Alaska is one of those places where the names of the National Parks don't ever reveal what the Park is actually about, except, perhaps for Denali National Park. And even though the main attraction of that Park (the 20th National Park I had visited) is Denali, the highest mountain peak in North America, the Park preserves an ecosystem and biome far more diverse than just the small area around the peak. However, unlike Denali, the Lake Clark of Lake Clark National Park is but a small piece of the large region preserved by the Park. And even though it occupies a vast swath of southwestern Alaska, it is only the 7th largest National Park.
With most of the park in the backcountry where access and logistics are challenging, I chose to go with an outfitter to explore the stunning wilderness in the heart of the Park. It is a rugged terrain where there are no hiking trails and no navigational landmarks, and where mosquitoes reign supreme. And yet, even in this harsh landscape, I found a slice of heaven in the interior where craggy mountains reflected in the shimmering surface of a turquoise lake. I found a pristine wildlife environment where Brown bears, Arctic foxes, Caribou roamed free in a roadless landscape.
Lake Clark was my 52nd National Park, and I still have 10 more remaining to visit. Will I get to them this year? Only time will tell.
Lake Clark National Park
Ancestral Homelands of the Dena'ina people
AK USA