ROAD SORTIES Scenic Roads

Seward Highway

The highway along Turnagain Arm
The highway along Turnagain ArmPhoto: Meghas2 / CC BY 3.0

Seward Highway is an All-American Road in Alaska. Within Alaska it covers roughly 130 miles. The map below shows its route. Use “Plan a drive” to open it in the Road Sorties route planner — already routing along Seward Highway with scenic roads turned on, ready to add your own stops.

The Seward Highway is a designated All-American Road running about 125 miles from Anchorage to Seward, hugging the Turnagain Arm beneath the Chugach Mountains before crossing the Kenai Peninsula. Beluga whales surface in the arm at high tide, Dall sheep cling to the cliffs above the road, and turnouts overlook tidal bores and hanging glaciers. It ends at Seward on Resurrection Bay, gateway to Kenai Fjords.

Designated for its scenic and recreational qualities

Plan a drive on Seward Highway → Drive this route in Road SortiesTurn-by-turn on iPhone · App Store

Places to stop along Seward Highway

  1. Potter Marsh

    A boardwalk over Anchorage's southern marsh, then a trail with views of Turnagain Arm and the Alaska Railroad.

  2. Beluga Point

    A rocky pullout on Turnagain Arm where beluga whales sometimes chase salmon on the incoming tide.

  3. Girdwood

    A ski town in a hanging valley, with an aerial tram up Mount Alyeska and the Crow Creek gold mine for panning.

  4. Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

    A sanctuary at the head of Turnagain Arm where you can see orphaned moose, bears, musk oxen, and wood bison up close.

    Website

  5. Summit Lake

    A mountain lake near the pass where swans rest on migration, with a lodge and trails.

  6. Tern Lake

    A wildlife viewing area where moose, nesting birds, and mountain goats are often seen at the junction with the Sterling Highway.

  7. Alaska SeaLife Center

    Seward's aquarium and marine research center, with close views of puffins, harbor seals, and giant Pacific octopus.

    Website

Where to Stay along Seward Highway

18 campgrounds and RV parks sit within about 5 miles of Seward Highway.

Seward, AKHowling Wolf ResortBook a site →Girdwood, AKBertha Creek CampgroundCheck availability →GIRDWOOD, AKGranite CreekCheck availability →SEWARD, AKPtarmigan CreekCheck availability →SEWARD, AKTenderfoot CreekCheck availability →SEWARD, AKTrail RiverCheck availability →Seward, AKTrail River CabinCheck availability →AKPrimrose CampgroundCheck availability →Hotels & motelsNear GIRDWOOD, AKSearch stays →Renting an RV?Near GIRDWOOD, AKSee RV rentals →Harvest Hosts20% offPark free overnight at farms and wineriesSee membership →

Campsite, lodging, RV rental and membership links are affiliate links — booking through them may earn Road Sorties a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Recreation.gov links are not affiliate links.

Photos of Seward Highway

Mountains reflected in Twentymile River beside the highway bridge
Mountains reflected in Twentymile River beside the highway bridgePhoto: Kolmkolm / CC BY-SA 3.0
A frozen waterfall on the cliffs between Anchorage and Girdwood
A frozen waterfall on the cliffs between Anchorage and GirdwoodPhoto: njwilson23 / CC BY-SA 2.0
The highway through the Kenai Mountains
The highway through the Kenai MountainsPhoto: Kate Mereand from Silver Spring, MD (Washington, DC), United States / CC BY 2.0

What is an All-American Road?

All-American Roads are the top tier of America's National Scenic Byways. To earn the title a road has to be a destination in its own right — offering features so exceptional, across several intrinsic qualities (scenic, natural, historic, cultural, archaeological or recreational), that they can't be found anywhere else.

← All scenic roads in Alaska