Matanuska Glacier Reviews

I went with a friend of a friend who was a guide so we got a little preferential treatment. We strapped on some cramp-ons and explored the glacier just by walking around. You get a great view an amazing experience.

The drive out to Matanuska Glacier is so beautiful. It's hard to drive and look the same time so just take your time. If there is a pull off - pull off!!!!! The views are stunning. You do have to pay to go to the glacier because the road is on private property and they take care of the road. $25 per person. It is soooooo worth the price. We pay $25 for a movie and popcorn don't we? And this is waaaayyy better than any movie. If possible bring ice cleats and if you have ski poles that is helpful also. It's a little messy at first to get out but just keep going. You do have to watch what you are doing but it is crazy good. There is a hidden lake further in so if you can take your time and enjoy the moment keep going cause it's so worth it. It's a goose bump moment when you see it. The crevices are way cool and you can see some streams coming out of the glacier. We drank from one of them so we got the purest form of water. So worth the money and time.

Best excursion we did in our two weeks in Alaska! Chris was our guide in mid-May 2023 and he was the best! We were part of a group of approx 15 adults (via 907 Tours). Different levels of hiking experience. I was a little concerned at first as it was clear some hikers had never really done much/if any outdoor hiking (easy to spot with poor footwear choices). While good for them getting out, I did not want our trip to be less because of inexperience of others. While we never hiked a glacier before, we were definitely more outdoorsy than a few of the others. But Chris made sure everyone got to legit hike the glacier and moved at a great pace. When he would stop to let others catch up, so we all stayed together, it simply gave us time to take gobs of photos! This place is amazing and with Chris as your guide, you will have the best day ever in Alaska! He always put safety first and yet also made sure everyone got to throughly enjoy their day at the glacier! Ask for Chris!

My wife and I along with our children ages 22-17 toured this glacier using Will from Mica Guides. The glacier was Beautiful. The portion of the glacier immediately adjacent the parking lot is covered in rocks and black/gray dust. But if you chipped through the surface, the ice is just a half inch or so beneath your feet. And, if you walk approximately a quarter mile, you get to the white ice, along with stunning patches of blue ice and a pond formed from the glacial melt. While you can certainly walk onto the glacier yourself without a guide, I highly recommend a guide. If you want to walk on the white ice, it is extremely slippery as is the black ice immediately adjacent to white ice. Crampons and a helmet are extremely useful. Also, once you get up into the glacier, it is easy to get lost when you are surrounded by white icy hills that all look the same. An experienced guide can tell you where to go, help you avoid deep crevasses that are too large to cross, and most importantly help you find your way back at the end of the day. This was a visit of a lifetime.

It was during a filming we were doing in the area of Anchorage. Locals insist we have to visit! Well the hole area is a life time trip. You feel like nature allows you to see its really beauty on its large! You feel like a a small pin in a large master peace with colors and shapes you can not describe! Definitely worth a trip. Easy access beautiful drive! Dress warm and confutable

On 7/23/23 my friend and I went on the glacier tours. This was one of the best experiences because we actually got to walk on the glacier, and the company provided Ice Spikes (did not know that was a thing) for safety. Our tour guide Laina, was the best! She was very knowledgeable about the glacier and the effects the glacier has on the land around it. Laina made sure that we were safe and ensured that we had the best experience by taking us to all of the optimal spots on the glacier. She took us to a peak of the glacier and showed us a pseudo-cave. Plus, we got to drink fresh glacier water (the freshest water ever)! Overall, this was one of the best experiences with one of the best guides!

A 1.5 miles down a dirt road takes you to the access site. Here you are expected to pay $30 pp just in order to get closer to the glacier. The fee covers a self guided tour (you walk on your own). The other option is a guided tour for the reasonable price of $100. In the last 7 days we visited 3 glaciers completely for free. Turns out the land is a private property and the very generous owner allows commoners in for just 30 bucks, thank you very much! There is plenty of glaciers in the Anchorage area and you don't have to pay a cent to see them. GO SOMEWHERE ELSE

A short drive from Anchorage. You can dive right up to the glacier after stopping at the visitor center. I walked around for a few hours.

I don't have much to say about this place except that it is absolutely beautiful. Maybe I'm not very traveled, but the mountains are amazing and I have never seen them like this before...and the snow! It made it so much more beautiful. This is a must see in Alaska!

Great way to explore this beautiful glacier!

We are not "fitness" people and were still able to do the whole trek just fine. It was so cool we didn't even get tired. I would totally recommend it :)

We passed by cravesses, walked on the glacier (it goes really high!), got inside an ice cave and also took a close look into a hole made by melted snow, it was over 30 meters (100 feet) deep. Hanging by a rope. It was INCREDIBLE!!

Our guide knew a lot about the glacier and Alaska, he would go off the regular path to show us cool formations or the best places for a photo. It was great! We were sad when it was over... Didn't even see the time go by!

You can pay around 25 dollars to walk to the glacier. It's just by the road and really easy to access. But you do need crampons to walk on the ice. I wouldn't feel safe walking without a guide either, the snow can accumulate over a deep hole or abysm and hide it... So when you step on it, you fall in. It's best to have someone who knows the glacier with you. It's pretty big too!

We were happy we chose this tour instead of going by ourselves or doing the ice climbing tour. This one allows you to go more places instead of practicing for ages at the same wall! You don't need skills to do the Advanced Trek and you will get high on the glacier. We loved it.

Do it!

Place is very cool and a very unique experience. My only problem is with paying a privately owned family business to access the glacier. At $25-$30 per person for in state and out of state residents respectively, it’s a bit of a rip off. Overall it made for a cool day trip from Anchorage. I just have a major personal issue with a family business charging and profiting from allowing people to access a glacier. How can anyone own or control access to a glacier. If this was managed by park service it would be five stars.

My wife and I visited here recently while driving through on our way to Seward. When my wife originally recommended that we check it out she wanted to take a guided tour but time didn't allow. We therefore decided to see what we could see on our own.

As we drove down the private drive I got increasingly skeptical. The access road and bridges are very sketchy and appear as if no one has ever performed any type of maintenance on them ever! Then when we got to a private gate we had to go in to the nearby office to pay for access and sign waivers. It was at this point that I started to lose interest and get cranky with the whole idea. This had tourist trap written all over it! After driving down their muddy private road a ways further we finally got to the parking lot where we put on our boots, rain jackets and struck out for the glacier. Luckily we began walking in right when a guided tour entered at the same time so we were able to overhear him telling them cautionary and interesting facts about the glacier.

