Road trip routes in south-central Alaska center around Anchorage, an airline hub and cruise destination for the state. The Seward Highway and Glenn Highway both start in Anchorage and travel through scenic country with many opportunities for Alaska adventure tours and travel adventures along the way.
Seward Highway Alaska Scenic Byway
The 127-mile Seward Highway connects the cities of Anchorage and Seward, skirting the Chugach Mountains and traversing the Kenai Mountains. This trip can be made in a quick three hours or explored in a long weekend, making it a scenic side trip to an Alaskan cruise vacation or a road trip getaway. Start or end this road trip in Anchorage or Seward, with many lodging options along the way (including hotels, lodges, B&Bs and vacation rentals).
If you start your trip in Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city, be sure to take in the Anchorage Museum of History and Art or the Alaska Native Heritage Center for a taste of Alaskan culture. Just south of Anchorage on the Seward Highway, the Potter Creek Viewpoint and Trail has information about area moose, the boreal forest and the Alaska Railroad.
On the drive south to Girdwood, keep an eye out for beluga whales in the adjacent Turnagain Arm as well as Dall sheep, waterfalls and eagles. Pan for gold at Crow Creek Mine near Girdwood or enjoy the amenities of a first-class ski resort at Alyeska Ski Resort. Farther south on the Seward Highway, take a side trip to Portage Glacier in the Chugach National Forest.
Summit Lake and Trail Lake offer alpine scenery, with opportunities to see swans, fish Alaska-style or flight-see glaciers and Kenai Fjords. Passing through the Kenai Mountains, Seward Highway offers a side trip to Exit Glacier before entering the port town of Seward on Resurrection Bay. Sport fishing, glacier and wildlife touring, kayaking and dog sled tours are a few of the activities available in and around Seward.
Glenn Highway Alaska Scenic Byway
The 135-mile Glenn Highway offers an impressive drive following a path carved by glaciers and the Matanuska River. From Anchorage to the Talkeetna Mountains, this scenic road trip offers hiking, fishing, river rafting, snowmobiling, skiing, glacier and wildlife viewing. Lodging options along the Glenn Highway include high-end hotels in Anchorage as well as lodges, B&Bs and inns along the route.
Leaving Anchorage, the Chugach Mountains parallel the entire route of the Glenn Highway. Chugach State Park has many hiking trails, rafting in Eagle River, mountaineering and wildlife viewing. Farther north, the town of Palmer is known for its many colony farms and lively Alaska State Fair each August. Leaving Palmer, the Glenn Highway enters the glacier-carved Matanuska River Canyon.
Matanuska Glacier, Alaska’s largest glacier and most accessible by car, has hiking and glacier tours available. The Glenn Highway ends at Eureka Summit, where four of Alaska’s major mountain ranges can be seen – the Alaska Range, the Chugach Mountains, the Talketna Mountains and the Wrangell-St. Elias Mountains. Stop by the Eureka Lodge and Roadhouse for a bite to eat or overnight stay.
A road trip on the Seward Highway between Anchorage and Seward or the Glenn Highway from Anchorage to Eureka Summit affords travelers the scenic beauty of Alaska as well as adventure tours. From saltwater bays to ice blue glaciers and glacial-carved valleys to mountain peaks, these scenic byways allow travelers to take in Alaskan wildlife, culture and outdoor activities.
For more Alaskan scenic travel, take the Alaska Marine Highway to explore Alaska by sea. For more scenic road trips in the Northwest U.S., travel Washington' Cascade Loop, Oregon's Pacific Coast Scenic Byway, North Idaho's Lake Coeur d'Alene Scenic Byway, Montana’s Beartooth Highway and Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountain Loop.
Susan Lynne Hamilton - Award-winning writer Susan Lynne Hamilton is the Topic Editor of Suite 101's Northwest U.S. travel section, showcasing its rich ...
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