Matanuska Valley, Alaska · United States
Glenn Highway
AK 1Palmer to Glennallen
Palmer to Glennallen past the hanging Matanuska Glacier.
The Glenn Highway tracks the braided Matanuska River east from Palmer, squeezed between the Chugach and Talkeetna ranges, with the four-mile tongue of the Matanuska Glacier filling the windscreen from the bluff-top viewpoint near Mile 101. Past Sheep Mountain the road climbs to Eureka Summit, its 3,322 ft high point, where the Chugach, Talkeetna, Alaska and Wrangell ranges all stand on the horizon at once. A National Scenic Byway with roadhouse-only services for long stretches; watch for moose in the dark months, frost heaves near the summit, and summer resurfacing works.
Scenery
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Glenn Highway on the map136.8 mi · point to point
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Character
Corners
busiest around mile 6Elevation
under 4%4–8%over 8%77.7 – 1,027.8 mFrom the road
Points of interest3 stops
- Matanuska Glacier viewpointViewpoint52 mi in
- Sheep MountainViewpoint64 mi in
- Eureka SummitViewpoint79 mi in
Hazards
- Moose crossings, worst in winter darkness
- Frost heaves and ice near Eureka Summit
- Roadhouse-only services for long stretches
- Summer resurfacing with pilot-car delays
Sources
“Following the braided Matanuska River for over half its length”
“National Scenic Byway (2002)”
Verified route: mapped from real road geometry and fact-checked by a human editor. How roads get checked
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Nearby roads
The closest great drives to Glenn Highway.
