What Do People Like to Do, Around Glacier View, Alaska?

A crowd gathers to watch old cars get launched off a 300 foot bluff at Glacier View's 2020 annual 4th of July party.

The 4th of July Car Launch is Glacier View's biggest event of the year. 

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"Glacier View" is the community name for everything that exists between Mileposts 88 and 117 of Alaska's scenic Glenn Highway, respectively. It is a stretch of mountain highway, where there's not completely a "town" but there's more going on than just wilderness. (The stretch below "Glacier View" is "Chickaloon," and the stretch above is "Eureka.")

Glacier View has about 150 year-round residents. Most of the cabins are located on side roads and trails so they cannot be seen from the road. 

Glacier View has a Baptist church, and a K-12 school that had 40 kids enrolled in 2019. Victory Bible Camp is a 400 +acre Christian camping retreat that has operated youth summer camps and other activities at mile 95 Glenn Highway since 1947. The first traveler's lodge to operate in this area was Sheep Mountain Lodge, at Mile 113.5. 

Today, Glacier View has a handful of lodges, restaurants, and campgrounds. There are three glacier hiking guide services, an ATV tour company, a helicopter tour company, and a zipline. NOVA is a river rafting company that has been offering whitewater rafting trips on the Matanuska River since the 1970s. Meekin's Air is the local aircraft charter service and flightseeing guide. 

The main attraction of Glacier View is a great big road accessible glacier, the 26-mile long Matanuska Glacier, which can be seen from the Glenn Highway, and can be accessed via the private Glacier Park Road at mile 102 Glenn Highway. Guided hikes on the Matanuska Glacier are available year-round.

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The hidden secret of Glacier View is miles and miles of fantastic historic trails into the beautiful highcountry of the Talkeetna Mountains. During hunting season, these trails are busy with ATVs. In winter, the community maintains a groomed ski trail route. 

Glacier View is a photogenic, serene place - surrounded by mountains and perfect for outdoor adventure, quiet solitude, and introspection. Hiking and backpacking options abound, and many of the trails are good enough for mountain biking, too. There are scenic vistas everywhere you look, along with abundant wildlife, and a bountiful harvest of blueberries in late summer, and cranberries in the fall. It is also a unique area for fossil hunting and rock-hounding. 

Come prepared to have a picnic or eat at one of our local lodges. One thing Glacier View does not have (yet) is any shopping opportunities, other than summer restaurants and lodges. Take a short drive to a nearby lodge for dinner and be astounded by the stunning photo opportunities you'll discover on the way.

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LOCAL TOUR OPERATORS

MICA Guides - Glacier Hiking, Ice Climbing, Zipline, ATV Tours, Helicopter Tours

Matanuska Glacier Adventures - Year-round guided glacier hikes and glacier access 

NOVA Guides - River rafting and private glacier tours 

Meekin's Air Service - Aircraft charter service and flight-seeing tours

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LOCAL RESTAURANTS

Long Rifle Lodge -Authentic Alaskan restaurant and bar with a beautiful glacier view,

     Mile 102 Glenn Highway, open year-round

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MICA Mocha - Summer Espresso and Ice Cream Stand at Mile 102.5 Glenn Highway

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Eureka Lodge - Alaskan Roadhouse and Bar, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, near Eureka Summit

     Mile 128 Glenn Highway, open year-round

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Sheep Mountain Lodge - Historic Alaskan Lodge serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, espresso and baked goods

     Mile 113.5 Glenn Highway, open May 15 - September 15

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Grand View Cafe - Cafe, pizza, espresso, and baked goods. Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner

     Mile 109.7 Glenn Highway, open May 15 - September 7

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LOCAL TRAILS

Weiner Lake - Mile 88 Glenn Highway - a playground for fishing, hiking, bouldering, and rock-climbing.

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Purinton Creek Trail - Mile 89-90 Glenn Highway - a foot-trail starts at the bridge at mile 89, 

                                                                                    the main ATV trailhead is at Mile 90

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Hick's Creek Trailhead - Mile 96 Glenn Highway, part of the Knik-Chickaloon-Nelchina-Trail Network

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Pinochle  Trail - 12-mile ATV trail, part of the Knik-Chickaloon-Nelchina Trail Network,

     Trailhead is off Pinochle Lane, turn on Pinochle Lane at Mile 99.5 Glenn Highway

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Matanuska State Recreation Site - Mile 101 Glenn Highway - short interpretive trails with signs

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Stone Lady (Lion's Head) - Mile 105 Glenn Highway - a 2.1 mile scramble to a viewpoint overlooking the glacier