Portage Glacier
This picture is taken by the Portage Glacier near Anchorage Alaska
Welcome to Portage Glacier, one of the most visited Alaska attractions that sit on the Kenai Peninsula. More specifically, this glacier can be found within Chugach National Forest, just south of Portage Lake (6km west of Whittier). This popular roadside attraction (for both locals and tourists) allows you to see history, geography, and gorgeous scenery all in one! Learn all about the history of this area with a visit here, Portage actually considered being a ‘ghost town’. This area had a community of about 100 people living here at the end of Turnagain Arm up until 1964, the year of the ‘Good Friday Earthquake’. The shore dropped somewhere between 6 and 12 feet, flooding the town and causing the ghostly remnants you see today from Seward Highway.
The glacier, however, is anything but ghostly! Head to the Boggs Visitor Center and learn more about the geography of glaciers and the history of this one in particular. At this center, you will be able to walk through an ice cave, touch, and actual iceberg, and see ‘ice worms’ up close and personal. This center also has observation decks and telescopes, plus campgrounds nearby if you are interested
in spending the night.
One of the most unique and fun parts about visiting this glacier is the opportunity to take the 1-hour day cruise to the glacier itself on Portage Lake, the company providing round trip transportation from Anchorage to the center if necessary. Trust us, this is one truly amazing sight to see, and you aren’t going to want to miss it!
