Top Alaska Nature Walks in 2026

Explore the snow-covered wilderness of the Glen Alps in Chugach State Park on this private advanced snowshoe tour. Follow your naturalist guide through alpine meadows and hemlock forests, admire views of Anchorage Bowl, Cook Inlet, and glacial valleys, and watch for wildlife. Snowshoes provided, with gaiters, poles, and daypack available by request.

Drive your own ATV off–road during a fun 3-hour experience in the wilderness of Alaska. Enjoy a thrilling ride, breathtaking scenery and a delicious backcountry meal. Your guide provides ATV instructions then leads you on a memorable spin down dirt roads and through dry creek beds. Stop for photo ops of the Alaska Range and look for wildlife, then celebrate with a full breakfast, lunch or dinner before returning to Healy.

Discover Tongass, the biggest National Forest in the U.S., with the help of a local guide who’s got a wealth of experience hiking in the area and knows the best routes for your group’s skill level. Your guide helps you forage for berries and mushrooms and tells you about what life is like in Sitka. Keep a lookout for bald eagles and, during the right time of year, salmon spawning.

Adventure. Authenticity. Exploration. This tour embodies these ideas. Leave the trails and cookie-cutter tours behind to go off-trail into the magical boreal forest just outside of Denali National Park. Put on your future-shoes for a moment. Your feet sink into the deep moss that carpets the forest floor. It feels like walking on a memory foam mattress. Your guide hands you a handful wild blueberries. They’re tastier than the ones you bought at the store. The flavors wash over your tongue as your guide tells you about the nutritional benefits. From the corner of your eye you spot movement! A snowshoe hare. It hasn’t lost its ivory-white winter coat yet. Your guide decides to change course and follow the hare. Why not? You’re not on a trail. Now drag yourself back to the present. Is that snapshot something you want to experience on your Denali vacation? If so, you're the person we designed this tour for. The magic starts when you leave the trail. We donate 5% to conservation.

Embark on a breathtaking journey through the icy waters of LeConte Bay, where sculpted icebergs drift beneath towering cliffs and the mighty LeConte Glacier carves its way through the landscape. Cruise among floating ice formations and watch for seals, eagles, and possibly even whales as your captain navigates this ever-changing wilderness. After your glacier experience, continue on to the charming fishing town of Petersburg, where you'll have time to explore its colorful harbor, learn about its rich Norwegian heritage, and enjoy a relaxed stroll through this authentic Southeast Alaskan community. This unforgettable day blends wild glacial beauty with small-town culture, offering a true taste of Alaska by land and sea. This small-group experience offers up-close views and expert narration about the region’s geology, wildlife, and glacial dynamics. Whether you’re an adventurer, a photographer, or simply a lover of raw natural beauty, this tour promises awe at every turn.

Discover the natural beauty of Chugach State Park on a day hike led by your own private guide. Your hike can range from four to 13 miles, with an elevation gain of 500 to 3,000 feet — how long and how far you’d like to soak up incredible mountain scenery and spot wildlife like eagles and moose is up to you. Pick up fascinating facts about the local geology and park history along the way. Lunch and hotel transport from Anchorage are included.

Follow the story of the Mat-Su Valley from mountain pass to hometown streets on this relaxed heritage day trip. Travel from Anchorage into Hatcher Pass to explore the preserved Independence Mine and hear how mining and early settlement shaped the region. Then return to downtown Palmer to slow down over lunch at Palmer Alehouse, with an included tasting flight (or a non-alcoholic option). With scenic views throughout and time to enjoy each stop, this tour blends history, landscape, and local flavor in one easy day.

Get a quick introduction to the Alaskan tradition of ice fishing in the Chena Lakes Recreation Area. Your guides provide all the necessary equipment—rod, bait, heated shelters, underwater cameras—and serve a grilled fish dinner once the fishing is done. You can fish from the heated cabins and shelters, or move outside to try your hand in the open elements.

A scenic tour from Seward to Anchorage reveals the stunning landscapes of Alaska, including glaciers, mountains, and coastal vistas. Departing from Seward, the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park, this journey includes visits to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and Beluga Point, showcasing the region's natural beauty and wildlife. Knowledgeable guides provide engaging commentary, enhancing your cultural experience throughout the tour. Perfect for nature lovers and those seeking to explore Alaska’s rich wilderness. - Journey from Seward to Anchorage with breathtaking scenery - Visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and Beluga Point - Learn from knowledgeable guides about Alaska's nature and culture - Ideal for nature enthusiasts and first-time visitors to Alaska

Your day begins with a trip briefing and safety orientation led by your experienced wilderness guide, followed by a captivating 30-minute floatplane flight to Chichagof Island. Touch down at the remote and lesser-known wilderness location of Waterfall Creek, a hidden gem that offers unparalleled brown bear viewing during the peak of the salmon run, from late July to August. The primary viewing location is just a short stroll along the rocky shoreline. Brown bears may make an appearance at any moment while you're ashore. Your knowledgeable guide will direct you to the best vantage points for optimal viewing and photography. After several hours of absorbing the beauty of brown bear viewing, embark on a hike back to your awaiting floatplane, ready to transport you back to Juneau. This is an authentic Alaskan wilderness adventure! While we cannot guarantee wildlife sightings, the abundant bear population in the Waterfall Creek area rarely disappoints.

Discover the beautiful scenery of Alaska's North Anchorage area during this helicopter and dogsled tour. Soar over the Chugach Range and Knik Glacier in a helicopter as you make your way to the snow-covered Cataract Glacier. Here, a team of sled dogs is waiting to transport you across the snow for a true Alaskan experience. Keep an eye out for native animals such as moose and mountain goats throughout the aerial portion of the tour.

