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Snowshoes are one of Alaska’s most treasured natural wonders. With more than 100,000 glaciers (over 600 named) in Alaska, it’s more than possible to get up close to these amazing formations – one of the most sought-after experiences for locals and visitors alike! Whether you’re snowshoeing, hiking, or simply looking for a spectacular photo opportunity, there are many ways to experience all that Alaska’s glaciers have to offer.
Alaska’s glaciers by road, rail, water and air
There are many ways to see glaciers throughout the state, including by road, rail, water, and air. Each mode of transportation offers its own unique experiences, offering not only views of the glaciers but also different ways to explore these beautiful glaciers. Most glacier trips take place in the summer and early fall months, especially from May to September, but some glaciers offer year-round recreational opportunities.
Explore road accessible glaciers in Alaska
Many glaciers are easily accessible by road, and some allow you to drive, visit and snowshoe relatively close to the base of the glacier.
Matanuska Glacier
The largest and most accessible glacier on the road is the Matanuska Glacier. Located about two hours north of Anchorage, this 26-mile-long, four-mile-wide system is very popular and offers many guided tour experiences with gear provided. Tours are offered daily year-round, and accommodations are close by for those interested in seeing Matanuska Glacier. While Matanuska Glacier is a great option for inexperienced hikers looking to spend the day on and around the ice, it’s also a popular destination for experienced hikers.
Get out of the glacier
The Glacier Outlet area in Seward is unique in that it is the only area of Kenai Fjords National Park accessible by road. During the summer months, there are several hiking trails, a nature center, bookstore, and on-site park rangers to explain the history of the snow and enhance your experience. Several short trails lead out from the nature center and take you to the face of the glacier, offering views from the glacier. If you’re looking for a more challenging experience, the Hard Icefield Trail climbs steeply up the side of the ice and ends with a panoramic view of the giant icefield. The Glacier Trail is closed to cars in the winter and is a popular destination for cross-country skiers, snowshoes, fat tire bikes, dog sledders and snow machines.
Mendenhall Glacier
The Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau offers a spectacular view of the Mendenhall Valley and several short trails lead from the visitor center to views of the glacier and the spectacular Nugget Falls. There are many easy to moderate trails and hikes in the Mendenhall Glacier area, making it a great option for both experienced and novice hikers. While Mendenhall Glacier is accessible by trail, it is also popular with experienced kayakers who cross the lake to shore. Please note that paddling should only be attempted by experienced kayakers. Temperatures and weather can change quickly, so this experience requires waterproof clothing and layers.
Worthington Glacier
Worthington Glacier in Valdez is a wonderful option just off Richardson Highway. While the views of the glacier are spectacular from the road, be sure to visit the Worthington Glacier State Recreation Site at Mile 29. A short hike will take you to a viewpoint close to the glacier’s face. The glacier was designated as a national natural landmark in 1968.
Root glacier
Root Glacier, in the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park is a short walk from the Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark during the summer months. During your hike you can see views of Blackburn Mountain, Regal Mountain and Donohoe Peak. For those interested in glacier travel, gear rentals and guided tours are available from McCarthy, from easy day trips for ADB glacier hikers to multi-day backcountry trips. An easy hike to the top of the Root Glacier is a great way to get a glimpse of the glacier, even if you’re not joining a guided glacier hike.
Portage Glacier
The Portage area, just off the Seward Highway south of Girdwood, is home to alpine glaciers and the beautiful Portage Glacier, which flows into Portage Lake. Portage visitors can experience the area’s glaciers by trail and boat, and learn about the area’s ecology and glacier power at the interactive Begich Bogs Visitor Center. Several trails lead to glacial overlooks, including the Byron Glacier Trail, the paved Blue Ice Trail, and the Portage Pass Trail (located across from the Anton Anderson Memorial Cave in nearby Whittier). A short cruise offered in summer also takes you to the face of the Portage Glacier.
Train trips to Alaska glaciers
The Alaska Railroad offers a spectacular Glacier Discovery Train Day Tour that travels south from Anchorage, to Girdwood, Whittier, Portage, Spencer Whistle Stop, and Grand View. With routes running from May to September, riding these rails offers hassle-free travel, spectacular views and an unforgettable travel experience! Along the way, you’ll see alpine glaciers and drop off at the Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop for a guided and unguided hike, or join a guided kayaking or rafting trip to get up close to the glacier and its impressive glaciers. Although the train doesn’t run in winter, you can see Spencer Glacier on snowmobile tours from tour operators based on Girdwood or fat tire bike tours.
