Kenai Fjords National Park
Kenai Fjords National Park is a national park of the United States that comprises the Harding Icefield, its outflowing glaciers, and coastal fjords and islands.
A national park, 2 mi west of Seward
Little or no visiting in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov and Dec
The Park Service records almost no visits in January, February, March, April, November and December. Check the official site before planning a trip then. When to go ↓
Seward is the nearest base
Seward is 2 miles east, with 42 places to stay. Where to stay ↓
Best months: Jul and Aug
July and August are the mild months, with a high of 62°. When to go ↓
Established in 1980
Kenai Fjords National Park dates from 1980 and is run by National Park Service. About ↓
Written from National Park Service visitor counts, NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia. Updated when the Park Service posts a new month.
Crowds and weather, month by month
Bars: average monthly visitors, 2022–2025. Line: the typical afternoon high. Green months are mild and quieter than average.
Kenai Fjords National Park
Kenai Fjords National Park is a national park of the United States that comprises the Harding Icefield, its outflowing glaciers, and coastal fjords and islands. The park covers an area of 669,984 acres (1,046.9 sq mi; 2,711.3 km2) on the Kenai Peninsula in south-central Alaska, west of the town of Seward.
The park contains the Harding Icefield, one of the largest ice fields in the United States, and is named for the numerous fjords carved by glaciers moving down the mountains from the ice field. The field is the source of at least 38 glaciers, the largest of which is Bear Glacier. The fjords are glacial valleys that have been submerged below sea level by a combination of rising sea levels and land subsidence. Exit Glacier is a popular destination at the end of the park's only road. The remainder of the park is accessible by boat, airplane, and hiking.
- Type
- National Park
- Established
- 1980
- Area
- 1,047 square miles
- Run by
- National Park Service
- Wikipedia readers
- 27K a year
- Official site
- nps.gov/kefj
Before you go
Where to stay near Kenai Fjords National Park
The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Seward (42) and Bear Creek (33).
Seward
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
2,892 people
2 mi east of Kenai Fjords National Park Visitor Center · 5 mi to the park
Bear Creek
1,732 people
7 mi north of Kenai Fjords National Park Visitor Center · 6 mi to the park
Lowell Point
3 mi southwest of Kenai Fjords National Park Visitor Center · at the park edge
Primrose
89 people
16 mi north of Kenai Fjords National Park Visitor Center · 14 mi to the park
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From the visitor center | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seward | 2 mi east | 5 min | 42 14 hotels · 3 motels · 5 inns & B&Bs · 11 lodges & cabins · 1 hostel · 6 campgrounds · 2 RV parks | 2,892 | $338K | C+ |
| Bear Creek | 7 mi north | 10 min | 33 3 hotels · 9 inns & B&Bs · 17 lodges & cabins · 4 campgrounds | 1,732 | $475K | — |
| Lowell Point | 3 mi southwest | 5 min | 9 1 hotel · 7 lodges & cabins · 1 RV park | — | — | — |
| Primrose | 16 mi north | 25 min | 5 2 hotels · 2 lodges & cabins · 1 campground | 89 | $450K | — |
| Cooper Landing 53% vacation homes | 30 mi northwest | 45 min | 18 1 hotel · 2 motels · 1 inn or B&B · 9 lodges & cabins · 4 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 227 | $428K | — |
| Moose Pass 43% vacation homes | 27 mi north | 40 min | 6 1 hotel · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins · 2 campgrounds | 202 | $365K | — |
| Sterling 21% vacation homes | 55 mi northwest | 1.5 hr | 44 3 hotels · 7 inns & B&Bs · 26 lodges & cabins · 4 campgrounds · 4 RV parks | 6,323 | $353K | — |
| Funny River 38% vacation homes | 53 mi northwest | 1.5 hr | 14 3 hotels · 1 inn or B&B · 10 lodges & cabins | 1,081 | $250K | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service, from the visitor center
Also near Kenai Fjords
Other well-known places within 58 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.
148 mi National forestChugach National Forest
223 mi Zoo & aquariumAlaska SeaLife Center
357 mi MuseumPratt MuseumPhoto credits
Chugach National Forest: Frank Kovalchek from Anchorage, Alaska, USA, CC BY 2.0 · Alaska SeaLife Center: Me, Public domain · Pratt Museum: Beeblebrox, CC BY-SA 3.0
A record 425,369 visitors in 2025
Every full year the Park Service has counted. 2020 (gold) was the pandemic year. Green is the record.
Visiting Kenai Fjords
What town is Kenai Fjords National Park near?
Seward, AK, about 2 miles east.
When is the best time to visit Kenai Fjords National Park?
July and August, with a high of 62°. July is the busiest month (about 125,998 visitors).
How many people visit Kenai Fjords National Park each year?
425,369 in 2025, according to the National Park Service.
What is the closest airport to Kenai Fjords National Park?
Kenai Municipal (ENA), about 69 miles away. The nearest big hub is Ted Stevens Anchorage (ANC), about 76 miles.
Where should I stay near Kenai Fjords National Park?
Seward (2 mi, 42 places to stay), Bear Creek (7 mi, 33 places to stay) and Lowell Point (3 mi, 9 places to stay).
Tips from people in Seward
No tips yet. Ask, or answer, in Seward’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · National Park Service visitor use statistics · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.