Into the Blue: The Magic of Alaska’s Glacier Pools

A Sponsored Post with Outbound Heli Adventures. Updated January 2026.

There are places in Alaska that feel almost unreal: more wildlife than you can imagine, landscapes too massive to grasp, quiet so profound it feels like there's no one else on earth. Add to that list the blue glacier pools of the mighty Knik Glacier, shimmering bowls of liquid sapphire set in a frozen world of white and silver.

These pools are some of the most mesmerizing natural features in all of Southcentral Alaska. And thanks to Outbound Heli Adventures, you can see them from above, stand beside them, skim across their glassy surfaces, or (if you're bold) take the "coolest" plunge of your life.

What Exactly Are Blue Glacier Pools?

When the warmer weather of late spring and early summer heats up the surface of Alaska's glaciers, meltwater begins to collect in shallow depressions: natural basins sculpted by pressure ridges, shifting ice, and uneven melting. These pools can be tiny and delicate or stretch for hundreds of yards, creating a dazzling mosaic of blues across the glacier's surface.

The color of these pools is what makes them unforgettable. Where does it come from? It starts with incredibly clear meltwater on top and dense ice beneath. The surface absorbs the longer wavelengths of sunlight, while the shorter blue wavelengths bounce back toward your eyes. The result is an impossible electric-blue glow that looks almost luminescent.

Beyond their beauty, glacier pools are a living record of a glacier's constant transformation. Their changing shapes offer a glimpse into the life cycle of the Knik Glacier, where melting, movement, pressure, and light create a landscape that never stops shifting.

Finding these magical pools can be tricky, though. A basin may be full and turquoise one week but completely empty the next, thanks to the shifting glacier. While the pools exist year-round, they only become accessible when they melt out, typically from mid-May through September.

To see one is to witness a fleeting moment in the glacier's story, one that won't look the same next week, let alone next year.

5 Ways to Experience Blue Glacier Pools with Outbound Heli Adventures

Outbound Heli Adventures can help you enjoy these pools in several ways, beginning by flying you from their base in Palmer up to the sprawling ice of the Knik Glacier.

1. See Glacier Pools from the Sky

Heli-Flightseeing

Even at a distance, glacier pools shine like gemstones across the ice. Because the pools constantly form and drain, the view is never the same twice; each flight could reveal a new pattern of shapes, colors, and textures carved into the glacier’s ever-changing surface. It's the perfect introduction to their magic.

2. Walk Beside Glacier Pools or Climb to See Them

Glacier Landing Flights, Trekking, and Ice Climbing

For those who want more than a view, Outbound’s glacier landing adventures let you step directly onto the ancient river of ice.

Whether you choose a simple glacier stroll or a heart-pounding ice climb, your guide will bring you to crystal-blue meltwater basins, swirling moulins, deep crevasses, and towering ice walls. Light refracts through the ice in constantly shifting patterns. Peer into a pool and you’ll see layers of ice below the water surface—ancient, compacted, and glowing. For photographers, it’s magical. For more time exploring the blue pools and other glacier features choose a heli-glacier trekking adventure.

3. Go Paddleboarding on Glacier Pools

Float From Mid-May– Mid-September

One of Outbound Heli Adventures’ most iconic trips is also one of the most surreal ways to experience the pools. After landing on the glacier, you’ll slip into a dry suit, inflate a paddleboard, and glide across the glassy surface of a meltwater pool and/or stream.

From atop a board, you can see straight down to the deep blues below. The silence is profound—just the sound of your paddle dipping into the crystal clear water. All instruction and gear are included; even beginners will have a blast.

4. Plunge Into Glacier Pools

For the Brave at Heart

If seeing, touching, and gliding across glacier pools isn’t enough, there’s another level of adventure: jump in.

After donning a wetsuit, you can take a once-in-a-lifetime polar plunge into the icy blue water. It’s invigorating, adrenaline-charged, and surprisingly addictive—an experience that feels primal and exhilarating.

If seeing, touching, and gliding across glacier pools isn’t enough, there’s another level of adventure: jump in.

Outbound Heli Adventures allows guests to try a polar plunge on any adventure that includes a glacier landing. If you’re on a paddleboarding adventure, you have the added bonus of a dry suit. But most guests go for it without—some in swimsuits, some in their skivvies, and some… embracing the full freedom of the moment. Outbound provides towels and everything you need. It’s invigorating, adrenaline-charged, and surprisingly addictive–an experience that feels primal and exhilarating.

5. Get Married Beside Glacier Pools

A Once-in-a-Lifetime Backdrop

For couples seeking a truly unforgettable wedding moment, Outbound Heli Adventures offers remote glacier elopements, including landings right beside brilliant blue melt pools. These vivid, electric-blue basins create a backdrop that feels like something out of a dream: shimmering water, sculpted ice, and mountain peaks rising in every direction.

Bring your own photographer or choose a package that includes a trusted local professional. Outbound’s pilots know the glacier intimately and can take you to locations with the best light, the most dramatic ice formations, and—when conditions align—those iconic blue pools glowing behind you.

Experience Alaska’s Bluest Beauty

Whether you want to soar over the pools, walk beside them, paddle across them, or plunge straight in, Outbound Heli Adventures offers the most immersive way to experience these natural wonders. Their custom adventures, expert pilots and guides, and unparalleled glacier access make them the go-to operator for travelers who want to experience Alaska at its wildest—and brightest.

Ready to step into the blue? Outbound Heli Adventures will take you there.