As we began walking on the glacier we pretty much stuck to the "limited" access route that was marked by orange cones and only took us to the outer, flatter surfaces of the glacier. Honestly being without a guide, that was good enough for me because with every step it started to dawn on me what we were actually standing on. An honest to God, living and moving glacier that squeaked, moaned and popped all around us as it continuously churned down the valley. This thing is no joke! I was fascinated, gitty yet apprehensive all at the same time but so glad that my wife found this option for us.

We decided to venture a little further past the point of where we were supposed to stop since we saw a bunch of other people doing the same thing. As we did, we did so in awe and out of complete respect to this massive being. We were very cognoscente of the fact that large cracks and seemingly bottomless crevasses surrounded us. We were having a great time taking pictures, looking at the blue ice under our feet and just taking it all in when suddenly and without warning a large section of ice not too far away shifted along a crevasse and settled about 1' making a terrifying sound and vibration. There was a group of people standing right next to that crevasse who all screamed when it happened and I admit it startled the heck out of us too! Now I understood what the waivers were all about! After a few more pictures we decided it was time to go.

Very, very glad we went but not sure what the expensive price of admission was for. They obviously perform no maintenance or perform any service of any kind. I can't imagine that the port-a-potty's cost them that much. Oh well, if we're ever in this area again I'd go again and will pay for a guided tour too! We were just out of our element and walking on something that we didn't completely understand.

We took a guided walking tour to the glacier and it was wonderful.
The guide explained us about the glaciers, ensure we put out feet in safe places and was very patient with us while we took photos.
Seeing the glacier from far was so different from actually walking on it. I loved it.
i would recommend taking a guide with you if you are not familiar with the glaciers. I certainly wouldnt know which is a safe surface and which is not.
Certainly take a hike on this glacier, it is a beauty

We took the tour with Salmon Berry Tours arranged through Alaska Tour and Travel. We were picked up and warmly greeted by our lead guide named Joan who followed fantastic COVID protocols including taking our temperatures and requiring the 6 other participants to all wear masks while in transit. The van was a newer model and very comfortable. She and our other guide Josh wore a mask as well, even while speaking using a microphone. This was a great first step which showed the focus, care and safety the tour operator demonstrated throughout the day. Both Joan and her teammate Josh were fantastic in engaging the guests and are very knowledgeable about the history of the region, the glacier and environmental science. Joan has a great varied background including work with the National Park and is a great hiker and outdoor enthusiast. Josh is studying geology and has ascended Mt. Denali to various elevations and provided great insight throughout the trip. My wife and I are experienced hikers and the trip was a pleasant walk with fantastic weather and camaraderie throughout the day. We had an elder gentleman who the guides took special care with during the trip who. He could not safely make it all the way and Josh stayed with him while we completed the tour. This is another testament to the care and safety the guides exhibited during our excursion. The guides even provided loaned foot wear for those who didn’t have the right footwear.
The tour ended with a great lunch at a beautiful overlook on the glacier. We had a great deal of fun, met some great guests and were treated to a fantastic time by our guides Joan and Josh. Don’t look anywhere else for a guided trip to the glacier. This tour provider will not disappoint you.

The tour guides even provide loaned boots for those who didn’t have the right footwear.

I got there at 8, which is admittedly pretty late and it's reasonable they would be closed. Actually you can get in until 8:30 and out by 9. So I didn't waste my money.

I would not begrudge any business owner for closing at 9pm, but I wish they had posted either hours or a phone number anywhere online so that I could have planned to arrive by ~6pm.

We went in Dec 2019 to visit our AF son. Loved the whole experience. Be careful on that last hairpin curve in the winter. Totalled our rental when we hit an icy patch. We did get pulled out by a Glacier Employee and his truck. Don't think we were the first to lose it on that spot. Went on up to the shack and went on tour. You ride a sled train pulled by a snowmobile so the wind can be pretty chilly. The noise from the snowmobile can wear on you so it you think that might be an issue, bring ear plugs. be prepared to walk and walk some more but it is so beautiful that it's not really noticeable. There are plenty of photo ops in ice crevices and caves, minimal climbing. You are provided with crampons to put on your shoes and they are a life saver walking on the ice and snow. The ice formations were mindblowing and the guide was super knowledgable and i'm sure appreciates genuine interest in the site. If i'm not mistaken, I believe it is privately owned or was at one time. It's been a few years so not sure about that. After the tour, we cut the blown airbag material off and threw the front bumper in the dumpster and headed back to the nearest Enterprise Car Rental office to get a new vehicle.

I've been to multiple countries and almost all 50 states and was blown away by this view. Maybe for Alaskan natives it's part of the daily scenery, but to me it was jaw dropping! Go see this.

Our experience was truly amazing. Our guides, Maya and Chloe, did an amazing job. We learned a lot, we were comfortable with what we did, and felt safe the whole time. Our ages ranged from 8, 10, 38, 40, 62, and 72. They .are sure all levels of ability were take. Into account, and none from our party left disappointed. I simply cannot recommend this enough.

We did the self-guided tour of Matanuska Glacier, and it was fantastic! I had this on my "hope to do" list--I didn't think we would have time on our long drive from Fairbanks to Palmer--I'm so glad we got to do it!

Keep your eyes open for the turn-off on the Glenn Highway. It is a steep and curvy drive down the private road to the ticket office. Yes, this is private property, not a state or federal park. Like many other reviewers, the price seemed high, but it can't be cheap to maintain the access roads and keep the trails marked and maintained as well.

After buying your tickets, you will gain access to another private road to the parking lot near the foot of the glacier. There is a marked trail from there across the rocky and icy moraine. For the wet and muddy areas, there are plank walkways and bridges. Footing can be tricky, so be careful. The trail takes you over and around the crevices to the blue pool at the face of the glacier. It is really cool! We took a ton of pictures! You can also take guided tours over the glacier itself.

I highly recommend a visit to the Matanuska Glacier.

What an amazing experience. Hiking the glacier was all I expected and more. The sheer beauty and majesty of the glacier and its surroundings was incredible. I would highly recommend hiking the Matanuska Glacier.

