Breathtaking Hike on the Matanuska Glacier of Alaska

The Matanuska Glacier is the largest glacier in the United States that is accessible by car. It is a testament to the raw, unspoiled grandeur of Alaska. Stretching over 27 miles in length and 4 miles in width, this titan of ice sparkles in brilliant shades of blue, directly visible from the Glenn Highway of Alaska. Through a guided, dog friendly hiking tour, you will be able to walk on this natural wonder, immerse into a world of ice, history, and profound beauty, and make a memory with your fur baby. Ariel and I had a great time there. It’s probably the only hike during which Ariel didn’t have to stick her tongue out.

Getting to the Matanuska Glacier

Location

The Matanuska Glacier is located roughly 100 miles northeast of Anchorage. You will be able to see it as you drive on the Glenn Highway between Chickaloon and Glacier View. This section of the Glenn Highway is also the most scenic. The winding roads present panoramic views of towering mountains, serene lakes, and dense Alaskan forests. 

To get a good overlook of the glacier, I highly recommend the Lion’s Head Trail. Although a steep hike with about 1,000ft elevation within 1 mile, it provides an amazing view of the Matanuska Glacier as well as its surrounding forests.

Getting to the Guided Tour

To get close to the glacier, you will need to exit from the Glenn Highway at the intersection of the Glacier Park Road. At the intersection, there’s a sign informing you that there is no free public access to the glacier and you will have to join a guided tour. You can call the number on the sign to make a reservation or just drive down the Glacier Park Road to the Glacier Access and buy on site. There’s no side road, so you won’t get lost. 

Once you see a parking lot with a building, that’s where you park and purchase the tour for $150 per person. The tour is run by Glacier Tours on the Matanuska. Although popular, they seem to have lots of availability. I was able to join a tour without any wait on a weekend during the summer peak season. The tour is also dog friendly on the basis that the dog is leashed at all times and everyone in your tour group is ok with you bringing the dog; otherwise, you will have to wait until you have such a group. Moreover, you don’t have to be an experienced hiker to join the tour. It’s only about 2 hours long with lots of stops and the tour guide will tailor it to suit every fitness level. I have seen both little kids and elderlies on the hike.

After your purchase, the staff will open the gate for you to drive another 2 miles to get to your guide and the trailhead. It’s a well-marked road, so just follow the signs.

Travel Tips

The entire Glacier Park Road and all the way to the trailhead is undeveloped, windy dirt road, so use caution when you drive. Also, the Matanuska Glacier Trail on AllTrail is the same as the guided tour. There’s no public access to hike on the glacier by yourself.

Matanuska Glacier Guided Tour

Equipment

Upon arriving at the base of the glacier, you will see a giant tent-like building. That’s where you meet your hiking guide who will hand you a helmet, which is mandatory, and hiking poles, which are optional. 

The first 0.3 miles or so of the hike is on silt-covered ice, most of which is connected through a boardwalk. So crampons will not be needed. When we got to the foot of the glacier, our tour guided provided crampons and taught us how to walk in them. The key is to use toes when climbing and heels when descending. Dog’s don’t have any equipment because their paws are natural crampons.  

This’s when I got real close to the glacier. I felt its icy atmosphere even on a sunny summer day. Its sheer size is mind-boggling. But it’s the intricate details that capture the heart: the rich blue hues of the ice, the deep crevasses that tell tales of millennia gone by, and the pristine snow patches that shimmer like diamonds under the sun.

On the Matanuska Glacier

As I stepped onto the glacier, the world transformed into a realm of ice and snow. The ground beneath crackled and crunched with every step. And the vastness of the icy landscape made everyday concerns seem trivial. The trail was a loop that went to the face of Matanuska Glacier’s iconic blue spikes and back. 

The guide led us through a labyrinth of ice formations, pointing out interesting features like moulins, crevasses, and deep pools of glacial meltwater. She explained the fascinating science behind glacier movements, shared insights into the glacier’s history, and highlighted the subtle changes that signify our planet’s changing climate. Sadly, all glaciers, including the Matanuska Glacier, are retreating rapidly. I was lucky to still be able to admire its beauty this summer. Ariel was a little scared at first to walk on the slippery ice. But once she got used to it, she had great fun smelling around and drinking tasty glacier water while enjoying the cool air.

One of the significant advantages of a guided tour is the ability to access areas of the glacier that might otherwise be challenging or unsafe for casual visitors. The guide, with her extensive knowledge of the terrain, led us to hidden ice caves and vantage points that offer breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape.

Face of the Matanuska Glacier

The most impressive view was of course the face of the Matanuska Glacier. Those ice spikes, known as seracs, rose like natural skyscrapers, standing tall and imposing amidst the glacial landscape. When sunlight caught the ice, those giant spikes shone varying shades of blue and glittered like a diamond at the top as the snow slowly melted. I felted humbled in front of this immense beauty and the history it carries.

Fun Activities on the Hike

Our tour guide also offered us the opportunity to taste the glacier water, which by the way is much sweeter than California drinking water, throw rocks into the glacial water pools to test the depth of them, poke the glacier with an ice axe, and wear silt as facial mask because it’s soft, powdery, silky, and rich in minerals. All of them made this tour even more memorable. 

What to Bring and Wear

• Waterproof hiking boots: I found them necessary for summer hikes because the glacier surface is wet and melting. Crampons can prevent you from slipping but not getting wet.
• Waterproof pants and jacket are optional. But if you are worried that you might fall, I would suggest them. They can keep you dry and warm. Don’t worry about getting dirty. The silt might look muddy, but it’s actually clean and natural and comes off easily after dried up.
• Wear in layers even if you are visiting on hot summer days. It’s much colder when you are close to and on glaciers.
• Camera for good photos
• Cash for tipping as usual
• Food and water are not necessary in my opinion because the hike is short and easy

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