Girdwood Points of Interest
If you’ve got a day in Girdwood, enjoy a short, scenic trek to a local waterfall, visit a working gold mine, or a museum at the top of a mountain. Or, go beyond town and check out sights in nearby Portage Valley.
Points of Interest
Portage Valley southeast of Anchorage at the head of Turnagain Arm offers so many potential adventures that you might have to tow a trailer loaded with gear to sample them all. What will you find here? Biking, hiking, picnicking, fishing, paddling, wildlife viewing, potential iceberg sightings — plus a natural history visitor center packed with interactive displays about the ecosystem of the valley and Prince William Sound. It’s like an outdoor ...more
Spencer Glacier rises 3,500 feet in a stunning, natural ramp from a lake of royal-blue icebergs in the Chugach National Forest just 60 miles south of Anchorage. It’s a family-friendly recreation destination featuring camping, hiking, glacier exploration, nature walks, paddling and sightseeing. Maybe best of all: You have to take a train to get there!
The Coastal Classic (Anchorage – Seward), and the Glacier Discovery (Anchorage to Whittier, Portage, Spencer Glacier) stop in Girdwood
Crystal-clear Williwaw Creek and its bank-side trail system in Portage Valley at the head of Turnagain Arm offers exceptionally good conditions for watching spawning in action. Coho, sockeye and chum salmon converge on the creek as it winds through the brushy flats beginning in mid-August, with some late-arriving fish still present after first frost in the fall.
Relax and rejuvenate at the breathtaking 50,000 sq ft indoor-outdoor Nordic Spa nestled at the beautiful Alyeska Resort. Designed with significant consideration to the boreal forest, experience a center for wellness and relaxation that fosters connection with nature, ourselves, and others.
Quick: what’s the longest combined rail and highway tunnel in North America? It’s the Anderson Memorial Tunnel, and you’ll drive through it on the scenic and historic drive to Whittier. The Kenai Mountains-Turnagain Arm National Heritage Area is a place whose valleys and mountains, communities and people tell the larger story of a wild place and a rugged frontier. This audio guide gives you the inside scoop on its fascinating history. You’ll… ...more