Byron Glacier Trail
Byron Glacier
A gentle, short trail in Portage Valley. In about 2 km you reach the snowfield and moraine valley beneath a hanging glacier.
The trailhead is near Portage Lake. One way is about 2.2 km with almost no climbing, so it suits the whole family. Follow the glacial meltwater stream to the end, where you'll find a snowfield beneath Byron Glacier and a boulder-strewn moraine. From here you get a close-up view of the glacier clinging to the mountainside. Snow is heavy in early summer, and the snow cave, often mistaken for an ice cave, can collapse at any time. There have been accidents with injuries and deaths, so never enter it or linger beneath it. The round trip takes about 1.5 hours and is free.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Portage Glacier
- Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel
- Portage Pass Trail
- Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
- Whittier & Prince William Sound Glacier Cruise
- Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop
- Crow Creek Mine
- Alyeska Nordic Spa