This Alaska Mountain All-American Road Is the Ultimate US Road Trip

If you want a mountain drive, there is no better place than Alaska, with some of the highest and most dramatic mountain views in the country. Sure, it might not be the most accessible of the states, but for now, forget that small detail. This is a drive you have to try at least once.

The Seward Highway in its entirety runs for about 125 miles, connecting Anchorage to Seward. Over time, it has become one of the most important links in the Alaska road system. Nowadays, it is known as an All-American Road because it has everything from alpine city streets to crystal-clear glacier-fed lakes. This variety is exactly why this Alaska Mountain All-American Road earns the title of the ultimate US road trip.

Anchorage

Anchorage sits between the Chugach peaks and Cook Inlet, serving as the official north point for the Seward Highway. The path soon snakes south, clinging to the coastline, but don't just rush out of town. First, you have to spend a little time on 4th Avenue and around downtown.

Grab a table at Snow City Café; the reindeer sausage and eggs are a quick taste of some regional food. Then, go to the Anchorage Museum. It is a huge, immersive look at how the North's art and science have helped define the region. Once you are all done, it is finally time to start the drive. Get on AK-1 South and watch the city fade as the lanes tighten, funneling you straight toward the Turnagain Arm.

Potter Marsh

Keep an eye out for Potter Marsh, about 20 minutes south of Anchorage. It has a 1,550-foot boardwalk through the marsh, so you do not actually have to "hike" per se, but you still get to head out and explore Alaska's nature. It has the usual benches and placards, but the wildlife is the real point of the stop.

Depending on the month, there may be as many as 130 bird species passing through. Make sure to check the cottonwoods for bald eagles. Or look down into the culverts for salmon. If you get lucky, you might even catch sight of a moose wading in the shallows not far off.

Beluga Point

Beluga Point is a quick jump further down the Seward Highway. It is a rocky turnout, looking over Turnagain Arm, where the water really starts to churn. The spot has some of the continent's most powerful tidal surges. Looking down, it can be surprising how fast the mudflats below disappear when the tide rolls back in.

The spot is a great lookout for beluga whales, since they follow salmon right through the narrow stretch. Also, when you are here, remember to check the cliffs behind you for Dall sheep, with their white coats that are easy to spot. Just be ready for the wind; it rips through the gap between the peaks and the inlet. So hold on to your hat!

Bird Point

After you leave Beluga Point behind, heading southwest, a larger turnout beside the Seward Highway brings you to Bird Point. At the overlook, there are signs teaching about the massive tidal bores slamming Turnagain Arm during flood tide, and plenty of people wait for that first wall of water.

True to its name, this is a prime spot to see local birdlife. You can find bald eagles hanging out in the spruce branches or Arctic terns hunting for fish. The way the land sticks out makes it a perfect stop for migratory birds during the summer months. From this stopover, you can also hop on the paved Bird to Gird Trail. It is a multi-use path that traces the old Seward Highway corridor for six miles until you hit Girdwood.

Girdwood

Drive further south and keep an eye out for the Girdwood turnoff beside the highway. You will know you are there when the road suddenly ducks into a valley boxed in by steep, green slopes. Most people come here for the Alyeska Aerial Tram. It is the easiest way to get up the mountain for views of things like hanging glaciers and the Turnagain Arm.

Winter is a popular time to come, with skiing at the Alyeska Resort, but if you are here in the summer, the Winner Creek Trail is the thing to try. It is a cool, shaded walk through spruce and hemlock forest. Maybe you will be feeling hungry by this point, so head to the Double Musky Inn. It is a local treat for a reason, with its Cajun halibut and huge steaks.

Turnagain Pass

After a break in Girdwood, it is time to get moving again. Past Girdwood, you have about a 20-mile uphill drive before hitting Turnagain Pass, which was named during a 1778 search for a shortcut by Captain James Cook. He got stuck in the inlet and simply had to turn around again. Sometimes a name is as simple as that.

Nowadays, the pass is a major location for backcountry routes like Sunburst and Tincan Common. People trek up the hills to ski in the bowls if snow piles up, or wander along the ridges come summer to catch sight of the Kenai Mountains. Even if you are not fired up to jump into the backcountry, the place manages to impress as a remarkable stop right off the highway.

Moose Pass

After you are done at Turnagain Pass, the highway heads into a forested valley where spruce trees jam up against the road and flashes of Kenai Lake sneak through the trees. Moose Pass is right there as a small roadside town, featuring an assortment of old shops and wooden cabins.

In Moose Pass, Trail Lake Lodge Restaurant & Bar provides burgers and fresh seafood for anyone passing through. An energy boost during a road trip is always a good thing, and not too far off, the Summit Lake Lodge Coffee Shop has fresh coffee. After, walk down to the public access area close to the Seward Highway bridge, where anglers cast off into Kenai Lake.

Kenai Lake

Once you get clear of Moose Pass, you will have Kenai Lake right beside the road for miles. Since it is close, you are constantly catching glimpses of the water through the trees. There are pullouts all over the place if you want to get out and wander the rocky banks.

Near Crown Point, the water is a pretty shade of blue from all the fine glacial silt washing down. Usually, by the end of summer, people are lined up along the coast for the salmon. If you want one last hike before the drive south, try the Crown Point Mine Trail, which leads you up above the water to the remains of an old gold mine.

Seward

After hours of driving, the route heads into town and wraps up near the harbor. The town was founded as a railway port, but almost everything had to be rebuilt after the 1964 earthquake. Huge waves from the quake slammed the waterfront, tearing the place apart. These days, boats crowd the harbor, and you are free to stroll right by the docks to see crews hauling in their haul.

The Alaska SeaLife Center is located a few blocks away, where you can check out sea lions as well as seabirds. If you have some time, get out and try one of the Kenai Fjords Tours excursions from the marina. Glaciers collapsing into the water and killer whales are just some of the classic northern sights you have the chance of seeing.

The Seward Highway: The Ultimate US Road Trip

The road finally ends once you cut through to the harbor in Seward. You start the trip in Anchorage by Cook Inlet and finish at the Resurrection Bay docks. The best part is everything in the middle, like the wetlands, the steep mountain faces, and the bright blue of Kenai Lake. That variety is why this All-American Road has the reputation it does. Even if you aren't from the area, write these spots down and then go drive. It’s one of the top routes in the country.