Great Land of Alaska

Bird Point is a rocky point of land sitting at the base of the Chugach Mountains along Turnagain Arm. A rest stop is at this point, as well as several short trails and interpretive signs. The point offers a nice view at the Kenai Mountains on the other side of Turnagain Arm. Beluga whales can often be spotted from this point as they swim up the arm in search of fish.

A portion of the Seward Highway parallels the steep-sided valley that Canyon Creek runs through. Several pulloffs give a spectacular view of this canyon. A rest stop is along the highway where it crosses over the canyon, and several hiking trails are in the area.

The Cooper Landing area of the Kenai Mountains is a very scenic area. Kenai Lake, the Kenai River, and the Kenai Mountains both are readily visible from the highway. Several scenic pull-offs provide many opportunities for sighseeing, picture taking, and fishing.

Explorer Mountain, Explorer Lake, and Explorer Glacier are one of the many spectacular sights along Portage Valley. Many small glaciers are visible clinging to the mountain sides in this valley. Several small lakes and ponds in the valley offer fishing opportunities, and several campgrounds are available.

The Kenai River Valley offers a lot. Scenery, world-class salmon fishing, and wildlife viewing are among the things that attract people from inside and outside of Alaska. The Sterling Highway runs through this valley and the small scenic town of Cooper Landing is situated in the valley. Several flightseeing tours, fishing charters, hotels, and bed & breakfasts are in Cooper Landing. The world-famous Russian River is located in this valley.

Palmer Creek Valley is a valley on the northern side of the Kenai Peninsula, a short drive out of Hope. A dirt and gravel trail leads several miles into the valley.

The Seward Highway and Alaska Railroad, which have been traveling side-by-side form Anchorage, separate near the small town of Girdwood. The highway turns towards the mountains and heads through Turnagain Pass while the railroad takes a lower path through the Placer River Valley. A few breathtaking glaciers in this valley are visible to railroad passengers, and a short raft trip on the Placer River is available.

People fishing at the Russian River and Kenai River confluence have a nice view of Round Mountain on the north side of the river.

Skookum Creek Valley is a wide, scenic valley off to the side of the Placer River Valley. It is a wide valley, carved out by glaciers many thousands of years ago. Skookum Glacier still sits far up in the valley, its melting ice is one of the sources of the small creeks and marshes that cover the valley floor.

Although not quite as high as Turnagain Pass, the Summit Lake area is one of the high points of the Seward Highway. Upper Summit Lake is a scenic lake that parallels the highway for about a mile or so, and Lower Summit Lakes is just a short drive north. A lush, scenic valley floor separates the two lakes. A campground is built on the shores of Upper Summit Lake, and a restaurant and lodge are located at the northern end.

At an elevation of 988 feet (301 meters), Turnagain Pass is the highest point of the Seward Highway. There is a pull-off with a rest area located here. The easily accessible mountain sides attract snowmachiners, skiers, and snowboarders. The steep mountain sides present a constant threat of avalanches during the winter time, and several recreation seekers have been injured or killed by one of these avalanches.

A couple non-specific-area pictures. The first one is a hunting trail located along the western foothills of the Kenai Mountains. The second is a shot taken from a helicopter trip.