Ultimate 12-Day Southcentral Alaska Road Trip

This epic twelve-day road trip itinerary takes you on three of Alaska's prettiest highways, with stops for adventures in Kenai Fjords National Park and Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, plus a flightseeing adventure to Denali.

Day 1: Anchorage to Seward

Your adventure begins in the morning with a scenic 120 mile drive from Anchorage to the coastal town of Seward. You’ll be driving along the Seward Highway, a National Scenic Byway and All American Road that traces the shoreline of Turnagain Arm, showcasing glittering water on one side and steep, rocky cliffs on the other. Build in plenty of time for stops along the way, with multiple pull-offs for photo-ops of beautiful scenery, along with wildlife including Dall sheep, belugas, moose, and eagles. About an hour south of Anchorage, stop by the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, a rehabilitation center for orphaned and injured wildlife, where you can see animals like brown bears, black bears, bison, caribou, wolves, moose, and more.

Once you arrive in Seward, spend the afternoon browsing the shops in the small boat harbor and downtown areas and enjoy a leisurely walk on the Seward Waterfront Path that connects the two areas. Pay a visit to the Alaska SeaLife Center, a wildlife rehabilitation center for Alaska's marine wildlife. Enjoy a dinner of fresh Alaska seafood at one of Seward’s many excellent restaurants.

Day 2: Seward

Today, you have two options for exploring Kenai Fjords National Park: drive 12 miles from town to the Exit Glacier Nature Center, which offers the only land access to the park. Walk the network of trails for close-up views of the glacier and the Harding Icefield. Alternatively, take a full-day of half-day boat tour from Seward’s small boat harbor to explore the park’s deep, glacier-carved fjords from the water. Keep an eye out for wildlife including humpback whales, orcas, Dall’s porpoises, Steller sea lions, otters, and seabirds, along with views of towering tidewater glaciers on full-day tours. Overnight again in Seward. 

Day 3: Girdwood

Drive back the way you came on the Seward Highway to the quaint community of Girdwood. This mountain-ringed town is tucked in a lush valley and offers year-round adventure. Take to one of the hiking trails, including the mellow Winner Creek Trail or the strenuous North Face Trail, or take the Alyeska Aerial Tram up Mt. Alyeska for stunning mountain views without the work. Enjoy lunch with a view at the top of the tram. Get some R&R at the Alyeska Nordic Spa, an indoor/outdoor hydrotherapy spa experience tucked into the boreal forest at the base of Mt. Alyeska. Enjoy a low-key dinner from a food truck parked outside the local brewery, or visit one of the many fine restaurants in Girdwood. Overnight at the Alyeska Resort or one of the many B&Bs and cabins.

Day 4: Palmer

Head north for about 1 ½ hours towards the farming community of Palmer, where you’ll have two tour options for exploring the nearby Knik Glacier. Board an airboat or jet boat and journey up the Knik River, coming close to the glistening blue face of the Knik Glacier. Or, take to the skies in a helicopter for incredible aerial views of the river valley and glacier. Make sure to book a tour with a glacier landing so you can spend some time on the surface of the glacier to marvel at the impossibly blue pools and amazing glacial terrain. Overnight in Palmer.

Day 5: Hatcher Pass and Talkeetna

Explore the alpine beauty of Hatcher Pass, a wilderness area located a half-hour drive north of Palmer. Just driving up to the pass will get you up above treeline and into the tundra, where you can enjoy spectacular, sweeping views of the nearby mountains. One of the most popular attractions here is a guided tour of Independence Mine Historical State Park, where you can learn about the early gold rush history of this area. Or, take a hike on one of several trails that give you sweeping views over the nearby mountains. Take a picnic lunch or dine at the lodge.

Continue your drive to the town of Talkeetna. You have two options: you can continue beyond Hatcher Pass over Summit Pass and onto Fishhook-Willow Road, a narrow, mostly unpaved road that travels through beautiful wilderness for 30 miles to connect to the town of Willow on the Parks Highway. Or, you can head back down the Hatcher Pass Road to the town of Wasilla to connect to the Parks Highway. Either route will take you about 2 hours to reach Talkeetna, the small community that serves as the staging area for climbers attempting to summit 20,310-foot Denali. Spend the afternoon browsing the shops that line the charming Main Street and enjoy dinner and a local brew here, as well. Overnight in Talkeetna. 

Day 6: Talkeetna and Denali

In the morning, take a scenic flightseeing trip over Denali National Park for an up-close look at Denali, using the same air carriers that shuttle climbers back and forth. Most flightseeing operators offer the chance of a glacier landing on Denali so you can take a few steps on the mighty mountain for yourself.

Once you’re back in town, visit the Walter Harper Talkeetna Ranger Station to learn more about the town’s climbing history, and scope out the scale model of Denali in the Talkeetna Historical Society’s downtown museum. After lunch at one of Talkeetna’s many excellent restaurants, take a scenic float or jet-boat ride up the Susitna River to watch for wildlife and photograph Denali. Overnight in Talkeetna again.

