One of Anchorage’s most famous drives includes one to Alaska’s Portage Glacier. Just outside of Anchorage you can rent a car or join a tour bus to travel south 50 miles along the beautiful Turnagain Arm. The Turnagain Arm has one of the highest fastest changing tides in the world, surrounded by lots of scenery and Alaskan wildlife.
Driving along the Turnagain Arm you can watch for Dall Sheep, Moose, Beavers, Beluga Whales, Bald Eagles, and even the occasional Black Bear.
At the head of Portage Valley, fifty miles south of Anchorage, at the end of scenic Turnagain Arm, lies the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center. You are invited to come experience it, as living glaciers continue to carve the landscape and shape the life on the Chugach National Forest.
Built on the remnants of a terminal moraine left by Portage Glacier, the Visitor Center is staffed with Forest Service interpreters available to answer questions, assist with trip planning, and provide programs on the historical and natural wonders of the valley.
The award-winning film, “Voices From the Ice” is shown hourly and provides a spectacular view of many glaciers and wildlife. The visitor center currently houses exhibits demonstrating “glaciers on the move” with insight into the retreat of Portage Glacier.
Although Portage Glacier is no longer visible from the Visitor Center, due to its retreat, the face of the glacier is still partially in Portage Lake.