Visiting the Portage Glacier

About the Portage Glacier

The beautiful Portage Glacier is one of Alaska’s most accessible glaciers and is only about 50 miles from downtown Anchorage. Located inside the Chugach National Forest, the Portage Glacier is visible by taking a boat tour or one of two hiking paths. 

A good place to start your Portage Glacier visit is at the Begich Boggs Visitor Center. Here you can book a boat tour that will take you across Portage Lake, which will give you a great view of the glacier. The boat tours only run from late May through early September.

Unfortunately, the glacier is no longer visible from the Begich Boggs Visitor Center. If the tours aren’t running, the only way to get to the glacier is by taking one of the two hiking paths. The first hiking path is the Byron Glacier Trail which is only 1.4 miles of paved path. The path is generally flat and eventually ends with views of the Byron Glacier. A longer hike is the Portage Pass Trail which is located in Whittier. To get to this trail, visitors have to go through the Whittier Tunnel. The Portage Pass trail is 5 miles round trip and much more difficult than the Byron Glacier Trail.

During my visit, the Begich Boggs Visitor Center was closed for the season.  I decided to skip the Byron Glacier Trail and go directly to Whittier to hike the Portage Pass trail.

The Portage Glacier
The Portage Glacier

Visiting the Portage Glacier - Table of Contents

Disclaimer:  Buzzin’ Around the World strives to provide accurate and up-to-date information based on our research at the time of publication. We respect all applicable laws and fair use principles. If you believe any information is incorrect or violates regulations, please contact us at buzzinaroundtheworld@gmail.com.

Affiliate Links and Reviews:  We use affiliate links to generate income and may receive a commission at no additional cost to you when you use our links. We strive for honest and transparent reviews, even for products which we receive compensation.

Content Creation:  Our content is based on our own travel experiences. All photos are our own unless otherwise stated. We sometimes utilize AI tools to assist with tasks like generating titles, summarizing content, and improving organization.

For more information:  For more information, please click HERE to visit our private policy page. We can be reached at buzzinaroundtheworld@gmail.com

Getting to the Portage Pass Trail

The Portage Pass Trail is located in Whittier. To get to Whittier from the Seward Highway (AK1), visitors have to turn onto Portage Glacier Road. About eight miles down the road is the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, which is sometimes referred to as the Whittier Tunnel. This tunnel has only a single lane and takes around fifteen minutes to complete the 2.5-mile drive.

To travel through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, visitors will have to pay a toll. As of October 2021, the toll for a regular automobile was $13. The toll goes up to $22 or $38 (depending on size) for motorhomes and vehicles pulling a trailer. All tolls cover the cost of a roundtrip visit.

When you arrive at the tunnel, be prepared to wait. Since the tunnel is only one lane, it operates on a schedule. Typically, it will be no longer than a 30-minute wait. While you wait, there are bathrooms that are available for use.

The speed limit in the tunnel is 25 MPH, and drivers are expected to keep an appropriate distance between them and other vehicles.

Once you get through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, you will want to quickly turn right at the sign that says “forest access.” From the entrance, it is about one mile on a rough road to the beginning of the Portage Pass Trail. There are no official parking spots, so find an appropriate area to pull off the gravel road, ensuring that you will not be blocking other visitors.

The Whittier Tunnel Toll Booth
Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel Toll Booth
The Whittier Tunnel Waiting Zone
Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel Waiting Zone

Below time warp of my drive from Anchorage to Whittier.  The video is shot at 30x the actual speed.  To see only the part featuring the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, skip to the last minute of the video.

Hiking the Portage Pass Trail

Below is my experience solo hiking the Portage Pass Trail.  During my visit, the weather did not cooperate.  With temperatures in the mid 30’s, a wintery mix and rain made my hike much more difficult.

Portage Pass Sign
Portage Pass
Beginning of the Portage Pass Trail
Beginning of the Portage Pass Trail

The Portage Pass Trail - Hiking to the Summit

The most strenuous part of the climb is the initial climb which has a change in altitude of around 800 feet.  As I began my hike, I stopped multiple times for water and a brief rest.  My journey was made more difficult by the snow, slush, and ice that covered the path.  Since I was solo hiking, it was important to be careful as I had no one to help me if I slipped and injured myself.

Lots of Snow
Lots of Snow

As I neared the summit, I turned around to take in the beautiful view of Whittier, Alaska.  My photo doesn’t do the view justice because it was difficult to keep the rain/snow off my GoPro lens.

Looking Towards Whittier
Looking Towards Whittier

It took around thirty minutes to reach the summit, which is at 800 feet. When I arrived at the summit, there was one concern. A large area of water was blocking the path.

Almost to the Portage Summit
Almost to the Summit
The Portage Pass Summit
The Portage Pass Summit

In order to get around the water, I had to climb up onto the rocks. While it wasn’t overly difficult, I wanted to make sure that I did not fall into the water as it would have made a very cold rest of the hike.

It was Difficult to get Past this Small Lake
It was Difficult to get Past this Small Lake

The Portage Pass Trail - The First View Points

Once I reached the summit, there was one more difficult part of the hike, which involved climbing down a few steep rocks. After that, the trail flattened out, and the hike became much easier. It wasn’t long before the Portage Glacier came into view.

Looking Back Towards the Summit
Looking Back Towards the Summit
First View of the Portage Glacier
First View of the Portage Glacier

For the rest of the journey, I was looking at the Portage Glacier, which began to get closer and closer.

Getting Closer to the Portage Glacier
Getting Closer to the Portage Glacier

Eventually, I reached a viewing point with a bench. For the first time, I took out my camera and took some non-GoPro photographs. Below are some of those photographs, including one of a nearby waterfall.