Day 7: Talkeetna to Glennallen or Copper Center

Today is a longer day with about 4 ½ hours of driving, so give yourself an early start. Retrace your steps south on the Parks Highway and continue east on the Glenn Highway, another National Scenic Byway. The views along this stretch of road are vast and stunning, so be sure to make some stops along the way for photo ops. One highlight is the Matanuska Glacier, Alaska’s largest road-accessible glacier. You can view the glacier from an overlook along the road, or you can join a guided glacier trekking tour to walk along the glacier. Continue on through the hub community of Glennallen (a good place to fuel up and pick up snacks) and then head to the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park Visitor Center to learn about the country’s largest national park. Overnight at one of the B&Bs in Glennallen or at a lodge or B&B in or Copper Center.

Day 8: McCarthy/Kennicott

From Copper Center, it’s an easy one hour drive to Chitina, the launching-off point for accessing the small towns of McCarthy and Kennicott. Both towns are located in the largest national park in the United States, the 13.2-million-acre Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, which includes nine of the 16 highest peaks in the U.S. You have three ways to get here: you can drive the rough, graveled, and narrow 60-mile McCarthy Road (check with your car rental company to see if you are allowed to drive this road); take the shuttle (which also picks up in Glennallen and Copper Center); or take an air taxi from Chitina. 

If you travel to McCarthy by road, you’ll cross a footbridge at the end of the road and then either walk or take the shuttle about ½ mile to the town of McCarthy. This small town sprung up alongside the nearby Kennecott Mine in the early 1900s as a place for miners to have a break from life in the company town, where gambling and drinking were not allowed. Today, this quirky small town retains its old Alaska charm. Spend the afternoon strolling the unpaved streets and be sure to stop in the McCarthy – Kennicott Historical Museum for a glimpse into the area’s fascinating history. You can overnight at Ma Johnson’s Hotel in McCarthy or the Kennicott Glacier Lodge (accessible by shuttle from McCarthy), or at a variety of cabins, B&Bs, and glamping options in the area. 

Day 9: Kennicott & Wrangell-St. Elias National Park

Today you’ll venture further into the history and vast landscapes of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Grab a shuttle from McCarthy for the 5-mile ride out to Kennicott Mines National Historic Landmark, where you can walk through the historic mine buildings and join a guided tour of the impressive 14-story Concentration Mill. Several hiking trails leave right from Kennicott, including the Root Glacier Trail that takes you to the toe of a glacier. You can hike here independently or join a guided glacier trekking trip where you’ll get to walk across the glacier’s surface. Depending on your level of adventure, there are plenty of other tour options to gain an even better perspective of the park: get impressive aerial views on a flightseeing tour, join a rafting or packrafting trip, or do a fly-out hiking or paddling trip. Overnight again in McCarthy or Kennicott. 

Day 10: Valdez

Make your from McCarthy back to Chitina by car, shuttle, or air taxi. From Chitina, it’s 120 miles of paved highway to the seaside town of Valdez. Leave yourself plenty of time for this drive; you’ll want to stop often and take in the beautiful views, especially on the last 30 miles of road, which include the Worthington Glacier, Keystone Canyon, and two famous roadside waterfalls, Bridal Veil Falls and Horsetail Falls.

Valdez is one of Alaska’s premier destinations for fishing and outdoor recreation, all set against a mountain backdrop that’s earned it the nickname “Little Switzerland.” The area is also rich in history: it figured prominently in the earliest gold rushes, the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake, and is the southern terminus of the Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline. Once you reach town, get your bearings by walking the downtown area and the harbor, and visiting one of their three excellent museums. Overnight in Valdez.

Day 11: Valdez

Take to the calm, protected waters of Prince William Sound on the adventure of your choice. Join a fishing charter to catch a monster-sized halibut or salmon; take a kayaking trip to paddle among the icebergs and see marine wildlife; or take a full-day glacier and wildlife cruise out to the Columbia or Meares Glaciers. Overnight again in Valdez. 

Day 12: Back to Anchorage

Start the 5 ½ hour drive back to Anchorage along the Richardson and Glenn Highways. Once you reach Palmer, consider touring one of the local musk ox or reindeer farms. If you have time once you reach the big city of Anchorage, visit the excellent Anchorage Museum and Alaska Native Heritage Center to learn more about Alaska’s history and Indigenous cultures, or rent a bike or take a walk along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, a paved multi-use trail that stretches from downtown along the Cook Inlet. Enjoy dinner at one of Anchorage’s many restaurants and rest up before you travel home tomorrow after an epic adventure.

Optional Add-On: Denali National Park

Consider detouring between Days 6 and 7 to visit Denali National Park, which is just 150 miles north of Talkeetna. You’ll need to add two nights to this itinerary. On the first day, you’ll have time to embark on a half-day adventure in the area after you arrive, like rafting, ATV tours, or ziplining. Or, spend the afternoon exploring the trails, visitor centers, and the Denali Sled Dog Kennels near the park entrance. On the second day, you’ll take a full-day bus tour into the park’s wilderness. On day three, you can get back on course with your driving adventure.