Turnagain Arm Must Do Sights

We are spending a day sightseeing along Turnagain Arm, making our way to Portage Glacier before returning to Anchorage. We intend to stop at the Wildlife Conservation Ctr, and take the tram to the top of Alyeska (worth it at $25/pp??). I have notes to get off at Beluga Point & Bird Creek - what other stops should we make?

Thanks!

I love the tram at Alyeska and I think it's worth it. Especially if you buy the tram/food combo deal that they have.

As you travel south from Anchorage you'll find multiple turn-outs on the right hand side of the road. Many of these have interpretive panels.

Are you doing the Portage Glacier cruise on the lake? You can't see the actual glacier from any point on the road. The Begich-Boggs visitor center is worth a little time.

As you travel up the Portage Glacier road, stop off at the Williwaw salmon viewing area. If the fish are running you can see them from there.

There's a spot about 3 1/2 miles up Portage Glacier road where a small stream crosses under the road and into the river. The stream is snow-melt fed and is clear. The river is glacier-melt fed and is very silty. It's a great contrast where the two meet.

Potter Marsh is one of the first good stops heading south, if you enjoy bird watching. Swans, arctic terns, grebes, pintails, geese, cranes are currently there and may be if you’re through during the migration. Windy Point provides excellent opportunities to see Dall sheep along the cliffs.

http://www.alaska.org/guide/turnagain-arm-drive

If you’re through in July/August, there may be brown bears fishing in Bird Creek.

We had a great day renting a car in Anchorage and doing this drive last year. We also managed to see a bore tide which was very cool! Details here on the best times to see it - http://www.alaska.org/advice/alaska-bore-tide

I love the tram at Alyeska and I think it's worth it. Especially if you buy the tram/food combo deal that they have.

As you travel south from Anchorage you'll find multiple turn-outs on the right hand side of the road. Many of these have interpretive panels.

Are you doing the Portage Glacier cruise on the lake? You can't see the actual glacier from any point on the road. The Begich-Boggs visitor center is worth a little time.

As you travel up the Portage Glacier road, stop off at the Williwaw salmon viewing area. If the fish are running you can see them from there.

There's a spot about 3 1/2 miles up Portage Glacier road where a small stream crosses under the road and into the river. The stream is snow-melt fed and is clear. The river is glacier-melt fed and is very silty. It's a great contrast where the two meet.

We do plan to do the Portage Glacier cruise, if time allows. Thanks for the tip on salmon viewing.

We had a great day renting a car in Anchorage and doing this drive last year. We also managed to see a bore tide which was very cool! Details here on the best times to see it - http://www.alaska.org/advice/alaska-bore-tide

I was going to recommend looking for the bore tide as well. We watched it from Beluga Point last time we were there and found it really interesting.

We had a great day renting a car in Anchorage and doing this drive last year. We also managed to see a bore tide which was very cool! Details here on the best times to see it - http://www.alaska.org/advice/alaska-bore-tide

The dates we will be in Anchorage do not show up on this chart, but it is my understanding there is a way to calculate when it will occur at various locations from the time of low tide in ANC. I get the impression there is one every day to some degree.

Where can we look to see when the Bore Tide will occur on May 25 and 26? I am putting this on our list.

Where can we look to see when the Bore Tide will occur on May 25 and 26? I am putting this on our list.

What I read: find out when low tide is in Anchorage the day you are there. The Bore will arrive in these locations accordingly:

Beluga Point - 1hr. 15 min

Indian Point - 1 hr. 30 min

Bird Point - 2 hrs. 15 min

Girdwood - 3 hrs.

We are spending a day sightseeing along Turnagain Arm, making our way to Portage Glacier before returning to Anchorage. We intend to stop at the Wildlife Conservation Ctr, and take the tram to the top of Alyeska (worth it at $25/pp??). I have notes to get off at Beluga Point & Bird Creek - what other stops should we make?

Here is a link to the

- Turnagain Arm | Scenic Driving Guide

Click the numbers on the map for descriptions of the various stops along the way.

Although the website implies that a bore tide occurs daily, it doesn’t. At least not what you would want to see. Most of the time you won’t even notice it. The tide table simply gives you optimum dates/times it might happen. It can certainly be spectacular watching the standup paddle boarders surf a nice one though.

It’s also not one of those things to schedule an excursion around, rather, include it in with your other plans like driving down the arm to Portage Glacier, Girdwood, Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Whittier/Seward. I’ve been down several times when there was supposed to be a decent bore tide and there was nothing.

For viewing, the best spot I’ve found is just south of Bird Point where the highway flattens out. The paddle boarders normally start from this area. This was taken from there.

https://picasaweb.google.com/102646543533558914776/November62011#5884322966850339042

Also, be on the lookout for beluga whales along the Arm.

Thanks for all the great advice, everyone!

Lunch at the Bake Shop in Girdwood.