by Krish Patel / aviationwithkrish.com

In late June, we spent a week exploring the beautiful state of Alaska and saw some incredible natural sites. Raging from stunning mountain ranges to the cold fjords down below, Alaska is truly a place where a whole summer can be enjoyed. Here are some of my favorite places in the largest U.S. state.

Knik Glacier

One of the most stunning glaciers is the Knik Glacier. It is located 50 miles north of Anchorage and is situated on the northern edge of the Chugach Mountain Range, which is my favorite mountain range in the United States. Vastly untouched landscapes with snow-covered peaks and ice are really beautiful. While the tour was expensive, stepping foot on this glacier, collecting glacier water from the cracks of ice was magical.

Cataract Glacier

Now, let's make our way slightly higher up to the Cataract Glacier. The glacier is situated near the Prince William Sound, and taking a helicopter is required to land on the glacier. There’s a base camp at the site, where dogs live throughout the summer and are trained to pull travelers on a dogsled. You’ll be able to ride as a dog sled musher and try steering. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I’ll probably never forget. While dog sledding, you’ll take in the surrounding breathtaking scenery of the glacier itself.

You can book a dog sledding excursion on the Cataract Glacier through this link.

Alaska Native Heritage Center

Our third place on my list isn’t a natural location, but is rather more like a museum. The Alaska Native Heritage Center is located in Anchorage, Alaska and is an educational and cultural institution for all Alaskans. In the heritage center, artifacts from major Alaskan tribes can be found, as well as homes that show what life was like for the earlier settlers. It’s worth spending one to three hours at the center because there’s a lot to see. Even once you’ve entered the building, you’ll notice ancient artifacts and preserved animal skins almost everywhere you walk. Click this link to view more information about the Alaska Native Heritage Center.

Denali Foothills

The Denali mountain range consists of several snow-covered mountains that also come with breathtaking foothills. Whether you see the foothills directly on land, or stare down at them from an aircraft, they will always be vastly untouched and beautiful. It takes millions of years for this kind of beauty!

The lush greenery that’s found near the Denali foothills is also striking, with stunning bodies of water as well. Some other natural formations near the foothills are the Moose’s Tooth (a rock formation) and the Ruth Glacier.

You can book a flight seeing tour over Denali’s foothills through this link.

Kenai Fjord

The last place on our list is the Kenai Fjord (Resurrection Bay), which is surrounded by snow-peaked mountains. The calm, blue water and the surrounding land formations truly make this a stunning spectacle that has required millions of years of formation to be beautiful. We booked this on a nature/whale watching tour on a small ship which started at 11am and were back by 4pm.

Found in the town of Seward, Alaska, there’s a lot to enjoy from this fjord. You can take a cruise over the Resurrection Bay and watch killer whales leap out of the water, making Alaska a great spot to go whale-watching. If there aren’t any whales to spot, you can enjoy the stunning sights of natural rock formations, topped with lush green and natural beauty.

Alaska has a Lot to See

No matter where you go in Alaska, there will always be beautiful nature all around you. The vastly untouched landscapes, breathtaking glaciers, and panoramic mountains make this a place any nature enthusiast would love. Once you’ve visited Alaska, you’ll appreciate how long this natural beauty takes to form.