Our guide is Hannah, who is quite helpful and looks like a Hollywood star. She brought us to some high points (where other groups didn't go) to view the Glacier which is GORGEOUS!!

This is our first stop in AK, and this is really wonderful!

After viewing many glaciers in Alaska from afar, it was wonderul to walk around on one. You can drive right up to the gate owner and pay your entry fee and then drive on in to the glacier parking lot. We had a guide, but I wouldn't pay for one again. It was very expensive and I'm not sure it was necessary. There were many without a guide. The common areas for walking were pretty apparent, so safety did not seem much of a factor short of slipping on ice. Many folks were out there in there tennis shoes, but spikes would be helpful. As I said the paths are well-worn and as long as you stay on those you'll be fine. If anything the people without a guide got to go out farther on the glacier than our guide would allow us. We booked a guide thinking we would get to do more, not less. Also, I wouldn't call this a hike. It's more of a walk. You don't go out very far. It is however pretty neat to walk along the face of a beautiful glacier. The drive out there from Palmer/Wasilla is beautiful and worth the trip in an of itself.

Booked through Mica tours. Our guide Lizzy took just our family on a 3 hour hike on the glacier. I highly recommend using a guide as they provide the gear to ensure a safe hike. She was full of great facts and made the time fly by.

Do not miss this experience. See glaciers from far and up close, all over. But get out and walk this one. You can hear it groaning, watch it change and whistle, feel the cool wind of the glacier air. Nothing like it!

We were disappointed to find out that you can’t hike unguided anymore so we opted to do the group walk. The plus was that they provided crampons. You aren’t able to go very far with the group and because there were little kids we didn’t get very far on the glacier. The guide was kind and booking the group tour was easy.

far too windy on the cone trail, we nearly died. instead, we vere'd right and followed an unmarked trail and enjoy it tremendously!

The top two things my husband and I had on our Alaska "must do" list were to go on a glacier hike and see a moose. We booked a guided trek via Matanuska Glacier Adventures accessible from S Glacier Park Road at mile 102 on north Glenn Highway (highway 1) from Anchorage. Follow the Matanuska Glacier acess signs. The nearby park does not have glacier access.

The tour fee included equipment, and we found the microspikes for our shoes made it easy to get up to higher and steeper locations that were most likely inaccessible with just our hiking boots. Our guide, Hannah, was fun and very knowledgeable and showed us beautiful views, interesting formations, and dangers to watch for in the ice. I strongly recommend a tour for first time ice hikers. How else are you going to know that a "puddle" can actually be 10 feet deep or how to identify slippery black ice from simple mud?

Some tips...go to the website for helpful directions and call ahead for availability. They can advise you when smaller groups are scheduled there...smaller groups have more flexibility. Get there about a half hour early. You need to pay at the gift shop 1 mile in and then drive another 2 miles to the equipment cabin. There you meet your guide and get a helmet, walking stick, and ice spikes fitted for your shoes.

This was the ONLY company still giving tours after September 15, but I would book with them again. Truly a great time!

Now off to find that moose...

We were on the fence about whether to do the $100 guided tour or not that's right there on the property. I 100% recommend this over unguided. Andrew was our guide and he was unbelievable. He had so much knowledge about the glacier and took us to so many places you would not be able to access going unguided. They provided us with helmets and ice picks for our shoes to easily navigate the icy spots. It took about 2 hours from start to finish and was absolutely worth every penny.

I was scared at first signing up for a glacier hike, but the tour guide (Petra) was so informative and walked slowly so that everyone was comfortable and could do it with no problems. It's a private glacier so you have to pay to get on the property, but if you do the hike, that fee is included. The glacier is melting and certain parts may be inaccessible in the future, so see it while you can.

The highlight of our trip! I highly recommend doing the guided tour - $100/person - so you can learn a little bit about the glacier, but also because they will keep you SAFE. I can't stress enough that the glacier is dangerous, and if you step in the wrong place, you will die. So if you've never hiked a glacier before, and you don't understand fully what a crevasse looks like (you don't, trust me), take the guided tour. It was an incredible experience, and wearing the ice cleats/crampons was SO much fun. Yes, the private property thing is goofy - the guy at the top of the hill has "dangerous road, do not continue" signs everywhere (but it's not, just keep going) and then the guy at the bottom gets to charge you to drive up there (but also runs the tours), but we asked our B&B host the story there and she told us the whole long detailed story and we found it interesting! So who cares, even if you have to pay the $25 (but again, i recommend the $100!) it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience!!

Amazing team. Super friendly, knowledgeable, wanting to ensure everyone has a great experience. The glacier itself is stunning

I am still not sure how a natural glacier and its access can be a private property. But I am not complaining. For $25 a head, the fun of walking up to the glacier and climbing on it as long and as far as you can, it is completely worth it! With regular shoes, you can still climb a good distance on the glacier to get great photos. With spikey shoes, you can go up even further.

My wife and I marvelled at this glacier, located off the Glenn Highway, during our journey from Anchorage to Valdez as part of our escorted ‘Natural Wonders of Alaska’ tour with Titan Travel. The glacier, located about 102 miles north east from Anchorage, is within the Chugach mountain range of South Central Alaska. Our motor coach stopped at one of the laybys within the Matanuska Glacier State Recreation Area which offered rest areas and a number of interpretation panels full of useful information about the glacier and the surrounding landscape. We were fortunate to be visiting on a sunny clear day and the views from our excellent vantage point of this valley glacier and the towering mountains were spectacular. Our tour manager informed us that this is the largest glacier in Alaska that can be reached by vehicle and is approximately 26 miles long and 4 miles wide at its terminus. The interpretation panels explained in detail the characteristics of a valley glacier being a mass of solid ice flowing like a river under its own weight through an existing valley. This glacier is a classified as a 'weather hole', as the cold air from the glacier forces warm air upwards towards the mountains, resulting in sunny skies and more favourable weather than the surrounding area. It was so warm at the time of our visit that I enjoyed the views in a polo shirt, shorts and sandals!

