Distance: 125 miles south of Anchorage.
Drive Time: 3 hours.
Explore Time: 1 - 5 hours.
Trails: Edge of the Glacier Trail, Harding Icefield Trail, & Ranger Hikes
There are some glaciers you can drive to, but very few that you can stroll to. With just a 10 to 15 minute drive out of Seward, you can hike right up to the Kenai Fjords National Park's Exit Glacier and experience the dense blue ice while listening to it crackle.
Where many cruises embark and disembark, Exit Glacier is one of the most popular road-accessible glaciers in the state. In fact, it's only a 15-20 minute, flat walk from the parking area to the glacier, but you will walk through a trail in the forest and along a gravel river bar. At the start, you will follow history where you can see the changes in vegetation with the gradual melting of the glacier. Markers have been placed showing the glacier's recession over the past 120 years. The well-developed trails here have good footing and interpretive signs, explaining the return of plant life after the ice. There’s also a self-guided audio tour on The Alaska App, narrated by the Park Service’s chief interpretive ranger.
Walk the "Edge of the Glacier Trail" (also known as the Lower Trail) to get a good photo in front of glacier ice, it's not huge, but it looks big up close. The trail also provides access for people with disabilities.
If you’re looking for more of an adventure, take the Harding Icefield Trail, which climbs 3,500 feet in 4.2 miles, and is 8.4 miles round-trip (9 miles roundtrip from the visitor center). It is a challenging day hike, but you are treated with stunning views of the 700-square-mile Harding Icefield. This massive icefield, located within Kenai Fjords National Park, is the source of 38 named glaciers, including Exit. This steep trail is best suited for in-shape hikers (might be hard on the knees, too).
No special equipment is necessary for this trail from about June through early October, although a hiking stick and good hiking boots would provide extra support; bring extra layers, as it may be significantly colder at the icefield. The trail traverses fragile alpine areas, so please take care not to damage the vegetation via shortcuts.
If getting close isn’t enough, you can also join a guiding company for a glacier hike or ice climbing class. The sheer ice walls, deep blue holes (called moulins) and creaking ice make it an unforgettable experience.
Hike It On Your Own
It's only a 15-20 minute, flat walk from the parking area to the glacier, but you will walk through a trail in the forest and along a gravel river bar. At the start, you will follow history where you can see the changes in vegetation with the gradual melting of the glacier. Markers have been placed showing where the glacier once was at various dates in history. Walk the "Edge of the Glacier Trail" (also known as the Lower Trail) to get a good photo in front of glacier ice. The trail also provides access for people with disabilities.
The more strenuous Harding Icefield Trail which is about 8.4 miles round-trip (also known as the Upper Trail) is another option for independent hikers.The upper trail provides an overlook, as if you're standing right on the glacier. It is a challenging day hike to a 3,500-foot summit, but you are treated with stunning views of the 700-square-mile Harding Icefield. This massive ice sheet, located within Kenai Fjords National Park, is the source of over 35 named glaciers, including Exit. The Harding Icefield Trail winds up the north edge of Exit Glacier, offering spectacular views of the glacier and surrounding mountains along the way. This steep trail is best suited for in-shape hikers (might be hard on the knees, too), gaining 1,000 feet of elevation with each mile. No special equipment is necessary for this trail from about June through early October, although a hiking stick and good hiking boots would provide extra support; bring extra layers, as it may be significantly colder at the icefield. The trail traverses fragile alpine areas, so please take care not to damage the vegetation via shortcuts.
Guided Hikes
There is a short interpretive talk at 12pm and ranger-led walks daily at 10am, 2pm and 4pm, from Memorial Day through Labor Day on the Lower Trail, as well as a longer guided hike to the Harding Icefield (gaining 3,500 ft in 4.1 miles) takes place at 9am on Saturdays in July and August. In 2016, from June through August you can catch a guided 3-mile (steep) hike to Marmot Meadows led by a ranger, departing at 9am daily.
There are lots of other places to explore and camp in this area for the avid backpacker.
Flyover Video
Want to see what Exit Glacier looks like as it falls off the Harding Ice Field..but don’t have the energy to hike the Exit Glacier Trail all the way up there? Watch our 23-second clip as we fly from the icefield down the glacier all the way to the gravel river bar at 600 mph. Watch the video above!
