Special Report

Alaska

Alaska is nicknamed "The Great Land," and for good reason: it is wild, rugged and expansive. In a series of articles, Smithsonian magazine explores the history, culture and natural wonders of the 49th state.

Daniel A. Leifheit/Getty Images

Backpackers hike near Crescent Lake in Alaska's Chugach National Forest.

Alps-Style Hut-to-Hut Travel Is On Its Way to Alaska

A team skis from the remote Taku D site to the Camp 10 sleeping quarters. Students often travel as much as 8 to 10 miles a day, carrying packs a third of their body weight.

These Students Are Part of a 75-Year Study to Map Alaska’s Glaciers

At the Totem Heritage Center in Ketchikan, Alaska, Nathan Jackson wears ceremonial blankets and a headdress made from ermine pelts, cedar, abalone shell, copper and flicker feathers.

How Native Artisans in Alaska Bring Innovation and Humor to Their Craft

Ice worms spend most of the day burrowing their way through the cold, dark interior of the glacier, coming to the surface only in the afternoon to feed on algae and bacteria.

This Eight-Day Festival Celebrates One of Alaska's Weirdest Worms

The mineral-rich soak at Chena Hot Springs, about 60 miles northeast of Fairbanks, has been attracting tourists since the early 1900s.

You Can Soak in These Eight Hot Springs in Alaska

The rocky beach in Wrangell, Alaska, is decorated with more than 40 petroglyphs.

The Mystery of This Petroglyph-Covered Alaskan Beach

Grazer, also known as 128 Grazer, stands in a river in September 2023, after bulking up for hibernation.

Meet Grazer, the Winner of Fat Bear Week 2023

Salmon spread is a common snack across Alaska.

Salmon Spread Might Just Be the Most Alaskan Food

Among the entrants in the punishing race on the Yukon River was a kayaking duo from New Zealand known as the Keen Kiwis.

The World’s Most Grueling Race Journeys 1,000 Miles Down the Yukon

Alaska Railroad's main line stretches 470 miles between Seward and Fairbanks.

For 100 Years, the Alaska Railroad Has Been a Critical Artery Pumping Passengers and Freight Through the State

The Nenana Ice Classic tripod is on display alongside the Tanana River and the Alaska Railroad tracks, next to the community "watchtower" building. The tripod will be raised on the ice of the Tanana River on March 5, 2023.

The River That's Kept Alaska Guessing for More Than a Century

Musk ox calves vie for grass on a farm near Palmer, Alaska.

Author Jan Brett Pans for Creative Gold in Alaska