Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, where the Alaska and Aleutian mountain ranges meet, is a true hidden gem. Set in the heart of the Chigmit Mountains, to the west of Cook Inlet, the park boasts great ecological diversity. There’s also a dazzling array of scenery, thanks to its granite spires, turquoise lakes, hanging glaciers, two active volcanoes, winding rivers, and 45-mile-long Lake Clark. Surrounded by waterfalls spilling from vertiginous peaks, the lake is an important spawning ground for Bristol Bay’s red salmon. Brown and black bears, caribou, moose, DaII sheep, and hundreds of species of migratory birds also inhabit this scenic park.