation route, but today this area has earned its reputation as a destination in itself. With the confluence of the Copper and Klutina rivers, fishing is superb, and a lesser-known hot spot than other areas of the state. Whitewater rafting offers viewing stops and an interpretation of the geological history, early US Army exploration and the gold rush history of the region. It’s also the perfect base camp for adventures into Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Whether you choose to fly or drive into the park, you will fall in love with the quaint town of Wrangell and the abandoned Kennicott copper mines, their bright red structures jetting out from the mountainside.

All of these experiences can be booked at the Tour Desk at the Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge.

“Community Profile” is a blog series that provides a closer look at the towns, history and events near Princess lodges in Alaska.