Alaska has over 100,000 glaciers and seeing one should definitely be on your Alaska bucket list. There are so many ways to see glaciers in Alaska: by car, plane, bike, and even on foot.
Most of my favorite glacier experiences in Alaska have been on glacier hikes that lead right up to the face of the glacier!
The best part about living in Anchorage, which is Alaska’s largest city, is that there are a ton of glaciers nearby. All of the glaciers I’ve listed are within a 3-hour drive from the city.
The glaciers near Anchorage are some of the most accessible and there are a ton of glacier hikes to choose from.
In this post, I’m going to share 8 glacier hikes near Anchorage. I’ve listed them in order, by level of difficulty.
Planning a trip to Alaska? Check out my Alaska Travel Guide.
Check out this map of glacier hikes near Anchorage
8 Glacier Hikes Near Anchorage
1. Matanuska Glacier
Distance: 0.5 miles
Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Very Easy
Distance From Anchorage: 99 miles north
Matanuska Glacier is a 2-hour scenic drive north of Anchorage and it’s the largest road-accessible glacier in the United States! This makes it not so much of a hike, but it’s definitely one of the easiest ways to stand on top of a glacier in Alaska.
The glacier is 27-miles long and 4-miles wide and is definitely not to be missed on your trip to Alaska, especially on a bluebird day. It’s actually one of the most popular glaciers to visit in the state and the largest glacier in the area.
However, access to this glacier is private and requires payment. You can find information on Matanuska Glacier Adventure Tours. During the summer, you can walk around unguided or go on a guided tour. It’s a great place to try ice climbing year-round.
During the winter months, you can only access the glacier on a guided tour. If you’re on a budget, I recommend visiting a different glacier.
How to get to Matanuska Glacier from Anchorage: Take the Glenn Highway North and exit towards Palmer. Continue to Glacier View. Turn right onto Glacier Park Road. Continue onto Island Road and stay straight. Gate access will require payment to be made inside the building to your right. Turn right to stay on Island Road. The Matanuska Glacier parking lot will be at the end.
2. Byron Glacier
Distance: 3 miles
Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy
Distance From Anchorage: 55 miles south
The hike to Byron Glacier is one of the easiest glacier hikes in Alaska. It’s also a great option if you want to explore ice caves.
The trail is mostly flat, which makes an easy trail for families and all fitness levels. The main trail ends when you reach the benches, and offers views of Byron Glacier.
If you want to reach the face of the glacier, stand on top of it, or get inside some ice caves, then you will have to continue past the benches.
There is no real trail from this point on. You can scramble over the boulder field, or try to cross the river to your left and find a trail around the boulder field. This is when it can become more challenging.
Byron Glacier sits on the other side of the boulder field. A lot of people hike out this far in hopes of finding the popular Byron Glacier ice caves, but every year is different. This area is known for avalanches and rock falls, so explore the glacier at your own risk.
How to get to Byron Glacier from Anchorage: Take the Glenn Highway South for 48 miles. Turn left towards Portage at Portage Glacier Road. Follow Portage Glacier Road for 6.5 miles. Keep right to continue on Portage Lake Loop, follow signs for Portage Glacier/Begich Boggs Visitor Center. Turn right onto Byron Glacier Road. The parking area for Byron Glacier trailhead will be on your right, one mile down the road.
3. Spencer Glacier
Distance: 6 miles
Time: 2 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Distance From Anchorage: 48 miles south
Spencer Glacier is one of many glaciers on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula. It’s located 60 miles south of Anchorage and getting here during the summer requires a unique journey on the Alaska Railroad combined with a short, easy hike.
After hopping on the Alaska Railroad from the Portage Depot, you’ll take a quick train ride to the Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop.
During the summer, you can go on a guided hike with a Chugach National Forest Service Park Ranger. This is offered daily for train passengers. You will meet your guide at the trailhead sign to begin the hike shortly after the train arrives at the whistle stop.
This is a great option to learn about the glacier’s history and the surrounding area. Plus, if you’re on a day trip, your guide will ensure that you make it back to the train before it departs the whistle stop.
The 6-mile roundtrip trail is a wide, gravel path. It’s well-maintained, well-marked, and you could probably even push a stroller on it.
How to get to Spencer Glacier from Anchorage: Take the Glenn Highway South for 46 miles. Turn left towards the Alaska Railroad Portage Depot.
4. Portage Glacier
Distance: 6 miles
Time: 2 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Distance From Anchorage: 55 miles south
Portage Glacier is a popular glacier hike and one of the closest glaciers near Anchorage.
During the summer, you can hike the 4-mile Portage Pass Trail. At the top, you can look back towards Prince William Sound, where there are lots of tidewater glaciers to see.
You can hike all the way down to the beach and lake, but if you want to get up close to Portage Glacier you will have to cross a couple of creeks. Sometimes the creek is actually less than knee-high deep, which makes it not too challenging.
During the winter, Portage Glacier is only accessible on foot when the conditions are just right. The lake needs to be completely frozen over, allowing you to hike, ski or bike ride across to see the glacier hidden around the bend. This usually happens around February.
This is a very popular winter hike, so it’s more than likely you’ll find an existing trail. If there is fresh snow on the lake and no trail, it will be much harder to cross. You will be exhausted trying to break trail.
