Connects: Anchorage to Seward, AK
Route#: Alaska 1 and 9
Length: 127 miles
Road Surface: Paved
Season: Open all year
Highest Pass: Turnagain Pass, elev. 1,015 feet
Map (1 detailed pdf file available):
Anchorage, AK to Seward, AK

The Seward Highway connects Anchorage with Seward (driving time about 3 hours), crossing onto the Kenai Peninsula about 52 miles south of Anchorage.

seward highway
The Seward Highway winds down along Turnagain Arm. (Sharon Nault)

Designated a National Forest Scenic Byway, All-American Road and Alaska Scenic Byway, the Seward Highway follows Turnagain Arm through Chugach State Park and Chugach National Forest, and offers spectacular views of the glaciated Kenai Mountains.

The Seward Highway provides access to: Girdwood, Alaska and Alyeska (ski) Resort via the Alyeska Highway; Whittier and Portage Glacier via the Whittier/Portage Road; Hope, Alaska via the Hope Highway; and Exit Glacier/Kenai Fjords National Park recreation via Herman Leirer Road. The Seward Highway also junctions with the Sterling Highway to Homer, Alaska.

The first 9 miles of the highway are referred to as the “New” Seward Highway, a major Anchorage thoroughfare (4-lane divided freeway) connecting South Anchorage with downtown. South of Anchorage, the Seward Highway is a paved, 2-lane highway with frequent passing lanes and slow vehicle turnouts.

Communities

   

The MILEPOST® Quick Reference Log
Miles from Anchorage (A) and from Seward (S) are shown. Physical mileposts reflect distance from Seward.

A 0 S 127 Downtown ANCHORAGE; all services.
A 9.4 S 117.6 Turn off to east for Potter Marsh (Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge); bird watching via boardwalk built above the marsh.

Potter Marsh, bordering the Seward Highway from Milepost 115 to 117, is a very popular spot for bird watching. (Serine Reeves)

A 11.8 S 115.2 Turn off at second entrance southbound for Chugach State Park Headquarters parking. Park passes, maps and information, weekdays 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
A 11.9 S 115.1 Potter Creek Viewpoint and Trail, also access to the Turnagain Arm Trail.
A 15.1 S 111.9 McHugh Creek Picnic Area with trailhead parking. Three tiers of parking, great views from top lot.
A 16.7 S 110.3 Beluga Point scenic viewpoint.
A 23 S 104 Indian Valley Mine National Historic Site.
A 23.1 S 103.9 Indian Valley Meats and B&B 0.4 mile east via Indian Road.
A 23.8 S 103.2 Turnagain Arm Pit BBQ.
A 23.9 S 103.1 Indian Creek parking and rest area, information boards, telescope. Entry to 3-mile-long Indian to Bird bike trail.

A 25.4 S 101.6 Bird Creek access and parking.
A 25.7 S 101.3 Chugach State Park parking, day-use and parking lot- style camping.
A 26.2 S 100.8 Essential 1 Gas Station (gas, diesel, groceries) to east; 907-653-1144. Turn off to west on short access road for Bird Creek Campground and Day-Use Area. Access to 13.3-mile Bird to Gird bike path from day-use area.
A 30.5 S 96.5 Bird Point Scenic Overlook rest area to west; telescopes, information boards, sheltered, wheelchair-friendly viewpoint and walkway. Access to Bird to Gird bike trail.
A 31.7 S 95.3 Double-ended scenic turnout overlooking Turnagain Arm, one of several along here; Gold Rush Centennial signs.
A 37 S 90 Junction with Alyeska Highway; gas station/convenience store and shops. The 3-mile Alyeska Highway provides access to GIRDWOODwhich has lodging, dining, and other services; to historic Crow Creek Mine; Chugach Adventures; and to Alyeska Resort, which features hiking and camping in summer, skiing in winter, and year-round accommodations at their hotel (pictured below). The Alyeska Aerial Tramway operates year-round, taking visitors from the hotel level to the 2,300-foot level of Mount Alyeska, where there is a mountaintop complex featuring fine dining and casual dining.

Alyeska Resort offers hiking and camping in summer, skiing in winter, and year-round accommodations at their hotel.