First View Point - Portage Glacier
First View Point - Portage Glacier
Zoomed in View of the Portage Glacier
Zoomed in View of the Portage Glacier
A Waterfall from the First Viewpoint
A Waterfall from the First Viewpoint

At this point, I was about three-quarters of the way to Portage Lake.  I decided to continue hiking all the way to the lakeshore.

The Portage Pass Trail - Hiking to the Portage Lake Viewpoint

The walk from the first viewpoint to the shore of Portage Lake was fairly easy. The biggest issue was that I was walking in a small stream of water. If I had not had waterproof boots, it would have made the hike much less enjoyable. When I arrived at the shoreline of Portage Lake, the freezing rain amazingly stopped. I was able to take out my actual camera and take the photos below.

Portage Lake
Portage Lake
Portage Glacier from Portage Lake
Portage Glacier from Portage Lake
Portage Glacier from Portage Lake
Portage Glacier from Portage Lake
Zoomed in on the Portage Glacier
Zoomed in on the Portage Glacier
Zoomed in on the Portage Glacier
Zoomed in on the Portage Glacier
Zoomed in on the Portage Glacier
Zoomed in on the Portage Glacier
Zoomed in on the Portage Glacier
Zoomed in on the Portage Glacier
An Iceberg in Portage Lake
An Iceberg in Portage Lake
An Iceberg in Portage Lake
An Iceberg in Portage Lake
One Last Photo of the Portage Glacier
One Last Photo of the Portage Glacier

The Portage Pass Trail - Retracing My Steps

The days are short in October, and I wanted to make sure that I had plenty of time to retrace my steps. After spending about twenty minutes on the shore of Portage Lake, I began retracing my steps. There were a few times where it was difficult to find the path, so I highly recommend following your footprints so you don’t get lost. The return hike was fairly routine and took about ninety minutes. For anyone curious, the total time of my hike was just over four hours.

The Portage Pass Trail - A Video of My Solo Hike

During my late October hike of the Portage Pass Trail, the weather was a wintery mix.  I kept my camera in its waterproof backpack and relied mostly on my GoPro Hero 9.  Below is a video of my hike that was shot with my GoPro.

Portage Glacier Tours and Packages

If you rent a car, it is easy to get to the Portage Pass Trail. For those who don’t want to rent a car or prefer to be led around by a local guide, I have listed two tours below that include viewing the Portage Glacier. Please note that as an affiliate of Viator, I will receive a small commission if you book using one of my links. This commission is at no additional cost to you.

Prices are accurate as of April 2023.

Portage Glacier Cruise and Wildlife Explorer Tour
Portage Glacier Cruise and Wildlife Explorer Tour - $239.00

Take a Shuttle down Turnagain Arm and Immerse yourself in the natural beauty of Alaska on an outing that showcases the state's striking geographical features and abundant native wildlife. Spot hanging glaciers and Dall sheep as you drive along Turnagain Arm, then take an unforgettable cruise right up to the face of Portage Glacier.
• Shuttle Guided Tour along the Turnagain Arm, one of the worlds greatest scenic drives.
• One hour cruise to the face of Portage Glacier with Park Service Ranger.
• Visit to the Alaska Wildlife Conversation Center to view Alaska's most spectacular animals up close.
• Be prepared to walk through the Wildlife Center and be shuttled from Wildlife Center to Glacier.
• A shuttle will pick you up off the boat at 5:30 p.m. for your ride back to Anchorage with picturesque photo stops.

Portage Glacier Cruise and Self-Guided Tour
Portage Glacier Cruise a Self-Guided Tour - $99.00

This self-guided Portage Glacier Cruise is truly idea for the independent traveler.

Portage Glacier Cruise a Self-Guided Tour is a Self-Guided Tour is for those who enjoy getting away from the crowd and explore on their own and at their pace. You self-guided tour starts at 8 a.m. and you will arrive at Portage at 9:15 a.m. This gives you a chance to hike to the boat launch just 20 minutes from the Portage Glacier Lodge where the boat departs at 10:30 a.m. You may want to grab a stack at the lodge to enjoy on the boat. After the boat take a leisurely walk to the Byron Glacier trail and start your hike. The Byron glacier trail is moderate and fairly flat. It takes 20 minutes to get to the face of Byron and 20 minutes to get back. Then its a 15 minute walk back to the lodge for your shuttle back to Anchorage which will depart at 12:45 p.m. with an arrival back in Anchorage at 3:05 p.m.

Buzzin' Around the World's Affiliate Partners

Affiliate Disclaimer

Affiliate Partner of the Month - Viator

Viator is my favorite website for booking tours and packages. With over 300,000 unique tours to choose from, everyone should be able to find something on Viator that interests them. I like Viator because anytime I have an issue with a tour company, Viator has intervened and helped on my behalf. I highly recommend using Viator for booking your tours and vacation packages.

Book Through the Link Below to Help Buzzin' Around the World Earn Commission

Earn $200 in Travel Rewards with the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Card

The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Card is one of the few rewards cards that does not charge an annual fee. Cardholders can earn 1.25 points for every dollar spent while enjoying 0% APR for 15 months.

Currently, Capital One is offering a signup bonus of 20,000 points (worth $200 in travel rewards) when the cardholder spends $500 in the first three months. If you are interested in this card, I would appreciate it if you would sign up with the link below, as I earn a referral bonus of 10,000 points. Those points are worth $100 in travel rewards and will help me continue to bring great content to Buzzin’ Around the World.

Once again, the Capital One VentureOne card is one of the few reward cards without an annual fee and is the perfect card for someone who is just starting to get into the travel points game.

Related Content