There are trails that will take visitors on to the glacier to explore sections of this solid mass of ice. The interpretation panels advised those wanting to experience the glacier up-close to visit the Matanuska Glacier Park. It's a privately owned park and is apparently the only access point that allows visitors to reach the glacier on payment of an entrance fee to drive and park near the glacier followed by about a fifteen minutes walk to reach the glacier itself. Our tour itinerary offered us only a short stop to marvel at the views and to take photographs. Should I be fortunate to return to Alaska and to the Matanuska Glacier, I would certainly plan to visit Matanuska Glacier Park and take the option to walk on to the glacier to explore this spectacular natural wonder. I would use one of the several local guide companies to have use of the appropriate gear and their expertise to explore some of the glacier’s hidden places. It's certainly well worth stopping to enjoy the wonderful views of this massive glacier and the surrounding mountain peaks. Should you be fortunate to be visiting on a sunny clear day, then like us, you'll have some amazing memories (and photographs) from your visit!

We were driving from Anchorage to Delta Junction and decided to stop at the Matanuska Glacier State Recreational site. There was a good overview on the displays and a nice distance view of the glacier. We opted not to pay to hike up to the glacier as we were going to see others later in our trip but it was still a good place to stretch our legs and view a glacier.

If you are looking for day trips out of Anchorage there are better ones than this. The drive from Anchorage is over 100 miles each way through a canyon on mostly a narrow, winding two lane road - couldn't even fathom doing it in winter conditions (but the locals have no problem). While the views can be quite dramatic the reward of seeing this glacier, or even walking on it, really wasn't worth it for us. We wish we'd spent the day differently.

We stumbled upon this adventure while driving down the highway to another destination. Since we had time we stopped and did the self guided hike up the glacier. It was a fun hike with the added benefit of being the family's first glacier. We had no issues with the self guided nature of it and there was sufficient signage to prevent going into unsafe areas. This is not a heavily structured hiking path with 'turn left, turn right' signs so if you need that type of setup I suggest going elsewhere.

We were getting double minded on whether to take a guided tour, but in the end decided on doing it, and I am so glad we did. There was no way we could have gone all the way without a tour guide. We had our 7 year old son with us, so we had to get a private tour. Well worth the money. This was the first glacier hike we were doing, and we were not disappointed.
You could see the glacier from the highway, or you could park and come a little closer...but the real fun is when you do the full glacier hike. Highly recommend!
We used Mica Guides, and their service was awesome!

Make sure you drive to mile 102 (after the main entrance to the park viewing area), turn off the hwy and drive for a few minutes until you reach a small store. This is where you pay your entry fee of $25/person. I know - high, but worth it! Then you can drive couple miles and park your car. Wear comfortable shoes - in a lot of places you will be walking on ice. We didn't buy tours/gear. But still climbed right on the glacier. Incredible experience! Loved it.

We turned off the highway down a bumpy road convinced that we were on the wrong road. Eventually we arrived at the bottom to find a barrier and a small shop. When I asked about the price I thought that it was steep at $25 each. We also had to sign waivers. We drove down another dirt track, over a rickety bridge and into a carpark near the glacier.

From there you were directed to follow the cones - which were somewhat haphazardly laid out. To start it was a bit muddly, but very soon we were were on ice covered stones. If you have YakTrax or something similar to put over your shoes you will find this helpful. Before long we were on the glacier.
This was an amazing place. Pretty cold (as you would imagine) but so blue and pretty.

Just before we left, we use the portapotties in the carpark - something that I approached with trepidation - however they were spotless and smelled good. So have no fear if you need to use the facilities!

Wow, this is such a great opportunity to be able to walk out on the glacier and experience it up close and in person. The terrain is rugged and hard to manage at times, but with the aid of cramp-ons and hiking poles you can plug right along and get pretty far out. The wonders and beauty of being there in person are so worth the trip!

#salmonberrytours
Our tour guide Christie was amazing. Driving the van like a snow-machine, good knowledge about in glacier behavior and a pro at guest management.
Thanks to Christie and Salmon Berry Tours.

I’ve done a couple of other glacier hikes in the past. I went with MICA guides and had a blast! There are a lot of interesting formations. Our guide said the glacier changes shape every day so it’s always metamorphosing!

The glacier was very pretty on a sunny day. The self-guided tour was good enough, although it is pretty minimal compared to the guided tour ($30 per person vs. $100 per person)

The store where you book has a lot of signs about COVID-19, but they don't follow their own rules. The sign says only 1 party inside at a time, but the old lady asked me to come in even though there was another party inside.

No one working there and no customers inside wore masks.

Admission to the glacier is $30 per person, or $100 for a guided tour. We didn’t have a tour set up... or a spare $100... so we paid the $30. The glacier is beautiful to see...
It’s like stepping into a whole other world. However, without the tour you can’t go very far. Just from what we saw I think the tour would probably be a way to go... just wish it weren’t so expensive.

We drove up from Anchorage and was not disappointed. So glad we made the drive alone as the scenic drive is worth the effort in itself. The glacier was a great sight!

Being from NY and never having experienced glaciers up close, we were so excited after taking a cruise to see them that we had to take this hike, It came recommended to us by someone and we are so happy we went. You can pay $25 and walk by yourself BUT we came with small children and wanted a good/safe experience. We paid the $100 fee per person ($60 per kid) for the guided tour and were lucky that we were the only ones slotted for that time and had a private tour guide. Her name was Amy and we LOVED LOVED LOVED her! She was great with the children. They love rocks and she knew all about them. I think she said she was a geology professor or something like that. Let's just say the rocks they collected made it back to NY - all 10 lbs if it...

She started us on the family safe hike and when she saw we were enjoying ourselves, the kids were well behaved, following directions and not tired so she took us on a further path and we were not disappointed! It was breathtaking and just about the best experience we had out there. They provided us with all of the gear we needed, even snacks along the way! She was so great with the kids that I stopped worrying about them and just concentrated on myself. I can't say enough about this.

Heads up, I completely passed the entrance which wasn't clear to us. The road has huge warnings about it not being safe but we are expected to go anyway. It was fine. The road is rocky and bumpy but the end is worth the drive!

I booked a Tour with Salmon Berry tours. They transport us and gave us a delicious lunch. However, I expected more ti,e walking through the glacier.

The awesomeness of this glacier is indescribable (and your experience will vary based on lighting, weather, etc, but....it'll be spectacular either way).

We took a guided tour and had a fabulous experience. You CAN walk/hike it on your own (with admission to the park) but I wouldn't recommend it. (ie, guides know the safest routes over/through the glacier so that you don't hurt yourself).

