The Best Places to View Wildlife in Alaska: Bears, Whales, Eagles, and More
Alaska is a magnet for people who are looking for untouched wilderness, scenic grandeur, and wildlife! The thrill of seeing the majestic animals of the North never gets old. Kids, adults, and even seasoned tour guides, all get giddy when a bear is spotted amongst the bushes or a moose is seen casually strolling alongside the road. The grace of an eagle soaring above or hoards of salmon flip-flopping up stream is still camera worthy, no matter how many pictures you have taken before. Alaska offers the rare opportunity to get a sneak peak of animals in the wild. You just need to put yourself in the right place at the right time! In this blog post, we’ll highlight some of the best places to view wildlife in Alaska. Keep in mind that tours with less capacity (like fly-in/remote bear viewing) will sell out weeks or months in advance.
A Kenai Fjords National Park Cruise is spectacular, offering up the chance to see abundant marine wildlife! A cruise out into the waters around Seward, Alaska will take you past bird rookeries, rocks piled with Steller sea lions, and rafts of sea otters. Keep your fingers crossed for Orca whales and humpback whales breaching the water… they are there, but it’s a big ocean. The local boat captains keep in close touch with each other to share whale sightings to increase your chances of getting close to one. These cruises also stop at our local glaciers where you can scan the icebergs for seals lazing on their frozen floaties.
Denali National Park and preserve is 6.1 million acres of wilderness. The diverse wildlife and colorful landscape draws in visitors from all over the world. Guided tours and hikes can get you into the park where you can look for “the big five…” grizzly bears, caribou, moose, wolves and Dall sheep. The animals have a lot of terrain here and, unless you are hiking, there is only one road in and out of the park. So, binoculars are a good thing to have with you. That said, I have also had many trips into the park where the animals were walking right next to the road. You can explore by bus or cover more ground by taking a flightseeing trip.
A trip to Katmai National Park is for thrill seekers. The world famous Brook Falls is located here. Many iconic pictures of bears catching salmon at the falls were taken here. You have to fly in to get there and, as you are walking in bear territory, there is a mandatory bear safety and behavior class that you are required to take before they let you into the park on your own. After that, you have to hike through the woods (not paved) to get to the viewing platforms. One rule is that bears always have the “right of way.” It can be difficult to get a seat on this tour. Another nearby fly-in bear viewing experience is a stay at Redoubt Bay Lodge. Fly to the lodge and explore the lake in the comfort (and safety) of a small boat.
Prince William Sound, accessed out of Whittier, is known for the crystal blue glaciers that carve their way through the mountains to the ocean. Steller sea lions, sea otters, Dall porpoises, seals and the occasional whale can be seen from day cruise boats. These tours will take you to waterfalls and bird rookeries. Keep an eye on the shore for black bears and bald eagles (in the trees) too.
Kodiak Island is the home to the largest brown bears in the world. They have an abundant food supply on the island, especially salmon. Take a guided tour to view these magnificent giants. In addition to the bears, look for red fox, sitka black-tailed deer, mountain goats and bald eagles.
Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is home to the highest concentration of bald eagles in the world. In the late summer when the salmon begin to run up stream, you can find up to 3,000 bald eagles along a 4-mile stretch of the Chilkat River, just outside of Haines, Alaska. There is a festival held each year around the return of the salmon. Festival dates for this year are yet to be announced. It is a great time to go as there are tours, live animal presentations, an art festival and more.
The Tongass National Forest is the largest National Forest in the United States encompassing 16.7 million acres and surrounding 31 communities in the “panhandle” of Alaska, including Juneau and Ketchikan. This is another place to look for black and brown bears, eagles, moose, wolves, Sitka black-tailed deer and spawning salmon. Along the coast, there are many marine mammals. With a lot of old growth forest, it is no surprise that the Tongass is host to several rare species of flora and fauna, such as the “Haida ermine.” Take a guided hike or tour to access the interior or book a campsite through the US Forest Service.
The Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge offers easily accessible wildlife sightings. Along the coastline of Alaska’s largest city, you’ll find protected wetlands and birds aplenty including trumpeter swans, arctic terns, sandhill cranes, yellowlegs, northern pintails, red-necked grebes and more! Potter’s Marsh has a great boardwalk for observing some of the birds in the area (up to 130 species). Moose live in the city limits and it is not uncommon to see them in the parks. We have seen lynx, porcupine, fox, beaver, and even a bear in the parks of Anchorage. For guaranteed animal sightings, head to the Alaska zoo or the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center for great photo opportunities.
There are animal viewing experiences for every budget, though keep in mind that brown bear viewing in the wild is going to be at the high-end of expenses, as is anything that is more remote. The biggest bang for your buck for viewing animals in the wild would be taking a wildlife and glacier cruise out of Whittier or Seward. Remember that no wild animal is going to appear on a calendar or schedule no matter how much you spend, so if seeing the animals up close is important, then get yourself a ticket to the zoo or the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. We highly recommend them as well as all of the tours listed above!
How do you get here to Alaska? Here are some travel planning links for your convenience!
Compare Prices on Flights to Alaska
Compare Prices and Reviews on Hotels in Alaska
Buy your Milepost Magazine on Amazon today!
MyAlaskaGuide Tour Store (stuff you need when coming to Alaska)
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