Travels in Alaska

First published in 1915, “Travels in Alaska” is a collection of essays and recollections by John Muir of his time spent in Alaska. Muir is often referred to as the “Father of the National Parks” and “John of the Mountains” and is most famous for his tireless work to preserve, study, and appreciate the natural world. Muir devoted many years of his life to the protection of the forests and mountains of the Western United States and advocated for making Yosemite a National Park. The famed Scottish-American naturalist was also fascinated by glaciers and sought to better understand how the majestic Yosemite Valley was formed. In the spirit of exploration and pursuit of knowledge, Muir made several journeys to the Alaska territory between 1879 and 1890 to explore its untouched wilderness and study its glaciers in person. Muir’s writings detailing these adventures make the awesome beauty of the Alaskan wilderness come alive with vivid depictions of the mountains, rivers, valleys, glaciers, and native people that existed there. “Travels in Alaska” is a must read for all adventurers and nature lovers, as well as those who are interested in a first-hand account of one of the world’s last wild places. This edition includes a biographical afterword.