It's impressive from a distance but even more amazing when you're standing on it. it SEEMS small until you're in the nooks and crannies and you realize how small you are in comparison! We were lucky enough to watch some mountain/ice climbers going up a face of the glacier, which offered incredible 'scale' for photo purposes. It was one of the coolest things I'd ever done and one of my favorite 'adventures' we had on our 10 day tour of Anchorage/Kodiak!

My sisters and I scheduled a Glacier Trek trip on opening day and it was fantastic! Our guides, Lizzie and Warren, were the best! They did a great job leading our trek around the glacier while also keeping us safe. They taught us about the different aspects of the glacier and the phenomenon that only happen on glaciers. As far as glacier trekking is considered, I suggest using MICA guides and they will be the group I use if I go again in the future or if I decide to try ice climbing.

We booked a tour to walk and visit the glacier. You should book in advance. The road to the glacier is a gravel path and windy road. We got our gate ticket access and it opens and closes the gate for you. We passed two plank bridges before we arrived for the tour. The valley is filled with fireweed and its a beautiful contrast. They give you helmets & ice cleats to walk on the ice. It was very rainy weather, we wore layers of sweatshirt, hats, water proof clothing and sneakers. We walked at least for an hour through wet muddy icy paths. There was a lady in another party who fell and got injured so you have to be careful. Our guide Kelly was amazing and patient. We got plenty of amazing shots.

Our family LOVED the glacier hike!! Kind of rough on your vehicle going down to the actual glacier but well worth it. Wear shoes that can get muddy because they WILL! Beautiful scenery and great guides.

Nick our guide was outstanding is very knowledgeable explained everything to where you can understand it. We would highly recommend him for your excursion. The glacier is beautiful, and breathtaking

This was the experience of a lifetime! My son didn't think he was going to have fun but boy was he wrong. He participated in the penguin slide and he couldn't stop talking about it the whole way back to Anchorage! The guide was wonderful and let us stop and take as many pictures as we all wanted. 10 out of 10!

First, let me say that this is a MUST DO if you are near A
nchorage and have a day to spare. The glacier is amazing and I'm sad to say I'm not sure how much longer it will be around. Do it while it's still accessible.

THE BAD: I gave this a 4/5 stars because of the entrance fee to the glacier itself. The person that owns the land BEFORE the glacier charges $20-30 PER PERSON (not per car) to access the glacier. This guys is making bank. He maintains the road to the glacier but I doubt anything else. I'm not against people making money, but $30 is steep when all you want to do is use the road down to the glacier. The glacier itself is public lands.

THE EXCELLENT: This is one of the most accessible glaciers anywhere I think. You can walk up to it and on it. The views are amazing. The ice is fascinating! This was one of our favorite activities on this vacation (and we did a lot of stuff)!

TIPS:
-Please please please, if you are interested in walking on the ice, TAKE A TOUR!! We saw people walking around on their own with sneakers and they were on the ice and it was a disaster waiting to happen. You can hurt yourself SO EASILY without the proper footwear there, and I don't know about you but I'm not about to injure myself while on vacay. AIn't nobody got time fo' dat.
-Take a tour with NOVA. Our guide was AMAZING and not only was he knowledgeable about the glacier, but he was also super funny and a great photographer! Seriously, he took some really great pics of my family on the glacier and all I had was an iPhone!
-Another reason to tour with NOVA is because we saw an elderly lady wandering around the icy spot of the glacier by herself. We asked her if she was lost or lost her group and she said that she didn't feel like continuing with her tour so she told them to go ahead without her and she'd head back to the car! SO she was just walking around aimlessly and her knees were wet so we knew she had fallen at least once and she was carrying this gigantic bag that was not helping her walk on that glacier. Anyway, moral of the story, you don't want to go with a tour company that would leave you stranded on a glacier while they continued on without you.
-Go with a tour that does ice climbing. It's so worth it to try it out! We had a ton of fun.
-Bring something to collect glacier water
-Did I mention taking a tour?!?! No, but seriously, those guides have a TON of info about that glacier and glaciers in general and they know where it's safe to go.

Went to Matanuska Glacier and took a guided tour walking on the glacier. This really made me feel in Alaska! Loved the scenery, the blue ice and the black ice, didn't even know about this one. The cracks and the formations you can see as you walk two hours around the ice are spectacular. This is closer to Wasila and three hours at least from Anchorage. There are other activities nearby so you can plan an all day trip that includes this great tour.

It is a magnificent glacier. wonderful guided hike with Matanuska glacier adventures. But didn't take us to the top , would have loved to go.

After flying to Anchorage and checking into our rental in Palmer, we did a day trip to Glacier View for the Matanuska Glacier hike with Glacier Tours. Although they have no online booking system, we made reservations, asked questions, and received confirmations by texts - all my inquiries were answered promptly and professionally. There’s a bumpy road to access the tour - we were fine with a truck. Once checked in, we drove further to get helmets and meet our guide, Ethan, who was fantastic! We saw so many amazing features and learned a lot. Later in our trip we were on another glacier (snowfield at the top), and we saw many other glaciers from trails or the water, but NOTHING else was anything like climbing around the ice formations of Matanuska. It was definitely a highlight of our trip and the perfect introduction to Alaska!

This visit requires admission, which when we visited was $30/adult. You can park pretty close but be prepared to walk for 15 minutes over rock and ice. It’s a semi difficult walk, but worth it! Wear warm clothes and good boots. You can take a guided tour which provides crampons for your shoes, but not required. Toilets are available at the parking area.

The glacier walk in Alaska.. you will never forget this trip in your life.. Any glacier you see will always remind you of the Matanuska Glacier.. the beauty is unmatched and the science behind that will really intrigue you..
Absolutely loved it...

It was interesting to hike on the glacier. Great views. Would have liked to be in a smaller group. I think there were about 16 of us. Really wanted to see some vertical blue ice up close and take pics. The larger group made it so we only stopped a few times. Disappointed we didn't get to see more blue ice up close. Our group seemed to take the shortcut. We had an older woman and a child with our group. Guide was very good. It was an easy hike and we all felt safe. Could have been really amazing with a smaller, more adventurous group. We had residents and visitor discounts. Would never pay full price for this tour. Probably won't go again. Will check out other glaciers in the area.

Slightly odd that this isn't a state park and you have to pay quite a lot ($30 each) just to access the glacier over private land - but put that aside for what will be a superb experience. We did the SELF guided tour (Free after entry) and were totally happy with that - as an added bonus on our drive after the entrance gate a moose and her two calves calmly strolled out onto the road right in front of us!

