Matanuska Glacier
The largest glacier in Alaska that can be reached by car, with a tongue about 6 km wide, where guided walks across the ice reveal crevasses and blue meltwater pools.
The Matanuska Glacier is about 43 km long, with a tongue roughly 6 km wide, right beside the Glenn Highway about 160 km from Anchorage, a two-hour drive. The highway itself is also a scenic route. Access to the glacier is through a private campground entrance, where a fee is charged. To walk on the ice, you must join a guided tour and wear crampons to cross the undulating surface, seeing blue ice crevasses and meltwater ponds. The tour takes about 2 to 3 hours. You can also view it from roadside lookouts or take a helicopter onto the ice. In winter, when conditions are stable, ice caves can be visited.
Opening hours
Year-round (guide reservation required for ice access)
Nearby sights
- Knik Glacier
- Eklutna Lake
- Musk Ox Farm
- Independence Mine State Historical Park & Hatcher Pass
- Thunderbird Falls
- Eklutna Historical Park
- Flattop Mountain
- Alaska Native Heritage Center