Satellite map of Seward Highway

Kenai Peninsula, Alaska · United States

Seward Highway

AK 1AK 9Anchorage to Seward

Distance114.8 mi185 km
Drive time2 h 35 minon the road
DifficultyModeratetightness 4 of 10
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Anchorage to Seward between glacier cliffs and a tidal arm.

The Seward Highway runs south out of Anchorage pinned between the cliffs of the Chugach and the grey tidal sweep of Turnagain Arm, where a bore tide rolls past Beluga Point and Dall sheep graze the rocks at Windy Corner. Over Turnagain Pass it threads the lakes of the Kenai to the fishing harbour at Seward, an All-American Road that packs fjord, forest and mountain into a single afternoon. It is also Alaska’s most notorious head-on corridor, with double fines along the Arm; moose keep dusk interesting, and avalanche control can close the road in winter.

Cliffs on one side, a bore tide on the other, belugas when the salmon run. The great Alaskan drive, twenty minutes from an international airport.

Why we picked it

Scenery

CoastMountainLakes

Best seasons

Summer

In these collections

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In these guides

Where it runs114.8 mi · point to point

AnchorageStart · Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
SewardEnd · Kenai Peninsula, Alaska

Character

Corners60bends
Tightness4of 10
Max gradient6%≈ 1-in-17
Climb2,078 mtotal ascent
Summit431 mhighest point of the line · 1,414 ft

Elevation

under 4%4–8%over 8%0 – 431 m
summit · 431 m corners 0 m200 m400 m 0 mi57 mi115 mi

The strip below the profile is corner density: taller, warmer ticks mean tighter bends.

Points of interest3 stops

  • Beluga PointViewpoint
    7.1 mi in
  • Turnagain PassViewpoint
    48 mi in
  • Tern LakeViewpoint
    79 mi in

Hazards

  • Notorious head-on collision corridor, double fines apply
  • Moose on the carriageway at dawn and dusk
  • Avalanche control closures in winter
  • Heavy RV and tour traffic in summer

Verified route: mapped from real road geometry and fact-checked by a human editor. How roads get checked

Driving the Seward Highway: quick answers

How long does it take to drive the Seward Highway?
Seward Highway runs 114.8 miles (185 km) and takes about 2 h 35 min to drive without stops.
How difficult is the Seward Highway to drive?
We rate it moderate: 60 corners, a maximum gradient of 6%, and a tightness of 4 out of 10.
When is the best time to drive the Seward Highway?
Summer is best.

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