Alaskans have been snowshoeing for millennia—try the sport when you’re here, and you’ll be a part of tradition. Your naturalist guide will meet you in Chugach State Park, showing you just how easy and rewarding snowshoeing can be. With unbelievable views of Cook Inlet, Anchorage Bowl, and likely wildlife sightings along the way, you’ll float above the snow in the park’s Glen Alps, a snowshoe lover in the making.

Look for loons and kingfishers on the lakes and moose and bears in the woods. This lush old-growth forest is alive with songbirds, wildflowers, berries, and mushrooms. Your guide will share stories about wildlife encounters, life in Talkeetna, and how the area’s Athabascan Native peoples thrived in this wild land. The fresh air, exercise, and a healthy homemade snack will renew and invigorate you, no matter the weather!

Experience Denali National Park from the air and at ground level. This small-group tour begins with a scenic flight by floatplane over the tundra, spruce forest, and glaciers—home to wildlife including grizzly bears, wolves, moose, caribou, and Dall sheep. Afterward, you'll land at a remote lodge near Denali to embark on a guided hike with lunch included. Hotel pickup is also provided for added convenience.

The vibrant Inside Passage is one of the best places for spotting humpback whales in Alaska, and on this two-part adventure you not only travel up the passage on a small boat but also have the opportunity to kayak alongside the massive creatures. While most whale watching tours only include spotting whales from a distance, this intimate tour allows adventurous travelers to experience the whales up close.

Enjoy a unique perspective on Alaskan nature on this day trip. Venture deep into the Alaskan wilderness to a protected wildlife site, which has the world's highest concentration of brown bears. This guided day trip to Pack Creek Brown Bear Viewing Area includes a floatplane flight over Tongass National Forest and kayaking (available June 20 to July 20). The Pack Creek Brown Bear Viewing Area issues a limited number of visitation permits, which need to be purchased separately from your tour operator.

This is more than a sightseeing tour. Alaska Forest & Feast is a small group experience designed to help you slow down and experience Southeast Alaska through its forests, shoreline, stories, and flavors. You’ll explore the temperate rainforest while learning about native plants, seasonal foraging, traditional uses of the forest, and the deep relationship between local cultures and the land. Along the way, you’ll take in beautiful glacier and mountain views before arriving at a quiet beach for a mindfulness experience surrounded by ocean, forest, and mountains. The experience ends with locally inspired food that brings the flavors of Alaska into the journey, connecting what you have seen and learned in the forest with what you taste at the table. With a small group, a slower pace, and a focus on connection rather than checking off attractions, this experience offers a more personal and meaningful way to discover Juneau.

Go kayaking with humpback whales during this small-group paddling adventure from Juneau. Climb aboard a boat and travel up the Inside Passage to reach rich feeding grounds for humpback whales. Admire views of glaciers, forest, and snow-capped mountains during the journey then set out in kayaks in search of whales and other wildlife.

This is a great daytime or evening tour. If you are looking to explore and experience local history and see some of the sites that are north of Anchorage, Hatchers pass is a great opportunity! Take advantage of the long summer days in Alaska and go out on this excursion in the evening. This is a great sunset drive up 4000 feet in elevation. Along the way there is a good chance of spotting moose, seeing our wildflowers in the summer and there's always the possibility of seeing a black bear! Along the way I will tell you all about the exciting history of Alaska!

If you've already seen the sights, try this one-of-a-kind tour from Anchorage or Talkeetna, which is unlike any other. In the company of a skilled forager, you'll spend time hiking, foraging for wild greens, fungi and berries and cooking your freshly-foraged ingredients backcountry style. Enjoy an ancient activity while learning new skills.

Experience the Mendenhall Glacier Guide Hike, a thrilling 6-7 mile adventure! Your journey begins with a 3-mile trek through the Tongass National Forest, the world's largest temperate rainforest. Your experienced guide will lead you through this wilderness, winding past beaver ponds and scrambling up exposed glacial terrain, where the trail fades into the wild. Upon emerging from the forest and reaching the final ridge, you'll be greeted by the breathtaking view of the Mendenhall Glacier's jagged facade and its ice river. Here, we savor panoramic views of the glacier, indulge in hearty snacks, and capture awe-inspiring photos. Gaze upon the glacier's deep blue crevasses, cascading icefall, surrounding mountains and Nugget Falls. This hiking tour is not for the faint of heart; it demands exceptional balance and sure-footedness. The trail includes 800 feet of elevation gain, through rocky, uneven, and slippery terrain. It's a memorable journey that promises unforgettable views.

Experience Mendenhall Glacier by land and water under the supervision of a guide who knows the area well on a combo-adventure tour from Juneau. First, hop into a canoe at Mendenhall Lake and paddle around luminescent blue icebergs and past cliffs and waterfalls toward Mendenhall Glacier. No matter your paddling or hiking experience, a guide prepares you for each step. Hotel pickup is included for added convenience.

Hike through the wilderness for stunning views of the Mendenhall Glacier on this half-day shore excursion. Join a small group and experienced guide for a trek through the glacial terrain of Tongass National Forest. Emerge from the forest with views of the glacier's blue crevasses, icefall, surrounding mountains, and Nugget Falls. Enjoy time to take photos and enjoy a well-deserved, hearty snack before heading back. Note: this tour is suitable for those in good physical shape with exceptional balance and sure-footedness.

Travel along the Turnagain Arm on a round-trip journey from Anchorage to Seward aboard the Coastal Classic Train. Make the most of your chance to admire the rugged coastline, Chugach Mountains, river canyons, glaciers, waterfalls, and backcountry wilderness on one of the Alaska Railroad's most scenic sections. Enjoy free time in Seward before the return ride in the evening.