Ice in water
Kenai Fjords National Park and Prince William Sound
Glacier and wildlife day trips are one of the most popular ways to see glaciers in Alaska. There are many areas that offer daily excursions up to the glaciers for amazing views, photo opportunities and good, sheer shock and awe.
Kenai Fjord National Park cruises from Seward and Prince William Sound cruises from Whittier and Valdez are glacier-viewing locations in south-central Alaska. You can cruise through the waters of fjords and bays, spotting marine wildlife as you climb to the face of a giant iceberg to watch for milking. This means, you’ll spend time in front of the glacier watching the glacier break off and crash into the sea – it’s an amazing sight to behold!
Kenai Fjords National Park and Prince William Sound are also wonderful destinations for glacier kayaking, where water taxis drop you off in protected bays to paddle among the world’s largest glaciers born from sea-level glaciers. One of the most popular glacier kayaking destinations in the area is Bear Glacier, the largest glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park. Guides from Seward offer water taxis that take you to Bear Glacier Lake where you can kayak in the protected waters between the glaciers against a backdrop of protected glaciers.
Glacier Bay National Park
Located in Alaska’s Interior Passage in the Tongass National Forest, Glacier Bay National Park (that’s the name of course!) offers views of the glaciers. This almost other-worldly area is home to 2,055 miles of glaciers in the park, including the Grand Pacific and Margari Glaciers, which leave the entire bay with stunning fjords. Half a million people visit Glacier Bay by boat each year, but kayaking is also a great option in this area.
Hubbard Glacier
Hubbard Glacier is a popular destination for cruise liners, with most cruises stopping near the glacier. The glacier flows 75 miles and is the longest tidal water glacier in North America. It starts in Mt Logan in Canada’s Yukon province, in the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve in Alaska. It can only be reached by water, usually by boat, or by air from the nearby city of Yakut.
Many other glaciers offer the opportunity to explore by kayak, raft, packraft and water taxi, although they are not accessible by water alone, so check with local guides and visitor information centers to find out where else to enjoy them. Ice in the water!
Alaska Glacier Observatory
Denali National Park and Preserve is home to over 400 glaciers and is one of the best places for a flying glacier experience! With many flight tours and air taxis (year-round depending on weather conditions), you can travel by helicopter, bush plane, or fixed-wing plane to Denali National Park and Preserve and enjoy several hours of aerial views on the ground. On one of the many glaciers. You will get amazing views of the alpine tundra, the Don Sheldon Amphitheater, the Great Gorge (the world’s deepest) and the taiga forest. Both Root Glacier and Kahiltna Glacier are popular stops, with most flights departing from Talkeetna, Healy, Anchorage, Fairbanks or Kantishna.
Located in the northern part of the Chugach Mountains in Palmer, Knick Glacier offers amazing helicopter tours, some of which feature dog sledding! Flight tours are offered year-round and are available for two or more people. Many of these trips feature glacier landings, a short walk on the ice from the helicopter and some amazing photo ops. You can step up the adventure with a glacier dog sled tour from May to September, where you ride your own sled-dog team across the surface of the glacier.
In the Gulf of Alaska and the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park is home to Bering Glacier, the largest glacier in Alaska, covering 1,900 square miles. This glacier is impressive not only in size – it actually stabilizes the fault line beneath it, preventing earthquakes! Elias National Park from McCarthy in Wrangell-St.
Flight tours boast heli-hiking, heli-camping, heli-packing, glacier paddling, heli-fat tire biking, heli-rock climbing, heli-mountain running, heli-winter snow climbing – and heli-proposal and wedding venues too! All gear and instruction are provided, so you can take the stress and anxiety out of your planning. Many glacier flight charters also offer private and multi-day custom heli-tours.
An unforgettable experience
With hundreds of glaciers to explore and more active glaciers and ice fields than anywhere else in the world, glacier travel, hiking, camping, rafting, sightseeing and more are right outside your door in Alaska. Whether by road, train, water, air – or all of the above – your trip to Alaska’s stunning glaciers is sure to be an incredible experience!
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