Chugach National Forest

Introduction

The litany of place names found in the Chugach National Forest reads like an adventurer's honor roll—there's the Kenai Peninsula, where anglers wrestle with 60-pound king salmon; there's Prince William Sound, held in awe by sea kayakers and whale watchers; there are the powder-draped spires of the Chugach Range outside of Valdez, worshipped by fearless skiers and snowboarders; there's even a road, the Seward Highway, that's often singled out as one of the all-time great scenic drives. Read More »

Chugach National Forest Highlights

The 300-foot-tall face of Childs Glacier looms at the end of a 52-mile drive out of Cordova. The road ends at the impassable Million Dollar Bridge, which spanned the mighty Copper River until the 1964 earthquake.
Visit Cordova in early May for the Copper River Delta Shorebird Festival to see hundreds of thousands of migrating birds. Species to watch for include Western Sandpipers, Sanderlings, Dowitchers, Plovers, Canada geese, Trumpeter Swans, Red-necked Phalarope, Northern Pintails, Shovelers, and other waterfowl.
Rent a kayak in Whittier and paddle across Passage Canal to the largest Black-legged Kittiwake rookery in the world. Trace the shoreline to watch for bald eagles, Glaucous-winged Gulls, Cormorants, and other sea birds as well as marine and land animals.
What would an Alaskan road trip be without some time afloat? “Drive” the Alaska Marine Highway ferry route between Whittier and Valdez to see 100 miles of rugged beauty in Prince William Sound.

By Travel Expert: Jeremy Pataky