Matanuska Glacier tour from Anchorage: Walk blue ice

Walk across ice that formed 10,000 years ago, then eat with the glacier in view

This full-day tour from Anchorage takes you to Alaska's largest road-accessible glacier, where you walk on blue glacial ice with a professional guide, ice cleats and helmet. The day includes round-trip transportation from your hotel, a scenic drive along the Glenn Highway, roughly two hours on the ice, and lunch at a local restaurant overlooking the glacier. Minimum age is 8 years old.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Matanuska Glacier and surroundings

• Drive scenic Glenn Highway
• Stop for photos of mountain vistas
• Arrive at glacier toe
• Put on ice cleats and helmets
• Walk and explore glacier ice
• Stop for lunch with glacier views
• Visit Glacier View village
• Pass by Palmer city

The experience

The day starts with hotel pickup in Anchorage and a drive northeast along the Glenn Highway toward the Matanuska Valley. The route itself is the first attraction: mountain vistas line the road and there's time built in for photos before you reach the glacier's toe. Once there, you'll put on ice cleats and a safety helmet, then step onto the ice field itself. The glacier is 27 miles long and 4 miles wide, and the section you walk on is one of Alaska's most accessible for foot traffic. Each day is different because the glacier moves and shifts, so the exact route and what you see changes with conditions.

You'll spend roughly two hours walking about three miles across the ice with your guide, who points out crevasses, meltwater patterns and the sheer scale of ice that's been accumulating in the Chugach Mountains for millennia. The guide handles safety and navigation. Your job is to move carefully in the cleats and take in the blue-white landscape around you. Snacks are provided during the walk.

After you come off the ice, you'll head to lunch at a local eatery with views of the glacier: a chance to sit down, eat a full meal and let the morning settle. Then it's the drive back to Anchorage, arriving in the evening. The whole tour runs about eight hours from pickup to drop-off.

What’s included

• Round-trip transportation from your Anchorage hotel.
• professional local glacier guide.
• ice cleats and safety helmets.
• lunch at a glacier-view restaurant.
• snacks during the walk.

Before you book

Days and timesWednesday to SundayDeparts at 08:00Last departure this season: 31 Oct

AgesAdult (8 and older) · Under 8: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48h

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical level

Operated by Greatland Adventures

Is this one for you?Hotel pickup from Anchorage means you don't need a rental car or a ride to the glacier. The tour handles the 42-mile drive each way, so you can focus on the ice instead of the road.

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Top questions

How far do you actually walk on the glacier?

You walk roughly three miles across the ice, which takes about two hours with your guide. The exact route changes day to day because the glacier is constantly moving.

What's included in the price?

Round-trip transportation from your Anchorage hotel, ice cleats and safety helmet, lunch at a glacier-view restaurant, snacks during the walk, and a professional local guide are all included.

Do I need special footwear or fitness level?

You'll need sturdy, stiff-soled shoes or boots: hiking boots work well. The operator asks for at least moderate physical fitness. The walk is on uneven ice and you'll be moving for two hours, so steady legs and balance matter.

What is the Matanuska Glacier like when you get there?

Matanuska Glacier is Alaska's largest glacier you can reach by car, stretching 27 miles long and 4 miles wide. The ice you walk on is blue and white, formed over thousands of years high in the mountains, and the terrain shifts with the glacier's movement.

Can children go on this tour?

The minimum age is 8 years old. Younger children aren't permitted on this standard group tour.

What should I bring?

Warm layered clothing, a warm hat and gloves, sunglasses, and a camera or phone for photos. The weather in the glacier zone is cooler and windier than Anchorage, so layers are essential even in summer.