A 46.7 S 80.3 Alaska Railroad and Kenai Peninsula Information Center, 907-783-3001 Memorial Day to Labor Day).
A 48 S 79
 Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center; non-profit wildlife refuge offers close-up looks at various Alaska mammals and birds. Gift shop.
A 48.1 S 78.9 Junction with Whittier/Portage Glacier Access Road which leads 3.7 miles to Black Bear USFS Campground; 4.3 miles to Williwaw USFS Campground; 5.2 miles to Begich, Boggs Visitor Center on Portage Lake and access to Gray Line of Alaska Portage Glacier Cruise; and 11.4 miles to WHITTIER, a port for the Alaska Marine Highway ferry, charter boats, cruise tours and cruise ship traffic on Prince William Sound. Phillips 26 Glacier Cruise and Epic Charters offer tours out of Whittier. The Whittier Access Road transits Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, the longest highway tunnel and longest combined highway/railroad tunnel in North America at 13,200 feet in length; toll booth for eastbound traffic only at Mile 6.7 on access road. Whittier offers camping, lodging, dining, museums and day cruises of Prince William Sound.
A 58.5 S 68.5 Turnagain Pass Recreation Area, elev. 1,015 feet; parking, restrooms. Favorite winter recreation area for snowmachiners.
A 61.6 S 65.4 Bertha Creek USFS Campground.
A 63.3 S 63.7 Johnson Pass USFS trailhead (north entrance, south entrance is at A 94.4).
A 64.4 S 62.6 Granite Creek USFS Campground.
A 70.7 S 56.3 Hope Cutoff: Junction with Hope Highway, which leads 16.5 miles to the community of HOPE on Turnagain Arm; lodging  at Hope’s Hideaway; food and espresso shops, including Turnagain Kayak & Coffeehouse. Camping at Porcupine USFS Campground at end of Hope Highway (Mile 17.8). Gull Rock hiking trail at Mile 17.7. Nova River Runners at Mile 0.1 offers whitewater river rafting on Six-Mile Creek. Angle 45 Adventures at Mile 8.1 offers driftboat and hike-in fishing and cabin rentals.
A 81 S 46 Tenderfoot Creek USFS Campground.
A 81.2 S 45.8 Summit Lake Lodge; food, lodging (closed winters).
A 87.5 S 39.5 Devils Creek USFS trailhead.
A 88.6 S 38.4 Paved double-ended turnout to west overlooking Jerome Lake.
A 89.3 S 37.7 Southbound-only exit west to Sterling Highway.

Tern Lake wildlife viewing area at the junction of the Sterling and Seward highways.

A 90 S 90 Tern Lake JunctionJunction with Sterling Highway which leads west to Soldotna/Kenai then south to Homer. Access to Tern Lake wildlife viewing area parking, just west of junction (pictured above).
A 91.3 S 35.7 Crazy Moose Studios fine art gallery.
A 93.9 S 33.1 Carter Lake USFS trailhead.
A 94.9 S 32.1 Trail Lake Fish Hatchery.

Trail Lakes Fish Hatchery on Moose Creek rears sockeye and coho salmon. The facility offers self-guided visitor center exhibits, as well as guided tours upon request. (Serine Reeves)

A 97.6 S 29.4 Trail Lake Lodge; lodging and restaurant, adventure packages.
A 97.7 S 29.3 MOOSE PASS (pop. 226) food, lodging. Crafts, souvenirs, huge and coffee at Moose Drop-in Trading Post.
A 102.8 S 24.2 Trail River USFS Campground.
A 103.9 S 23.1 Ptarmigan Creek USFS Campground and Ptarmigan Creek USFS trailhead
A 107.4 S 19.6 Renfro’s Lakeside Retreat; lodging and full hook-up RV camping on Kenai Lake.
A 110.1 S 16.9 Primrose USFS Campground and Primrose USFS trailhead.
A 113.8 S 13.2 Grayling Lake USFS trailhead.
A 120 S 7 Irvin Pottery, handcrafted stoneware.
A 120.7 S 6.3 Stoney Creek Avenue to Stoney Creek RV Park.
A 121.8 S 5.2 Lost Lake USFS trailhead (go into subdivision, left on Heather Lee Lane, right on Hayden Berlin Road).
A 123.3 S 3.7 Junction with Herman Leirer/Exit Glacier Road which leads 8.4 miles to Exit Glacier (pictured below) in Kenai Fjords National Park. Access to Seavey’s IdidaRide Sled Dog Tours.

Exit Glacier is a major attraction near Seward, Alaska.

A 123.8 S 3.2 Turn on Nash Road for camping at Mile 5.1, muni-owned Spring Creek Campground.
A 124.5 S 2.5 Hemlock Avenue to Forest Acres Municipal Campground.
A 124.7 S 2.3 Private RV Park for military.
A 125 S 2 Seward Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center, open daily Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, weekdays the rest of the year.
A 125.3 S 1.7 Essential 1 gas station with diesel phone 907-224-8041.
A 125.7 S 1.3 Benny Benson (Alaska flag design creator) Memorial Park.
A 125.9 S 1.1 South Harbor Street; lodging, restaurants, harbor and access to Kenai Fjords National Park Visitor Center.
A 127 S 0 SEWARD; all services.