The self-guided tour comprises a relatively flat (for the most part) gravelly and rocky trail that winds its way closer and closer to the face of the glacier. You cross bottomless crevasses over walkways and bridges that are laid out and marked with orange cones to guide the way.

Wonderful experience, no regrets over the self-guided tour rather than a paid for one (so we saved $140 between us) and with lodging nearby, this was a real highlight of our trip to Alaska.

Due to snow, our flight over Denali was cancelled-- but luckily, we found out right at the point where we could turn to go to the Matanuska Glacier. We called up and they luckily had a spot on a tour 1.5 hours later (just the amount of time needed for us to get there). I can't begin to say how awesome this tour was- the opportunity to hike on a glacier was an Alaska bucket list item. Seeing a glacier from a cruise was awesome, but being on it was a totally different experience.
From the moment we called, the shop and the guide were great. I had not packed hiking shoes (we thought we'd be flying), but they had a bunch of shoes that others had left-- no rental fee, but also no guarantee of your size. I lucked out and got a great pair of waterproof Timberlands (size 7)! At the end of the tour, you get a free mug back at the main shop where you paid. The shop keeper was awesome and had these ready for me and my husband (a black and white-- so we didn't get the exact same one).
The guide was super knowledgeable, funny, and personable. He let people take as many photos as they wanted and he gave those cautious walkers time to get their footing. I would not have been able to see or understand all the items we saw without the guide-- a couple of times, we would have turned around, but with a guide, he knew the safe way to get around. In addition, the crampons made walking on the glacier way easier.
Our tour had about 8 people on the tour (us, another couple, and a group of four). The others all came on a company tour bus, but we drove our own car up. The couple said they each paid $250/pp for the shuttle, lunch, and the tour. We paid $100/pp which only included the tour—for us, we had a car, so we were glad to get the same tour experience. The tour included a helmet, crampons, a great guide, and a mug at the end. I loved hearing about geology, history, and other fun facts, so it was well worth the $100 to me (not to mention the shoes and crampons). You can also hike the glacier for $20 without the tour.
Note: There is a nice bathroom in the gift shop for when you arrive and when you leave.

Yes, it might take you as being expensive, but you'll soon forget the price paid for the experience. I recommend a guided tour on the ice itself. Take a good camera, good and sturdy hiking boots, and dress in layers. Also be prepared to be smiling from ear to ear! The place is just spectacular.

We did not access it on foot from the Matanuska Glacier State Recreation Site (although we did visit that area too, you need to deposit $7 USD or a check to park the car and hike) but instead we took a helicopter tour from the Sheep Mountain Lodge - really great experience!

We took some boat tours to access other glaciers while in Alaska from the water like Columbia, Alalik, or Holgate but here we actually landed on Matanuska and walked on top of it - super serene experience (we have had been inside one actually in the past in Iceland but landing on one was yet another cool experience)

The little lakes on the top of the glacier with that crazy water color are something very cool - one definitely needs to experience this!

$30 adults, $15 kids. Well worth it. You won't be disappointed. Stop and grab some pull over ice cleats at Walmart in Wasilla and take off. Gorgeous views and plenty of fun if you are brave. My 12 and 14 year olds loved it.

I am a traveller who likes to experience new things in Life..."the uncommon,the unseen,the life changings stuff". Glacier hike is definitely in the bucket. I enjoyed it so much and made me realize so many things while I was tramping this massive land of Ice. Thanks to our guide namely bill and dawn of greatland adventures for all the help,sooo much fun.

Did this tour yesterday- what an incredible experience. I had seen photos of this unique and beautiful glacier east of anchorage and then found the perfect tour through Nova. Three hours in crampons and hard hats, walking up and over small ridges of ice. We are all experienced hikers and use crampons routinely in upstate NY yet were with some people from the south, new to crampons who did just fine. Do not miss this incredible glacier!! Nova was professional, experienced and our guide was great!! I would recommend this tour in a heartbeat.

I really wish we had discovered this glacier when first moving to Alaska. Although it is quite a drive (about 2+ hours) from Anchorage, it was so worth the trip.
Yes, there's a fee to actually drive your vehicle a couple miles down the bumpy dirt road in order to get closer to the glacier. The fee was a bit high but understandable due to insurance costs.
Once you park, there is an easy walk down across the mud flats and to the glacier itself. Along the walk there are several areas to stop and get some great photos.
You finally come to a stop sign that will tell you unless you have ice cleats and a helmet (along with a guide), you cannot proceed any further. We didn't go further although we saw quite a few people go past the sign.
I cannot speak about hiking on the glacier itself since we didn't have the appropriate gear and guide, but I wouldn't have wanted to venture onto the ice without it anyway.
Definitely worth the drive, the fee, and the walk.

Nick was very knowledgeable about the science behind the glacier. He presented the facts in an entertaining manner. We had 16 guests on our tour and he paid attention to all of us. He stressed safety and gave assistance to the less able or active members of our group. The tour is moderately challenging and can intimidate those who are not used to walking narrow uneven trails, but Nick took care to encourage and help all of us. Special kudos to the business for offering a discount to Veterans and Military.

We did this on our very first day in Alaska and it was a perfect way to start a great vacation. My teens absolutely loved it! My 15yr old son declared it 'the most legit thing he's ever done'. :) We used Mica Guides and were very happy. We did see people on their own, but I think a guide allows you to go further and experience more. Our guide showed us lots of cool things we would have missed on our own. This was a highlight of our trip and we were so thankful this was recommended to us on the Alaska forum. The drive from Anchorage was easy and enjoyable and it was well worth working this into our itinerary. We saw lots of glaciers on our trip, but nothing compares to being on the glacier yourself.

After leaving the hwy, we drove down a terrible hole-filled road slowly! Next, we were required to park, sign a release, and the bad road owners collected $20 pp to use their road & parking lot. After driving the remaining few miles of more bad road & parking, we walked thru a short trail of mud. Thank goodness for the porta potties in the parking lot, a few boards over mud puddles, and picnic tables on the ice. We sat at a picnic table to put on yac tracs, and we were good to go. Wa also had ski poles ( or a walking stick works) & binoculars strapped on. We walked out further than anyone else that day. Mainly because other people walked only in their shoes at a snail's pace. Took beautiful photos galore at sunset! By this time the glacier and parking lot were quite empty so there are few people even in the photos. If the bad road had been maintained, I could rate this excellent, 5 stars, but that part really needs some work by the owners.

