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Alaska

The Best of Alaska’s National Parks: From Denali to Kenai

Program No. 1012RJ
Come explore the national parks of Alaska with our experts. Discover unique wildlife, stunning landscapes and ancient forests as you explore one of the most unspoiled regions on earth.
Program
At a Glance
Duration
11 days
Program Begins
Fairbanks, AK
Program Concludes
Anchorage, AK
Meals
28 ( 10B, 9L, 9D )
Activity Level
In the Alaskan Interior, grizzlies walk lowland rivers, caribou roam the tundra, Dall sheep cling to mountainsides and the golden eagle survey it all. To the south, the glaciers of the Kenai Peninsula carve the landscape as they have for eons. Join expert field educators in the boreal forest, on the tundra of Denali and along the bays of Kenai Fjords National Park.
Best of all, you'll...
  • Watch for grizzly bears, Dall sheep, moose and caribou on a journey into Denali National Park.
  • Stretch your legs and minds on hikes that cross alpine tundra, through boreal forest and past mountain lakes.
  • Explore Kenai Fjords National Park on a daylong journey by boat to view marine mammals, tidewater and alpine glaciers and teeming seabird rookeries.
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Steve Halloran
Steve Halloran has spent over 40 years in the travel industry in Alaska. He began his career at Denali National Park as a seasonal worker for the concessionaire. While completing a degree from the University of Delaware, he spent winters traveling the world visiting and working in over 65 countries and all 50 states. Afterward, he worked full-time managing operations inside Denali National Park. He served as tourism director for Skagway, Alaska and retired from Visit Anchorage in 2020.
Please Note:
This expert may not be available for every date of the program
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Sarah Marshall
Sarah Marshall received a bachelor’s degree in geology from Oberlin College and a master’s degree in water resources from the University of Wyoming. She has worked in National Parks in Utah and Alaska as a naturalist, an archeologist, and as a water scientist. For 14 years she lived with her husband and sons just outside of Denali National Park and Preserve. Currently living in rural Colorado and Alaska, she loves exploring the outdoors and wild places by foot, bicycle, and cross-country skis.
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Natalie Reimer
Natalie Reimer is from Enterprise, Oregon, and grew up backpacking, hiking, and fishing in the nearby Wallowa Mountains. She has lived and worked in Denali seasonally since 2019 and began leading educational hikes in the area in 2022. Natalie strongly believes that being engaged with and informed about your local ecosystem and community contributes to a deep feeling of connection, responsibility, and belonging. In her free time, Natalie likes to forage, paint, and go exploring with her dog.
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Toni Oliveira
Toni Oliveira grew up in northern Virginia, where early adventures and a steady diet of Jack London books sparked a lifelong fascination with Alaska. She first traveled north in 2001 on a solo backpacking trip. In 2008, she returned for good, spending two seasons working in Denali National Park and a decade as a naturalist in Denali State Park. When Toni’s not hiking or birdwatching, she’s likely reading, getting excited about lichens, or spending time with her grandson.
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Chelsie Valetta
Chelsie Valetta—born in Buffalo, NY—first visited Alaska in 2012. After a seasonal job in 2017, she made the move permanent, settling in Talkeetna in 2018 with her partner and two spirited huskies. She worked four years at Denali’s South District Ranger Station before joining the Denali Education Center in 2025. Outside of work and directing the Oosik Classic ski race, she enjoys birding with her partner, reading in the sun, identifying plants, and exploring trails with her adventurous pups.
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Katie Pankow
Katie Pankow has been enthusiastically showing off the state of Alaska to Road Scholars with the Denali Education Center since 2019. She’s an Alaskan resident who splits her time between Talkeetna and Denali. She holds an M.F.A. in acting from the University of Florida and a B.A. in English from Florida Gulf Coast University. When she’s not running learning vacations, Katie teaches theatre to local kids, goes for long hikes, cooks ambitious recipes, and reads lots of books.
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Brenda Ebel
Brenda Ebel arrived in Alaska in the summer of 1993, lured by the promise of wilderness and a job at Glacier Bay National Park. In 1994, she transferred to Denali National Park, met her future husband, and found her new home. Along with Brad and their dog, Jasper, Brenda enjoys Alaska in all seasons: hiking, biking, fishing and paddling in the summer; and skiing and snow-machining in winter. When not outside, she’s likely reading, knitting, baking, or substitute teaching at Healy’s K-12 school.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
This program is "Keep the Pace." Your mobility must match this description. Reach out to Road Scholar or DEC with questions. Activities include city walking, hiking on maintained trails with varied terrain, wet/dry conditions, and even ice/snow. You must move about on a catamaran in open water and get on/off a motorcoach. Distance will not exceed 4 mi during scheduled activities. Trails are up to 3 mi in length with elevation changes up to 600 ft. The pace of the hikes is up to 2 mi per hour.
Suggested Reading List
View Full List (12 Books)
You can also find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
HAVE QUESTIONS?
Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone?
We can help. Give us a call, and we can answer all of your questions!
Call 800-454-5768
Enroll with Confidence
Peace of Mind

We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. That’s why we go to the ends of the earth to give you peace of mind, from the moment you enroll until the day you return home.

Assurance Plan

Road Scholar's continued commitment to our participants and their well-being is exemplified whether participating on a program in the United States or on one of our International programs, every Road Scholar participant receives coverage under our Road Scholar Assurance Plan.

Want to Protect Your Investment?

Road Scholar is pleased to offer its Trip Protection Plan as a way to protect your program investment. You may purchase this optional trip protection plan when enrolling in your program.

Sustainable Travel

We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Read about our commitment to a more sustainable planet.