Filter Choices
Visit Exit Glacier
You can hike right up to Seward's Exit Glacier and feel the dense blue ice while listening to it crackle. Walk the lower trail to get a good photo in front of the glacier face. Or, choose the more challenging 7-mile round-trip Harding Icefield Trail. There is a short ranger-led walk daily at 11am and 3pm, from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Byron Glacier & Byron Glacier Trail
Portage Valley may be one of the most popular visitor destinations in Alaska, but don't let that scare you away. The truth is that most people stop at the visitor’s center for a quick walkthrough, take a photo on the deck and then get back on the road, to Whittier or elsewhere. And while it’s true that the valley's blue ice and glacial scenery is outstanding from More...
Middle & Explorer Glaciers
Not too spectacular in size, these hanging glaciers dangle from mountains in the Chugach National Forest. Several pullouts allow for viewing. They feed the nearby stream systems that harbor many species of salmon and trout. Tangle Pond and Tangle Creek are favorite fishing spots for locals, and there are lots of places to camp in Portage Valley itself.
Directions: Head south from Anchorage on the Seward Highway, along the 5-mile Portage Spur Road. You'll spot these glaciers on the south side of the road, halfway from the Seward Highway to Portage Lake (thus the name Middle Glacier). Check them out on your way to Portage and Byron.
Distance: 48 miles south of Anchorage.
Drive Time: 1 hour.
Explore Time: 1/2 – 2 hours.
