Glaciers

The glaciers of Kenai Fjords National Park have formed, shifted, and moved over the course of tens of thousands of years to become the magnanimous sheets of ice you see today. 

The 700-square mile Harding Icefield is the centerpiece of Kenai Fjords, with over 30 individually named glaciers originating from it. 

While visiting Kenai Fjords, you can explore tidewater glaciers, one that terminates the water’s surface. Many of the day cruises will take you to one of Kenai Fjords’ five tidewater glaciers, like Aialik, Northwestern, or Holgate glaciers.

Keep your eye on the face of the glacier for a calving, when a large chunk of the glacier breaks away. The thundering sound of ice falling into the water can be heard for miles.

You can also spot alpine glaciers, like Exit Glacier, which form in mountain basins. 

Nearly 51 percent of the national park is covered by ice, so there is plenty to explore.