Watch for wildlife and glaciers on way to Turnagain Arm, Girdwood, Portage and Whittier
The Seward Highway south of Anchorage is one of the nation's most scenic. You can get more familiar with the animals and landscape in these locations.
McHugh Creek Picnic Area. Mile 112. Views of Turnagain Arm and a trail into the mountains of Chugach State Park. Restrooms.
Beluga Point. Good place to look for white whales and bore tides. Mile 110. (Mileage is measured from Seward, the southern end of the highway. Downtown Anchorage is at Mile 127.)
Dall sheep. Sheep feed on cliffs next to highway around Mile 107 at Windy Corner. Watch for slow traffic and pedestrians. Parking in a turnout.
Bird Creek. Salmon fishing in summer. Mile 101. A three-mile paved trail to Indian starts at the campground south of the creek.
Bird Point Scenic Overlook. Look for whales. 6-mile-long "Bird-to-Gird" hike-and-bike trail parallels the highway to Girdwood. Mile 96.
Girdwood. Alyeska ski area, tram rides up mountain year-round, gold panning, access to start of trail over mountains to Eagle River Nature Center. Turn off Seward Highway at Mile 90, a 30- to 45-minute drive south of Anchorage. (Map)
Portage and Whittier
Portage Lake and Whittier aren't in the Municipality of Anchorage, but their only land access is through sprawling Anchorage. Portage Lake/Whittier turnoff is 48 miles south of downtown Anchorage, at Mile 79 of the Seward Highway. Look for the quake-damaged ruins and skeletal forest of Portage town.
Portage Glacier. Landlocked glaciers and lake are a popular stop. Watch for moose and bears. Salmon-viewing deck. Hike less than a mile to Byron Glacier. The lake and the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center are 5 miles from the highway. Part of Chugach National Forest.
The 11-mile road to Whittier turns off the Portage road near the visitor center and goes through a short tunnel and past the lake, where there's a great viewing area. The tollboth for the main tunnel is a little farther up the road.
Whittier. Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel to Prince William Sound town is continent's longest highway tunnel at 2.5 miles, and it's shared with the railroad. Whittier features saltwater fishing and kayaking. (Map)
The toll for driving the tunnel starts at $12 round-trip for cars and light trucks. There's a schedule for tunnel traffic.
