Photograph in alaska - where in Alaska for photogaphy

Where to go?

I often get asked a question something like this. I want to photograph Alaska, but I only have a one week vacation, where should I go? Alaska is such a big place, that this question can be difficult to answer. It is kind of like asking; I’m traveling to the western U.S., where should I go? Of course a lot depends on what one wants to photograph, whales, birds, bears, eagles or landscapes? But if you want a good overview as to what Alaska has to offer, here is the advice I usually give.

I would split my time between my two favorite photography destinations; Denali National Park and Seward / Kenai Fjords National Park. You will have a couple of travel days to get between these two destinations, and you will want to spend a couple of days each at Kenai Fjords and Denali, so this pretty much fills a week. This will give you a feel for the coastal environment with its rain forests and marine mammals, and the interior environment with its tundra and Taiga forest and different wildlife.

There are plenty of places for lodging in Alaska, but as a photographer I think renting an RV or pickup with a camper might be the better option. It will come in handy in Denali, as you will learn when you read photography in Denali, and in Seward you will be able to camp right on the ocean. In between, you will have the flexibility to stop wherever you might find great light. Since the shooting day is more of a shooting night, and your hotel or B&B may not be near the action, the flexibility of having your room and board with you is hard to beat. I have and use a pick up and camper extensively myself. Since I have my own and have never rented one, I can not offer any recommendations on where to rent.

As you plan your trip, the first thing you will want to do is buy The Milepost. The Milepost is a detailed guide to every mile of Alaska and the Alaska Highway through Canada, you will recognize this travel guide on the dash of most visitors vehicles for good reason, it covers everything.

The Seward Highway

The drive between Anchorage and Seward on the Seward Highway is a great destination in itself. Stop at Potter’s Marsh and check out the bird activity. Keep an eye out along Turnagain Arm, this can be great place to see sheep, at times they will be feeding right along the side of the highway. Later in the summer watch for Beluga Whales in the waters of Turnagain Arm. Take the short detour to Portage Lake, this lake used to be full of ice bergs, but now that the glacier has receded out of the lake, the ice bergs are not as predictable. It is still a beautiful place. Tern Lake is another good place to spot a wide variety of birds including loons, and if you can believe it - terns. And at any time you can see moose on this drive to Seward, but your chances increase greatly later at night and early in the morning.

Seward and Kenai Fjords National Park

In Seward, be sure to take one of the full day tours into Kenai Fjords National Park. On the full day tours, you have a much better chance of seeing a whale – about a 90% chance I believe. Plus you will see some very active tide water glaciers, puffins and all kinds of sea mammals. On the second day, take in the Alaska Sealife Center, and drive out to Exit Glacier. The toe of the glacier is just a short walk from the parking lot. If you are in decent shape, a climb up the very well maintained trail to the Harding Ice field is a must.

The drive to Denali

The drive from Seward to Denali is a long one, at least 350 miles, with much to see along the way. I usually break the drive up into two days by camping at the Denali View North Campground or Byers Lake Campground, both located in Denali State Park. There are also some nice hotels along this stretch including a Princess Lodge. The Parks Highway has some of the best views of Mt. McKinley and if “The Mountain” is out, enjoy it because it doesn’t happen all that often. A detour to Talkeetna can be rewarding, especially early in the summer during the climbing season.

Now for the Denali portion of my trip recommendation, I forward you to my Photography in Denali page.

If you have more time, I would add a trip over to the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. You can make a nice loop by cutting across the Denali Highway. Before traveling the Denali Highway, check on the current road conditions, most of this road is not paved and it can get pretty rough at times. Another option would be going up and around via Fairbanks, and then drop down to Glennallen and the Wrangell’s. The Wrangell’s are a wonderful area, and also the place I grew up; I have a write-up on this area in my blog, you can find the links to these pages back on the FAQ page.