We rented a SUV vehicle with GPS from ENTERPRISE at Anchorage International Aiport, next morning drive to Matanuska Glacier.From Anchorage city center to the Glacier around 3 hours drive. Remember wear warm, winter hat, boots, gloves! As soon as you arrive, there is a gift shop to stop, you can use restroom, relax a bit, then continue drive 2 miles, you will see a parking place and a small grey house. So, start your glacier adventure! Each person is 100USD. So nice, so exciting. You can contact Bill (Bill works there) for more details. His email: akbill4ever@gmail.com Have Fun!

What a fun and unexpected trip! We happened upon Matanuska at the advice of a Ranger at Wragell-St. Elias and we are so glad we did. We thoroughly enjoyed getting to hike on the glacier. The equipment supplied was good and the price was affordable.

The drive from palmer was a little over an hour
Very pretty scenery
The day we went was sunny and glacier was shinning white as we approached
Drove down road and as others have mentioned $25 is a bit steep
Was great to walk on the glacier and surrounding areas
If you are going onto glen alien you will also get fantastic views from road further along
If going to Valdez you can go and see the Worthington glacier just as close for FREE

We did the trip through NOVA. It was perfect glacier hike. They geared us up with spikes for shoes and helmets. Drank some glacier water. Lots of fun.

This Glacier is massive and beautiful and the best part is that you're free to explore it up close and personal as much as you want. While we saw many glaciers in Alaska, this was my favorite because of those factors. Now about the cost. It is absolutely a rip-off and they even charged a smaller fee for my three year old. These people are basically vampires. But the truth is, I was happy to pay it, call me a tourist but the experience was awesome. Of course God made the glacier and the people charging admission had nothing to do with that, if they are the ones maintaining the path to the glacier then there is at least some justification. As far as what you do on the glacier, we did not stop at the end of the marked trail. We went past the signs saying for guided tour only and we just had regular sneakers. If you are careful and know your limits and have good balance there is minimal Danger and lots of beautiful views to see. But again, know your limits. Overall, this was a beautiful and awesome experience and I highly recommend it.

I wish the office taking entry fee had more information for visitors - we could have gone on a longer tour over the ice had we known about the chain boots for hire. Apart from that it was still a great experience nevertheless!

We had seen glaciers but to walk on and thru a glacier! This is a must do and we did it at Matanuska Glacier which is an approximate 1.5 hour easy beautiful scenic drive from Palmer, Alaska.
The mountain scenery and glacier is breathtakingly beautiful. We did a glacier tour with the experienced MICA guides-extremely helpful, friendly, knowledgeable and professional with all equipment and care given to your safety with a Glacier WOW factor.
This is a must do, bucket-list experience that you will enjoy fond memories for the rest of your life. It is possible for most fitness levels and ages.
Matanuska glacier is stunningly beautiful from afar and with the tour more amazing up close. This glacier tour is fair priced and is easily accessible.

Matanuska is a beautiful glacier that is easily accessible from Glenn Highway, about 100 miles northeast of Anchorage. There are several ways to view it:

If your time is limited, or if you are on a tight budget or have mobility impairments, then you can see it by stopping at the Matanuska Glacier State Recreation Area at mile marker 101. This is a state day-use recreation area ($5/car) with parking, restrooms, picnic area, educational displays, nature trail, and viewing telescopes. You cannot get up close to the glacier or walk on it at this site. (At the time I'm writing this review, the recreation area is incorrectly listed on Tripadvisor as "Mantanuska").

Another option is to have a meal or book a stay at Long Rifle Lodge, where there are excellent (distant) views of the glacier.

If you want to get up close to the glacier or walk on it, then turn at mile marker 102 for the glacier park and follow a gravel road to a small shop where you can buy tickets to access the glacier ($25/person). You can drive closer to the glacier but some walking will still be necessary.

For the ultimate experience, there are companies that offer guided tours that will take you hiking out on the glacial ice.

You just have to visit. Spectacular to say the least. Natural beauty for all to enjoy. Just one of Alaska's joys.

Matanuska Glacier was recommended to my boyfriend and I by a friend who had done a guided hike a couple of years ago. We are both moderately experienced mountaineers and were apprehensive about paying $75+ for a hike that would include those with little to no experience. Call us elitists, but we like to set our own pace and explore freely, and there were no spots open for the more advanced level guided hikes.

After talking to a guide company and doing a little digging, we decided to hike the glacier unguided using our own mountaineering boots, crampons, and trekking poles. We were very happy with this decision! There is a relatively short trail from the parking lot to the start of the glacier, and there were many people hiking on the ice in just their tennis shoes. We strapped our crampons on once we got to consistent ice and began exploring this amazing ice mass. There are tons of routes along elevation changes and crevasses, and when we reached a point where we couldn't continue we just tracked back and found another amazing path to take. The ice was in perfect condition, easily allowing our crampons to hold up steep pitches.

If you're experienced with basic glacier travel, this hike is very doable on your own and highly recommended. It was one of the favorite moments of our trip!

This was one of the highlights of our 8 day trip. The glacier was AMAZING. The kids loved it, the adults loved it. GO THERE. Stop worrying about the winding roads, it's Alaska, not Manahattan. Get your butt out of your car and go see, feel and hear a true marvel. We were hesitant to do the walk out to the glacier but it was a close second to seeing the northern lights in Fairbanks. You can hear this thing creaking and popping; you can see and feel ice like you've never experienced. Our kids aren't super adventurous but they loved this. GO GO GO.

On our way from Anchorage to Delta Junction, we stopped here. We paid $30.00/person for unguided Glacier access. The glacier is not far from entrance. It is easy to park and view is good even from parking lot. There are cones to guide walking path. After easy path, it is the best to go with guided tour. We took our chance and went down, it was not too difficult to walk on if you have right shoes. My son truly enjoyed this experience since it is his first time walking on glacier.

