Stretching 135 miles from Anchorage to the remote wilderness near Mendeltna, the Glenn Highway offers one of Alaska’s most spectacular driving experiences. This National Scenic Byway winds through a stunning corridor where the Chugach and Talkeetna mountain ranges frame your journey with snow-capped peaks and ancient glaciers.

Leaving Anchorage via Gambell Street, travelers quickly trade urban scenery for dramatic alpine vistas. The route passes the iconic Matanuska Glacier, where visitors can walk on 27 miles of ancient ice. Further along, Sheep Mountain provides excellent opportunities to spot Dall sheep grazing on steep slopes. The highway skirts turquoise glacial rivers, traverses the fertile Matanuska Valley—home to Alaska’s famous oversized vegetables—and climbs through Tahneta Pass before descending toward pristine Lake Louise.

Key stops include the Matanuska Glacier State Recreation Site, Eureka Summit viewpoint, and numerous pullouts offering panoramic mountain photography. Wildlife watchers may encounter moose, caribou, and eagles throughout the corridor.

The best time to drive is June through September when roads are clear and daylight stretches past midnight. Allow a full day to savor the scenery, explore glaciers, and stop at roadside attractions along this unforgettable Alaskan adventure.

Explore Nearby

• Lathrop State Park — State Park in Colorado
• Trinidad Lake State Park — State Park in Colorado
• Penitente Canyon — Public Land in Colorado
• Zapata Falls SRMA — Public Land in Colorado
• Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve — Dark Sky Site in Colorado