Alaska is, by far, the largest state in the U.S. It is also one of the least-populated states, with vast, protected open spaces. From the North Slope through Denali Park to the Aleutian Islands, the Kenai Peninsula, the Inside Passage, and much more, here are a few glimpses of the landscape of Alaska, and some of the wildlife and people calling it home.
This photo story is part of Fifty, a collection of images from each of the United States.
Caribou graze in front of Denali, the tallest mountain in North America at 20,310 feet (6,190 meters), in Alaska's Denali National Park and Preserve. #
An Arctic fox walks among a group of northern fur seals on St. George Island, in Alaska's Pribilof Islands. #
Lion Head, a well-known rock formation along Glenn Highway, stands close to Matanuska Glacier. #
A view of downtown Anchorage, Alaska, along Knik Arm, seen on March 5, 2020 #
People walk across Fifth Avenue in downtown Anchorage on July 14, 2016. #
People compete in the "Running of the Reindeer" during the annual Fur Rendezvous in Anchorage on March 7, 2020. #
A humpback whale breaches in Frederick Sound in Southeast Alaska. #
An aerial view of downtown Sitka, located on Baranof Island, with the O'Connell Bridge leading to nearby Japonski Island, where the city's airport sits. #
A train carries visitors over the Riley Creek Bridge, near the entrance to Denali National Park and Preserve. #
A lone caribou causes a traffic jam in Denali National Park and Preserve. #
Fog lifts above the city of Utqiagvik (formerly known as Barrow). Utqiagvik is the largest city in the North Slope Borough, with a population of about 4,200. #
Dog musher Matt Scott greets his dogs in the city of Bethel on April 20, 2019. #
A tour boat passes in front of Aialik Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park. #
A view of the abandoned buildings of Kennecott Mines, inside Alaska's Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve. The larger stair-step structure was the Concentration Mill, where copper ore was first crushed and separated. #
A view of the Walker Fork River and the landscape along Alaska's Taylor Highway #
A view of downtown Fairbanks, along the Chena River #
Backpackers trek along the shore of Arrigetch Creek, beneath the Arrigetch Peaks, in the Gates of the Arctic National Park. #
A gathering of bald eagles on the shore near Homer, Alaska #
A view of the Homer Spit, stretching four and a half miles into Kachemak Bay, on the Kenai Peninsula #
Oil production on the North Slope #
A tufted puffin roosts on St. George Island, in the Pribilof Islands. #
A view of Juneau, Alaska's capital city, and the Gastineau Channel, seen from Mount Roberts #
The Northern Lights glow above a campsite along the Kelly River in Noatak National Preserve. #
A team approaches Nome during the 2013 Iditarod Trail sled-dog race. #
A winter walk along a trail in the Wedgewood Wildlife Sanctuary in Fairbanks #
A view of the port of Ketchikan from the deck of a docked ship. #
A grizzly bear feeds on salmon at Brooks Falls, in Alaska's Katmai National Park. #
A view of the small city of Akutan, on Akutan Island, in Alaska's Aleutian Islands #
A section of the 800-mile Trans-Alaska Pipeline, which carries crude oil from the North Slope to Valdez Harbor #
Caribou graze in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. #
A cruise ship passes in front of a glacier face in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. #
A mother sea otter swims with her pup in Reid Inlet, in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. #
An aerial view of St. Paul Harbor in downtown Kodiak, on Kodiak Island #
A view of Pioneer Peak, seen from farmland in Alaska's Matanuska Valley, near Palmer #
A float plane takes off from Katmai National Park. #
Nome, Alaska, seen from the sea ice. Anvil Mountain lies beyond the town. #
A moose walks through autumn-colored bush in Denali National Park and Preserve. #
Runners approach the top of Mount Marathon during the Men's Division of the 91st Running of the Mount Marathon Race, on July 4, 2018, in Seward, Alaska. The Mount Marathon Race is held every year on July 4. Runners begin in downtown Seward and must reach the top of Mount Marathon (elevation gain of 3,022 feet), then return to the downtown finish line. #
A polar bear mother and cubs confront another bear on a barrier island in the Beaufort Sea of northern Alaska. #
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