This realistic List of the Best Glaciers to Visit in Alaska helps you pick a glacier in “The Last Frontier”.

There is no a better place to see glaciers in the United States than in Alaska. This state is a true land of the glaciers.

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What is a Glacier?

Glaciers are a powerful force of nature. Each glacier is a massive body of ice. They develop in the cold areas of the planet that receive a lot of snow each winter. Summers are too brief to melt all of the snow.

This snow turns to ice over time. Ice then starts to move due to its weight and the pressure it generates. Glaciers move constantly. As they move, they transform the surrounding landscapes.

Glaciers move rocks and boulders for hundred and sometimes thousands of miles. These boulders create lakes and rugged shorelines. Even when they retreat, they leave marks.

You can find these marks in many different parts of the world. Take a look at Ireland, Finland, or Maine. None of these places have glaciers now. Yet, all of them have lakes, shorelines, and gaps created by glaciers in the past.

You would need to travel to the northernmost and southernmost regions of the planet to see glaciers now. Canada, Iceland, Norway, Chile, Argentina, and New Zealand are great places to see glaciers abroad.

Glaciers in Alaska

But you do not have to leave the United States to see a glacier. There are glaciers in 7 of the Lower 48 States and Alaska.

Wheeler Peak Glacier in Great Basin National Park in Nevada might be one of the most surprising glacier locations. You probably do not expect a glacier 300 miles north of Las Vegas.

But you need to travel to Alaska to get a true glacier experience. The state leads the union in glacier count. There are over 660 named glaciers in the state. You would need a lifetime to visit them all.

Some of the glaciers in Alaska are easy to reach. Others only appear close. It might be surprising but some of these glaciers might cost you a fortune to visit.

This List of the Best Glaciers to Visit in Alaska helps you decide what glaciers to explore on a trip. It is only natural to pick the glaciers that have the right balance between beauty and accessibility.

This List got you covered. It ranks each glacier based on three factors. Each of these factors played a role in the ranking.

• Location: how close is the glacier to Anchorage, the largest city in the state.
• Cost: how much does it cost to visit this glacier.
• Other: things that make this glacier unique.

Continue with this List to learn about the Best Glaciers to Visit in Alaska.

1. Root Glacier

Root Glacier is the Best Glacier to Visit in Alaska. It is a well deserved spot for this impressive glacier. Here is what helped Root Glacier secure the top position on the List.

• Location: it takes about 7 hours to reach Root Glacier from Anchorage.
• Cost: you can visit this glacier for free with a rental car or via a shuttle for $70+ per person.
• Other: Root Glacier is one of the few glaciers in the world you could walk on without a tour guide.

Root Glacier is in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. This remote location presents a challenge for a visit. But you could make getting to this glacier an adventure. Just see for yourself.

• The paved road stops in Chitina.
• You need to weather a 60-mile (97-km) drive on the gravel McCarthy Road. Many car rental companies do not permit taking their cars on this road.
• The last 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to the glacier are only open to hikers.

But Root Glacier is worth this effort. You can hike on this glacier without a guide if you decide to do so. Just remember that glacier hiking is a dangerous undertaking.

You might want to wear crampons or ice spikes for better traction. Once you understand the risks you can explore this glacier on your own.

2. Exit Glacier

Exit Glacier is a close second Best Glacier to Visit in Alaska. This glacier is much easier to reach than Root Glacier. But there are more restrictions to your visit. Below is a summary of Exit Glacier.

• Location: you can reach Exit Glacier in under 3 hours from Anchorage.
• Cost: the glacier is free to visit if you have a way to reach it.
• Other: you cannot walk on the glacier. But you can get to the largest ice field in the US.

Exit Glacier is just outside of Seward. It is the only part of Kenai Fjords National Park you can reach by car. The glacier becomes visible from the Herman Leirer Road a few minutes before the Nature Center.

A 1-mile (1.6-km) trail brings you to the glacier viewpoint. This is the closest you could get to this powerful glacier. You should follow the posted signs and refrain from approaching the glacier.

There is a real ice fall hazard due to melting ice. Do not risk your life and a huge fine to get a few hundred feet (meters) closer to this glacier.

If you have 7 hours to spare, you can hike to the Harding Icefield. This 8.2-mi (13-km) strenuous trail offers fantastic views.

