Things to do nearSeward Highway

Designated a National Scenic Byway and an All-American Road, the Seward Highway has carried travelers through southcentral Alaska since the early twentieth century, originally built to connect Anchorage with the ice-free port at Seward. The route follows the path of the Alaska Railroad for much of its length, and both rail and road hug the narrow shelf between the Chugach Mountains and the waters of Turnagain Arm.

The northern section of the highway is defined by Turnagain Arm, a long fjord-like inlet where bore tides can reach several feet in height and beluga whales occasionally surface near shore. A short detour leads to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, a sanctuary where bison, bears, and moose roam large enclosures within sight of the highway.

Further south, the landscape opens into the Kenai Peninsula, where spruce forest and glacial rivers line the road. Guided guided hikes depart from several trailheads along the way, leading into alpine terrain that most visitors never see from the pavement.

Few roads in the United States place this much raw wilderness within arm's reach of a paved surface, making the Seward Highway a journey worth taking slowly.