3. Visit Exit Glacier
60.183844,-149.6472933, map
Exit Glacier is the one accessible space in Kenai Fjords National Park. The spotlight is the hike to Exit Glacier Overlook, a 2.2-mile straightforward path. Now that it’s receded a lot, it’s important to hike farther and farther in. There are markers alongside the best way that present you the yr and the place the glacier was once. Our new good friend from this journey, Valerie, was displaying us images from 2015 and 2022 (proven beneath). It’s sobering to see how a lot the glacier has melted.
We advocate taking the precise fork as you head as much as Exit Glacier Overlook, then stroll in direction of the Outwash Plain on the best way again. We additionally thought-about the Harding Icefield Trail for a way more difficult hike, which is 9.2 miles roundtrip with a 3641 ft elevation change however ended up choosing the shorter hike since we had been restricted on time.
This space is open year-round, however from late October/early November to early May, the street is closed as a consequence of snow. You can nonetheless entry it through snowmobiles, dogsled, snowshoes, fats bikes, or cross-country skis.
Local Tip: As you drive in direction of Exit Glacier, there’s a pull-out on the left of the street positioned right here. Stop by to see what visibility is like. If you’ll be able to’t see the glacier within the distance, then the hike in all probability isn’t value doing both.
Pro Tip: We didn’t run into mosquitos in different spots however noticed a bunch of them and obtained bites up right here. Don’t overlook bug spray, and have this bug chew suction helpful in the event you get a bit. It works finest proper after you get a chew.
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