Winter Wildlife and Turnagain Arm Tour from Anchorage

Anchorage•moderate

Difficulty

moderate

Duration

4–4.5 hours

Fitness Level

Moderate fitness for short walks and standing during wildlife viewing; be prepared for cold and wind.

Overview

Drive the Seward Highway into Turnagain Arm for close winter wildlife viewing and glacial scenery. This half-day tour combines a visit to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center with scenic pullouts at Beluga Point and Portage Valley.

Winter Wildlife and Turnagain Arm Tour from Anchorage

Other

Bus Tour

Select participants and date

Date

Thu, Oct 30

Travelers

The gray van idles in front of a low-slung downtown lobby, a small bear decal on its door like a promise: today you’ll trade Anchorage’s city grid for the raw edges of the Kenai foothills. The road unfurls south along the Seward Highway, and within minutes the city frays into a coastline of tidal flats and wind-swept spruce. Turnagain Arm, a narrow inlet with a temper often as changeable as the weather, pins the route between water and mountain — the tide pushes and pulls with a force you can feel from the roadside, and the arm dares you to look closer.

Adventure Photos

Winter Wildlife and Turnagain Arm Tour from Anchorage photo 1

Adventure Tips

Layer for wind and cold

Temperatures and wind off Turnagain Arm can be much colder than in Anchorage—bring a waterproof outer layer and insulated mid-layer.

Bring binoculars and a mid-telephoto lens

Wildlife at the AWCC and along the arm is best observed from distances; optics improve sightings without disturbing animals.

Watch for icy conditions

Winter trails and parking areas can be icy—wear traction devices if you plan to walk around viewing platforms.

Plan for short daylight

Winter daylight is limited in Southcentral Alaska; an earlier tour departure gives you better light for photography and wildlife activity.

Local Insights

Wildlife

Moose
Black bear

History

Turnagain Arm and Portage Valley were sculpted by successive ice ages; Portage Valley once hosted a single sprawling glacier and remnants still feed the region’s waterways.

Conservation

The AWCC rehabilitates injured and orphaned animals and uses interpretation to reduce human-wildlife conflict; visitors are asked to respect distances and follow center rules.