Alaska is an expansive region of the United States where you can do anything from picking blueberries on the scenic K’esugi Ridge Trail to watching glaciers sparkle under endless daylight. I visited this past summer, when the sun hardly dipped below the horizon and everything felt alive.

During those long summer days, Alaska transformed into a landscape of color and movement. Wildflowers had replaced the snow in shades of pink, yellow, and purple, and the crisp air made every trail feel fresh. The warm weather made hiking surprisingly comfortable, and the mountains, still capped with snow, stood bright bright against the clear sky.

One of my favorite moments happened out on the water of Resurrection Bay. As our boat moved through the calm, deep-blue water, a bald eagle drifted effortlessly above us, barely flapping its wings. It circled silently over the bay, the white of its head glowing in the sunlight. Seeing such a powerful bird in the wild felt like something out of a nature documentary.

Exploring Alaska in the summer feels like watching a massive, untouched world come alive. Even simple moments, like skipping stones along a shoreline or sitting quietly and taking in the superbly beautiful horizon, become unforgettable in a place that big and wild. It is almost impossible to not feel small in such a vast landscape. The sense of wonder Alaska induces is what makes it stand out as the Last Frontier.