Things to do nearExit Glacier Overlook
Exit Glacier Overlook in Seward, Alaska offers sweeping views of a living glacier, dramatic ice formations, and trails through raw subarctic wilderness.
Exit Glacier is one of the few outlet glaciers of the Harding Icefield that visitors can reach on foot, and the Overlook Trail delivers a front-row view of its churning, crevassed face. The glacier flows down from one of North America's largest icefields, and the overlook position lets you grasp its true scale in a way the valley floor cannot.
The trail system ranges from a paved accessible path near the base to steeper dirt routes that climb toward the overlook itself. Signed markers along the route show where the glacier's edge stood in past decades, giving the hike a quietly sobering dimension alongside its beauty. Rangers from Kenai Fjords National Park Exit Glacier Nature Center lead interpretive walks in summer that add geological context to what you see.
Wildlife sightings are common on and around the trail, including black bears, Dall sheep on upper ridges, and morel-hunting ravens. The surrounding spruce and cottonwood forest gives way to open moraine as you climb, a transition that mirrors the ecological succession left behind as the glacier has pulled back.
Exit Glacier Overlook sits within Kenai Fjords National Park, a setting that makes it one of the most accessible yet genuinely wild glacier experiences in Alaska, and reason enough to make the drive from Seward.
7-day forecast
Chance of rainTips for visiting Exit Glacier Overlook
Visit early in the morning to catch the glacier in soft light and avoid the midday crowds that gather during summer peak season.
Wear layered clothing even in July, as temperatures at the overlook drop quickly when cloud cover rolls in off the mountains.
Bring trekking poles if you have them, since the upper trail sections involve uneven rocky terrain and can be slippery after rain.
Stop at the nearby Kenai Fjords National Park Exit Glacier Nature Center before heading up the trail to orient yourself with the glacier's history and current retreat data.
Pair your hike with an afternoon on the water by booking a boat tour out of Seward to see the broader Kenai Fjords coastline from a different angle.
Top tours & experiences near Exit Glacier Overlook
Kayak Resurrection Bay & Hike Exit Glacier in Seward
Paddle to Tonsina Point, then hike Exit Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park
Kayak Resurrection Bay & Hike Exit Glacier From Seward
Kayak to Bridal Veil Falls, then hike Exit Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park
Exit Glacier Hike & Gold Panning Tour From Seward
Hike to Exit Glacier overlook, then pan for Alaskan gold