Spencer Glacier

Spencer Glacier rises 3,500 feet in a stunning, natural ramp from a lake of royal-blue icebergs in the Chugach National Forest just 60 miles south of Anchorage. This ice-age setting is rugged and primeval—mile-high peaks, sheer headwalls towering over gravel outwash plains, astonishing waterfalls and braided rivers. And yet, the site has been developed into a family-friendly recreation destination featuring camping, hiking, glacier exploration, nature walks, paddling and sightseeing. Maybe best of all: You have to take a train to get there! This exclusive and fun rail trip carries you from Turnagain Arm to the Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop—located about 10 miles up the Placer River Valley from Portage on the Seward Highway. It’s an old-fashioned travel mode, hearkening back to frontier eras. No roads, no trails, no traffic—just you and the romance of the rails. Once you disembark, you are truly off the grid at an adventure outpost in the Alaskan wilderness. The station offers restrooms, information kiosks and some shelter. What you do next may be limited only by your imagination.