Byron Glacier Trail Hiking in Portage Valley Near Anchorage: Easy and Beautiful

Often overlooked but a really wonderful place to visit is the Byron Glacier in the Portage Valley near Anchorage. While it might not be grand like when you see the Knik Glacier or when you visit a tidewater glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park, the Byron Glacier trail is a great way to get up close to a glacier and be immersed in the beautiful surroundings on Alaska. I like the Byron Glacier hike because it’s not too difficult and really packs a lot into one hike. If you’re looking for a fun thing to do between Anchorage and Seward, add this hike to your itinerary.

We’ve got the full scoop on hiking at the Byron Glacier trailhead and options for more things to do in the Portage Valley. This part of the Anchorage / Turnagain Arm area is really fun and such an easy addition to your trip. If you have any questions about hiking at Byron Glacier or need more suggestions for things to do in the area, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plan a great time exploring Alaska.

Highlights of the Byron Glacier Trail

What stands out most to me about the Bryon Glacier trail near Anchorage is how easy it is, not just in terms of the trail not gaining too much elevation, but the location of the trailhead, the parking situation, other activities in the area and just overall convenience of visiting. There are other glaciers you can visit from Anchorage, but they take a lot of work or costs quite a bit, like the Matanuska Glacier with its private access or the Knik Glacier and needing an ATV or helicopter to visit. The Byron Glacier is one that you can drive a little over an hour from Anchorage, park in a lot and take your time enjoying the hike to the toe of the glacier. You can pair it with a Portage Glacier Cruise to get double the glacier experience, or you can enjoy the hike to Explorer Glacier from the Trail of Blue Ice.

The Byron Glacier trailhead is on the way to the Portage Glacier Lake shore where you catch the cruise on the boat, the Ptarmigan, to see Portage Glacier, so chances are you’ll be driving this way already. Park your car and head to the trail for an easy walk in the woods. You can take it at your own pace and won’t be huffing and puffing. It’s not a flat trail, but the elevation gain is minimal (only 367 feet to the toe of the glacier). It’s one mile from the Byron Glacier trailhead to the viewing area, and then if you want to continue, that’s up to you. If you are familiar with hiking on glaciers and understand safety on the ice, there is a trail that leads across the snowfield an onto the main Byron Glacier area.

Although it looks like a tame glacier and doesn’t get too steep right away, it’s still a moving mass of ice that’s melting. The meltwater moves under the glacier forming ice caves, so of which you can see and some that are just inches below where you might walk. Proceed with caution and only continue further up Bryon Glacier if you have the skills, experience and fitness to do so.

How Long Does it Take to Hike Byron Glacier?

Everyone hikes at their own speed, but the Byron Glacier hike should take no more than two hours roundtrip. It really depends on your fitness and motivation. If you’re a fast hiker you’ll make it to the viewpoint in 40 minutes, but if you take your time and enjoy the creek and watching for wildlife on the surround cliffs and avalanche chutes, it can take more than an hour to get to the Byron Glacier viewpoint.

One time we did the hike and got up into the snowfield in less than an hour and then realized that we needed to make the next tunnel to Whittier and actually made it all the way back to our car in less than 30 minutes. For a nice mellow visit, plan to take an hour to get to the glacier, a half hour relaxing or exploring around the toe of Byron Glacier, and then an hour back to your car. Pacing yourself so you’re worn out allows for more energy for another hike or walk while you’re in the Portage Valley. There are lots of short hiking stops you can make on your way back to Anchorage too, or Seward, so save some energy for that.

Can You Touch Byron Glacier?

At the end of the mile long trail to Byron Glacier there is a viewpoint with a short stone wall for taking photos and enjoying the setting. Going beyond this is at your own risk and the National Forest Service does not maintain the trail beyond the viewpoint. Having said that, there’s a very clear trail you can follow that leads you onto the ice of Byron Glacier and then once there, there’s another clear trail that crosses the ice field to continue onward. As I mentioned before though, if you’re not familiar with glacier hiking or don’t know about the safety precautions to keep from sliding or falling into a crevasse, it’s best to stay where you know you’ll be okay. Even without going up to the main glacier area, you’ll be able to touch the glacier and slide in the snow and everything. I like the Byron Glaicer because it’s so accessible if you’re up for a short hike.

Ice Caves at Byron Glacier

Ice caves form on glaciers when snowmelt moves across and through the ice, bringing a little heat below the frozen surface, hence melting the underside of the glacier. Ice caves also form here from avalanches in late spring, so they make talus ice caves. Byron Glacier does develop small ice caves near the toe and further up the glacier as the summer progresses, and they’re kind of cool to see. Having said that, I don’t enter, and I don’t let my kids enter, ice caves unless they are large, well established and structurally sound. The Byron Glacier ice caves do not always meet my own safety requirements and I do NOT recommend trying to enter them when you find them, especially if you see other people in them and being loud or irresponsible.

Tip: If you want more secure ice caves, visit the Castner Glacier off the Richardson Highway or paddle at the Valdez Glacier where you can get close safely.

Being Prepared for the Byron Glacier Hike

Depending on how you want to approach the Byron Glaicer hike, you can either show up in your tennis shoes with a waterbottle and hit the trail or you can put on your hiking boots and bring your poles and crampons. Luckily, the trailhead at Byron Glacier is never too far away, so if you change your mind and want to be a little more hardcore, you can easily go back to your car if you have other hiking safety gear. If not though, just be ready with some snacks and water, sturdy shoes and a light jacket (or whatever the weather is dictating). When you get to the glacier, it’s always colder than when you’re hiking. The breeze comes off the ice and it acts like air conditioning, which feels great on a hot summer day. If you do plan on navigating onto the glacier and further up the valley, be sure that you have the right footwear, including ice spikes/crampons. Hiking on a glacier is slippery business (you should’ve seen how slick our Root Glacier hike in Wrangell-St Elias National Park was). Be ready to put on your spikes as soon as you’re in less-traveled territory on the glacier.

For camera gear, you’ll be fine with a simple camera phone if that’s what you like, but if you do bring a big camera, you’ll be happy you did. Watch for mountain goats all around the Portage Valley, and especially on the hike to Byron Glacier. They stay up away from humans, but they’re fun to see and photograph.

Also, keep in mind that all of the Portage Valley, including the creek flowing from Byron Glacier, is bear country. Both brown and black bears are frequently seen in the valley leading up to the glacier, so keep your eyes alert and camera ready in case you see a bear either on the trail or on the valley walls across the creek. If you feel you need to carry it, be sure you know how to use bear spray before bringing in on the trail. Bear safety in Alaska is always something to think about.

Getting to the Byron Glacier Trailhead

The Byron Glacier trailhead is located near the end of the portage valley, just south of the Begich Boggs Visitor Center, nearly to the boat dock for the Portage Glacier Cruises. There is a good sized parking lot, and because the Byron Glacier hike isn’t terribly long, the parking turns over pretty swiftly. If the lot is full, you can carefully park on the road, minding signage where parking is not allowed, or you can do the visitor center or glacier cruise and come back to the Byron Glacier trailhead after. This is such an easy hike and setup that you’ll definitly be able to get to the glacier during your visit.

Where to Stay in Portage / Girdwood / Whittier

If you’re thinking you don’t want to stay in Anchorage to drive down to activities in the Portage Valley, Girdwood or over in Whittier, there are actually lots of places to choose from down here along the Turnagain Arm and up the valley. There are not a ton of hotels, but lots of private rentals. Stays in Whittier are few and far between, so planning to be on the west side of the tunnel is a good idea.