Best hikes and trails in Kenai Fjords National Park

Hiking/
United States/
Alaska/
Kenai Fjords National Park

Best trails in Kenai Fjords National Park

4.5(7,528 reviews)

United States
:
#32 of 60 national parks

Want to find the best trails in Kenai Fjords National Park for an adventurous hike or a family trip? AllTrails has 5 great trails for hiking and more. Enjoy hand-curated trail maps, along with reviews and photos from nature lovers like you. Ready for your next hike or bike ride? Explore one of 3 easy hiking trails in Kenai Fjords National Park that are great for the whole family. Looking for a more strenuous hike? We've got you covered, with trails ranging from 45 to 3,198 feet in elevation gain. Whatever you have planned for the day, you can find the perfect trail for your next trip to Kenai Fjords National Park.

Top trails

#1 - Harding Icefield Trail

This spectacular trail takes you from the valley floor, climbing over 1,000 feet to a view of to the largest existing icefield that is completely located in the United States. You'll travel through beautiful meadows to an area well above treeline. It's a good idea to be prepared for storms and big temperature changes, even in the summer months. Snow can remain on the trail through early July and can cause avalanche danger. Its a good idea to check the weather and trail conditions at the...

#2 - Exit Glacier View and Overlook Loop

This is the only area of Kenai Fjords National Park that is accessible by road. Start the trail at the Exit Glacier Nature Center parking lot and follow the Glacier View Loop Trail through the cottonwood forest to the Glacier View, a panoramic vista of Exit Glacier spilling down from the Harding Icefield. This one-mile trail loops back to the parking area, or you can continue southwest towards the Exit Glacier Overlook via the Glacier Overlook Trail. The Exit Glacier Area is open year-round....

#3 - Exit Glacier View Loop

The Exit Glacier Area is open year-round. Upon the arrival of snow, usually in mid-November, the road to Exit Glacier is inaccessible to cars, due to a state road closure, but open to winter recreation, including snowmobiles, dogsleds, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and fat bikes. The road often remains closed through early May, so be sure to check current conditions if you are visiting during the off-season (fall through spring). Accessibility: Visitors using wheelchairs, mobility...

#4 - Pedersen Lagoon Ridge

4.4(9)

•Moderate

•2.4 mi

The trail starts at the tip of a peninsula in the Kenai Fjords National Park, south of the Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. From the shoreline, head west and climb the obvious ridge in front of you. The route ends at a high point with stunning panoramic views of the bay. You can get to the start of this trail via water taxi or private boat.

#5 - Rainforest Nature Walk

This trail is near Keani Fjords Glacier Lodge in the Aialik Glacier area. It is only accessible by float plane or boat.

Explore more trails

Visitor info

Hours & contact

Open 24 hours

Passes & fees

No fee required

Accessibility

General park hours

Every day • Open 24 hours

Phone

(907) 422-0500

There are no passes for Kenai Fjords National Park.

Annual pass

All U.S. national parks

Join millions of people who enjoy our National Parks with the "America the Beautiful" National Park & Federal Recreational Lands Pass, otherwise known as the Interagency Annual Pass. The pass is valid for a year's worth of visits from the month of purchase at more than 2,000 federal recreation sites across the country.

$80

Purchase pass

Overview

Kenai Fjords National Park does not charge an entrance fee, but the Interagency Access Pass allows pass holders to receive a 50% discount on other park amenities, such as camping.

The Kenai Fjords National Park Visitor Center and the Exit Glacier Nature Center are accessible to visitors using mobility equipment or strollers and have wheelchair accessible restrooms.

Additional information about accessibility at Kenai Fjords National Park can be found on their website: https://www.nps.gov/kefj/planyourvisit/accessibility.htm.

Facilities

The Kenai Fjords National Park Visitor Center and the Exit Glacier Nature Center are accessible to visitors using mobility equipment or strollers and have wheelchair accessible restrooms.

Camping

The Exit Glacier Campground has 2 individual wheelchair accessible camping sites and accessible vault toilets.

The coastal public-use cabins (Alialik and Holgate) and winter public-use cabin (Willow) have wheelchair accessible features, but assistance may be needed to get from the beach to the cabin.

Service animals

Service animals must be on-leash throughout the park.

Guides

Top Picks in Kenai Fjords National Park

3 trails

Explore more national park guides

Trail reviews for Kenai Fjords National Park

10,499 trailgoers Busiest in July

Jim Whittemore

May 22, 2025•Hiking

Not crowdedGreat conditionsGreat views

Exit Glacier Kenai Fjords National Park

Exit Glacier View and Overlook Loop

Peter Puglia

Aug 5, 2024•Hiking

8/3/2024 Harding Icefield Trail (Kenai Fjords National Park) So today we went up on the Harding Icefield Trail today. AllTrails https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/evening-backpack-trip-b426b30-8?p=-1&sh=afpb6h It is definitely a hard hike but totally worth it. https://youtu.be/RlSvmn4gtjg?si=uGuYBUe4q7lMxpIc It's about 8.6 miles up and back. We got to a beautiful Meadow and enjoyed the great weather. https://youtu.be/DBIxOvibiKI?feature=shared There's a lot of switchbacks on this hike. And Peter decided to head back down after we got to the meadow and I decided to head up. It was worth it to me to expend the energy. Some of the hikers said that there was a sow with her two cubs but we never saw them. But when I got up to the almost to the ice field, I certainly liked around. The views were just amazing. Thank you Lord.

Conditions: Great!

Harding Icefield Trail

Brett Jeske

Oct 4, 2024

Great conditionsGreat views

I go to glacier NP a lot, more than yearly…I had a trip planned to Montana with friends a few years ago and with the smoke that year, we up and went to Alaska. Took the train down to Seward and locals told us about this hike…like it was nothing but a good hike. This was one of the most rewarding hikes I’ve ever done. There were bears off the trail but getting up to the ice field, it felt like game of thrones…north of the wall. Antartica. Will always be one of those special places you remember in your travels. Married with a kid now, I’d love to go back. Kenai fjords is very special. We had belugas following the train half the time. Went whale watching in Seward, just a very special place. Forget the bar, but the bucket of butt (halibut) was equally as memorable. This place is why I travel a lot.

Harding Icefield Trail

Parks

Headed to a park?

Take AllTrails with you

Frequently asked questions

Where is the best place to hike in Kenai Fjords National Park?

According to users from AllTrails.com, the best place to hike in Kenai Fjords National Park is Harding Icefield Trail, which has a 4.9 star rating from 4,353 reviews. This trail is 8.6 mi long with an elevation gain of 3,198 ft.

What is the longest trail in Kenai Fjords National Park?

According to AllTrails.com, the longest trail in Kenai Fjords National Park is Harding Icefield Trail. This trail is estimated to be 8.6 mi long.

How many trails are in Kenai Fjords National Park?

There are 5 trails in Kenai Fjords National Park. These trails have an average 4.5-star rating from 7,528 AllTrails community reviews.

Which trail has the most elevation gain in Kenai Fjords National Park?

If you're looking for elevation gain, Kenai Fjords National Park has you covered. Harding Icefield Trail boasts the most elevation gain with 3,198 ft of total ascent. The park's runner-up is Pedersen Lagoon Ridge, which will get you 505 ft of elevation gain.

Are there running trails available in Kenai Fjords National Park?

According to AllTrails.com, there is 1 running trail in Kenai Fjords National Park which is Harding Icefield Trail with an average 4.9 star rating from 4,353 community reviews.