3. Matanuska Glacier

Matanuska Glacier is the third Best Glacier to Visit in Alaska. This glacier could have a much higher ranking. But there are a few things that stand in the way. Here is the overview of this glacier.

• Location: this glacier is just a short 2-hr drive from Anchorage.
• Cost: you can only visit the glacier on a tour. It costs $110+ per adult.
• Other: you can walk on the glacier with a guide.

Matanuska Glacier claims to be the largest glacier in the United States you could reach by car. In a way, it is true. You can easily see the glacier from the Glenn Highway.

But the reality is a bit different. You need to drive through private lands to reach Matanuska Glacier. You can only explore it on a tour. The tour price is a steep for something you could view from the highway.

It is difficult to justify paying for Matanuska Glacier knowing that there are free Root Glacier and Exit Glacier. But the choice is yours.

Either way, you should enjoy this glacier and its river valley from the viewpoints. This is a great and budget friendly way to visit Matanuska Glacier.

4. Worthington Glacier

Worthington Glacier is one of the easiest glaciers to pass by in Alaska. You might wonder why you would want to go past an easy to see glacier. Read on to get a better idea.

• Location: it takes 4.5 hours to reach Worthington Glacier from Anchorage.
• Cost: the site charges a fee of $5 per car.
• Other: the season to see this glacier is short since it is right next to the snowiest place in Alaska.

You can get a good view of this glacier right from the Richardson Highway. It is a no-brainer stop on the most scenic highway in the state on the way to Valdez.

But the location of this glacier is a double-edged sword. The glacier is right next to Thompson Pass. It is the snowiest place in the state.

This greatly shortens the season when you can visit Worthington Glacier. The roads will be impassable until mid summer. You can only get close to this glacier but not hike on it even in the summer.

5. Bear Glacier

Bear Glacier is one of the hardest glaciers to reach on this List of the Best Glaciers in Alaska. Just see a summary and decide for yourself.

• Location: you need about a day to reach Bear Glacier. Start with a 2.5-hr drive to Seward. Then take a water taxi, cruise, or a kayak to the glacier.
• Cost: the cheapest option to see Bear Glacier costs $125+ per adult.
• Other: the glacier lagoon is a great place to see icebergs.

Bear Glacier is another glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park. But it shares very few attributes with its neighboring Exit Glacier, the second Best Glacier to Visit in Alaska.

There are no roads leading to Bear Glacier. You can only reach it by boat. But you have a few options.

• Kayak: you can rent a kayak or get a kayaking tour. Note that it is a long and dangerous day trip from the Tonsina Creek.
• Water Taxi: a faster way to see Bear Glacier. It costs about $250+ per person to reach the glacier lagoon.
• Cruise: a combination of wildlife viewing and sightseeing. You will get distant views of the glacier. Prices start at $125+ per person for a 4-hour wildlife cruise.

6. Portage Glacier

Portage Glacier closes the List of Best Glaciers to Visit in Alaska. This glacier has lost a few spot on the List in the past few decades.

• Location: It takes an hour to reach Portage Glacier Cruises from Anchorage. Add another hour for the tour.
• Cost: the tour costs $45 per adult.
• Other: you can only see this glacier on a boat tour.

This glacier used to be a lot easier to see. You could just take a short detour from the Seward Highway near Portage in the past.

A viewpoint and a visitor center still welcome you near Portage Lake. But the glacier retreated over the years. You can no longer see it from these viewpoints.

The main way to see Portage Glacier is now different. You would need to get on a cruise.

• This cruise runs between mid May and mid September.
• Its total duration is about an hour.

You could also hike to the nearby Byron Glacier if you have time. The trailhead is near the starting point of the cruise.

Takeaways: Best Glaciers in Alaska

Alaska is a great place to see glaciers. You have over 660 glaciers to choose from on your trip. This List of Best Glaciers to Visit in Alaska has the easiest glaciers to visit in the state.

You need to think about a complete experience of exploring a glacier. Ask yourself a series of questions to decide what Alaskan glacier is the best choice for you.

• How difficult it is to reach this glacier?
• Is the price to see it within your budget?
• What can you see along the way?
• Does a glacier visit work with your itinerary?
• Do you understand the risks of visiting a glacier?

Once you make a decision, start planning a memorable trip to one (or several) of the best glaciers in Alaska.

Take a look at the Best Places to Visit in Alaska Video Playlist. And visit the YouTube channel for the latest videos.

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Safe realist travels!