The easiest way to see Portage Glacier is actually on a glacier cruise that takes you from across Portage Lake.
How to get to Portage Glacier from Anchorage: Take the Glenn Highway South for 48 miles. Turn left towards Portage at Portage Glacier Road. Follow Portage Glacier Road for 6.5 miles. Keep right to continue on Portage Lake Loop, follow signs for Portage Glacier/Begich Boggs Visitor Center.
5. Raven Glacier
Distance: 9 miles
Time: 4 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance From Anchorage: 45 miles south
The Crow Pass Trail to Raven Glacier is one of my favorite glacier hikes in Alaska. The trail is actually 23 miles from Girdwood to Eagle River, and most people see Raven Glacier along the way. But, I really love Raven Glacier as a day hike!
The trail is easy to follow as it goes through the forest and gradually up the valley. You’ll gain around 2000 feet in elevation.
As you follow the trail, you’ll stay right of the waterfalls and make your way past Crystal Lake. You will see the Crow Pass Trail sign post and Raven Glacier is just beyond it.
This glacier is incredible to see. You can bring some crampons along if you want to walk around on it.
How to get to Raven Glacier from Anchorage: Take the Glenn Highway South and take a left at Alyeska Highway towards Girdwood. Turn left onto Crow Creek Road. Crow Creek Road turns slightly left and becomes Pack Trail. You will find parking for Crow Pass Trail at the end of the road.
6. Exit Glacier and Harding Icefield
Distance: 2 to 8.2 miles
Time: 2 to 8 hours
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Distance From Anchorage: 132 miles south
Exit Glacier and Harding Icefield can be found 2.5 hours away from Anchorage in Kenai Fjords National Park. Both trails begin from the Exit Glacier Nature Center.
The Exit Glacier Overlook Trail is a short 1-mile loop that offers easy and epic views. You can continue past the Exit Glacier area to make your way to Harding Icefield.
The Harding Icefield Trail is 8.2 miles round trip. You’ll climb the valley through cottonwood and alder forests until you make it well above tree line to a breath-taking view of the 700-square-mile Icefield.
The Harding Icefield trail can be a strenuous hike, as you gain 1,000 feet of elevation with every mile. So be prepared and bring enough water. The views are worth it!
If you’re interested in ice climbing or glacier trekking, you’ll want to book a tour with an experienced guide. There are a few companies based in Seward to choose from.
The road to access Exit Glacier is usually closed during the winter at mile 1.3, but still accessible by ski, bike, or on foot. Make sure to plan accordingly.
How to get to Exit Glacier from Anchorage: Take the Seward Highway South towards Seward. Turn right onto Herman Leirer Road. Continue onto Exit Glacier Road. Follow the road to the end and you will see the Exit Glacier trailhead parking.
7. Eklutna Glacier
Distance: 13+ miles one-way
Time: 2 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance From Anchorage: 49 miles north
Eklutna Glacier can be found about an hour north of Anchorage. In order to reach the glacier, you will have to make your way down the Eklutna Lakeside Trail.
The trail is 12.9 miles one way and it’s actually one of my favorite mountain biking trails near Anchorage.
At the end of the trail, you will have to get off your bike and hike the rest of the way. Since the glacier has retreated a lot over the years, the distance to reach it continues to grow,
The trail can be very overgrown, so it’s not my favorite glacier hike nearby and I wouldn’t go out of my way to see it.
How to get to Eklutna Glacier from Anchorage: From Anchorage, head North on the Glenn Highway. Exit the highway towards Eklutna. Follow Eklutna Lake Road until you reach the Eklutna Lake Campground.
8. Knik Glacier
Distance: 8 miles one-way
Time: 4 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance From Anchorage: 49 miles north
Most people visit the Knik Glacier in the summer on an ATV tour or a flightseeing tour. In the winter, most people choose to fat bike ride to Knik Glacier.
But, it’s actually possible to hike to it! Okay, you can’t actually hike the entire way, you’ll need a pack raft to get you across the creek. That’s why I’ve added this as a bonus glacier hike.
From the Knik Glacier Tours parking lot, you will basically follow the same winter route to the glacier. Use the pack raft to get across the creek and cross the Knik River.
You’ll hike about eight miles in total by the time you reach the toe of the Knik Glacier. Even though is a flat trail, I would still rate this a moderate hike.
This is easily one of my favorite glacier views in the entire state, and it really is incredible to see up close.
You can camp overnight and then float down the Knik River on your pack raft back to where you started.
How to get to Knik Glacier from Anchorage: From Anchorage, head North on the Glenn Highway. Exit the highway on the right at Old Glenn Highway. Follow S Old Glenn Highway and continue onto E Knik River Road. Turn left onto Ed Rush Road. Turn right onto Buckshot Lane. At the end of the road, you will find designated trail parking at Knik Glacier Tours.
Read More Glacier Posts
Kayak Portage Lake to Portage Glacier
Hike Castner Glacier Ice Cave Trail
Want to go on a glacier hike near Anchorage? Share it on Pinterest for later!
Do you have any questions on glacier hikes near Anchorage? Leave them in the comments.
This is such great information, I cannot wait to check out some of these glaciers I haven’t been to yet!!
You’re going to have so much fun, Cass!