COOL FUN IN THE SUN

MAT-SU — Just 45 miles north of Palmer is Alaska’s largest road-accessible glacier, just waiting for visitors to explore.

Matanuska Glacier, located at Mile 101 of the Glenn Highway, offers visitors the opportunity to walk on a glacier comprised of ice thousands of years old, or for the more adventurous, a chance to do some ice climbing in one of the most beautiful spots in the state.

Access to the glacier is through Glacier Park. For a fee, visitors can go through the gates, drive two miles to the marine and then walk on the glacier themselves on a self-guided tour. Other companies, including MICA Guides, offer guided ice trekking tours across the glacier, taking the guesswork out of finding the best spots for photos and fun.

Guides on Matanuska Glacier know the best places to find blue lakes and ice caves along the way, and they have all the proper safety gear and expert advice. MICA Guides, for example, specializes in helping people with no prior experience enjoy ice climbing for the first time.

Matanuska Glacier looms 13,000 feet high over the Glenn Highway. The immensity of the glacier speaks for itself — at 27 miles long and four miles across, no other road-accessible glacier in Alaska is bigger. Visitors often say Matanuska Glacier is one of the highlights of their Alaska vacation.

You can make it a true “staycation” by turning a visit to Matanuska Glacier into an overnight adventure. NOVA Riverrunners offers great rafting trips on the Matanuska River in the area and can combine that experience with a glacier trek for added fun. There are also several lodges, bed and breakfasts and RV parks near the glacier, including Matanuska Lodge, which specializes in luxury getaways.

Getting there can be half the fun, as breathtaking scenery abounds on the drive from Palmer along the Glenn Highway National Scenic Byway. With improvements along the highway in recent years, you’ll be treated to a smooth, scenic drive to the glacier.

Glacier Park is open until mid-October, but now is the best time to pack up the car and head out for a trek across Matanuska Glacier. Getting out and walking on the ice will be the coolest experience of your summer. For more information on recreational opportunities around the Matanuska Glacier area, interested people can visit alaskavisit.com.

Casey Ressler (casey@alaskavisit.com) is the marketing and communications manager at the Mat-Su CVB.