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Roadside glaciers

Drive up to these rivers of blue ice

Alaska.com

Visitors also can find themselves across a river or a lake from a glacier. They can hike on glacial moraines and admire the U-shaped valleys carved by these rivers of ice moving at, well, glacial speed.

In addition, landlubbers in Southcentral, Interior and Southeast Alaska can observe a double handful of glaciers that are unreachable without a lot of effort but that are notable for their grandeur and earth-shaping ability.

Easy to reach

Of the five most accessible glaciers, Byron, Exit, Matanuska are within three hours' scenic drive of Anchorage. Kennicott and Worthington glaciers are a half-day's trip away.

Near Anchorage

From Anchorage, the closest glaciers are at Girdwood and Portage.

A favorite dining spot of Alaskans and visitors is the Seven Glaciers Restaurant on Mount Alyeska, overlooking Girdwood. Tram cars from the Alyeska Prince hotel lift diners, sightseers and wintertime skiers to the restaurant; it's a short but thigh-testing hike from the restaurant to the glacier. The glacier is covered by snow except for late in the summer. Girdwood is a half-hour's drive south of Anchorage on the Seward Highway.

The snow at Portage melts much sooner and arrives later, so Portage and Byron glaciers are visible longer. Portage Glacier can be seen from the lake vessel Ptarmigan, which tours the lake in the summer, and from a viewpoint on the access road to the Whittier tunnel. Often, small icebergs wash up near the visitors center. The turnoff to Portage Glacier is a 45-minute drive south of Anchorage on the Seward Highway.

Near Juneau

From Juneau, the closest glacier is Mendenhall. A U.S. Forest Service visitors center at Mendenhall Lake, north of Juneau, has trails and interpretive exhibits. It's an easy drive from Juneau. Many tour companies provide bus service.

Glaciers at sea