Our hike on the Matanuska Glacier was the highlight of our 12-day trip to Alaska. There are many companies offering hikes on the Matanuska; we chose to go with Glacier Tours. I made the reservation via text. Instructions and suggestions were sent via text. We arrived at their office, checked in, and paid. We were asked to drive further in the park, to a big tent. There, we were given a helmet and hiking sticks, and sent to our group. We were asked if we wanted a fast pace or slower. I chose slower because i love to take lots of photos. Our group was only 6 people. Our guide provided some information along the way, and took us on the glacier, showing us caves, and a few other features.
Thankfully, this was one of the very few clear days that we had on our trip, but our tour was at 11am so the sun did not allow for great pics, but i do have quite a few nice ones.
A very enjoyable experience. I would definitely recommend this 3m trek on the Matanuska Glacier!
The cost was $150/person, but they also ask you to tip the guide.

We drove from Anchorage to hike for the day here and it was so worth the time, effort, and money to do so. We had 2 seniors and one active military so the fee was $25 instead of $30. Again, well worth it. The day started out cloudy and drizzly as we walked the 1/2 mile from the parking lot to the glacier. But over the next several hours, the sun came out and the ice and snow sparkled like diamonds. The opportunity to walk on a real-live glacier especially with the rate at which they are receding was a thrill to all of us. There were challenging spots but helping each other along made the hike doable. We saw the amazing blue color of glacial ice, streams of melting snow, and small caves and crevaces made from shifting ice and snow. I would definitely recommend a visit to Matanuska Glacier.

What an amazing time! We live in Alaska and took some family here for the first time. This tour was a dream come true for me. But what made the experience even better was Eden our tour guide. This guy was amazing and we had such a great time with him. We will for sure be back and I cannot wait for the Winter tour.

It's a rare day that you can hike on a glacier and at Matanuska it's possible. You can decide to take a guided tour or stop by at the visitor center to enter solo for $30 per person. If you go solo make sure to have the proper equipment such as crampon for your shoes. With the proper equipment and some care you can have a brilliant tour.

My choice was to take a tour as I did not have the equipment. The tour was a 5 hour hike on the glacier and it was stunning. There is so much to explore.
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Julie and (can’t remember his name🙈) took
Us on an adventure of a lifetime. We squeezed through glacier ice, snow machined, hiked, and saw a couple moose from afar. Well worth the $100 for 3 hours! Come on, what a deal, you hime a glacier and learn so much! Do it!!

It is a beautiful glacier with easy access by private road. $30 fee and you drive a good gravel road to the parking lot with great views of the glacier. Short hike and you are on the glacier, although it is gravel covered and you are on it before you realize it. The walk can get a little slippery as you get to the more exposed ice. Walking stick helpful, crampons even better. There are cones and warning signs where guided tours continue on. You sign a waiver, so you can go further, but it is definitely more treacherous without proper equipment. The guided tours are available at the entrance, but recommend reserving ahead of time, and last 3-4 hrs if you have the time.

Never thought I would be able to say that I got to hike a glacier, but what an incredible experience! The Matanuska Glacier is breathtaking itself and THEN you're on it and the views around it are just as lovely!

Slap on a pair of crampons and hike up and around the glacier! Don't just stay below! I'd recommend going a different way down than the way you went up so that you can explore even more! The best part about the glacier is that it is changing always!!

Be careful near the lake so you don't fall through the thinner areas of ice!! Also, don't wear pants that are loose at the bottom (or just tuck them in, fold them up, put a rubber band around them) when you have crampons on... my crampon hooked onto my yoga pants and that caused me to slip and fall on part of the lower glacier! Hurt so badly and had a bruise on my thumb and hip for a month and 1/2 after!

There is a little store before you go to the glacier where you have to pay so don't worry if you need a snack, a bathroom, or a little souvenir!

Such a "cool" tour! I didn't realize just how much I would learn from this tour. Our tour guide was great at pointing out unique glacier science to us and accommodating our friend who was a bit unsteady on her feet. This was definitely an adventurous tour, and the guide made us feel safe on the icy terrain. They had an awesome new bridge over the water leading up to the glacier during the warmer weather, which made the bulk of the tour actually on the glacier instead of just getting to it. Our tour group had all ages. I would absolutely recommend to all!

I visited several different glaciers while in Alaska. I would say the foot of this one was the most detailed and interesting of all the ones I saw. Definitely worth the time to swing over and see it/walk on it if you are nearby.

We’ve been in Alaska 2 weeks and have had amazing experiences but this by far tops them all. Being on top of the glacier is a once in a lifetime experience and a chance to see how crazy nature can be! We were able to hike the glacier for almost 3 hours seeing the most beautiful blue ice and glacier ponds imaginable.

We took a advanced hike on Matanuska Glacier. Recommend to take a guided hikes as the under safety supervision can experience awesome place. We discovered an ice cave and thanks to our guide we could climb into it. Not everybody had climbing experience, so trip is good for beginners as well.

I've travelled all over the world and this is definitely NO.1 tourist trap with rudest people I ever seen.

The website advised clearly it's over 2 hours hike "on the glacier" and I called two times to confirm it's around 3 hours in and out. However, the really time on the glacier was less than an hour with most of time walking around the edge. And you need to walk 30min one way for in and out on a muddy, no-view road.

The guide was impatient and unfriendly, the only “guided” part is not to go certain place because it might be dangerous, no introduction about how the glacier is formed, the changes nor evolution of glacier, etc.

Even worse, after finishing the tour and wrapped up in the car, a lady just came over our car and asked us to leave. Excuse me, I don't want to spend a second at this place.

I would recommend to hike exit glacier at Seward, where you can see the real glacier for little to no cost, this place is definitely against the great wilderness of Alaska.

You feel like in another world! It amazing all the glaciers, I love it! For sure I'll go back nest summer!

You can't get near it without paying. We must take advantage of the beautiful views offered by various parking lots on the road.

Definitely the best on our 5 day trip to Alaska. Doable by all ages. Our guide took us on a crevice that had opened up just wide enough for people to enter and not too deep. We had an amazing time hiking around the matanuska glacier.

Easy stop on the way from Anchorage to Valdez, and feels easy to visit a glacier. Duh! Either take a tour (and I usually never recommend “tour”). Or religiously stay on the trail. Or , best, rent crampons (but stay religiously on a trail until reaching hard ice). We did neither.. My husband and my then 9 y.o. stepped 2 steps (and I mean literally 2 steps) off the trail and 9 y.o. started actually sinking in the silt . For real. No staff around (place is privately owned, there is a sign somewhere to stay on the trail, but this is it). Pulled him out, but lost a boot (have spare!) . Then my then 12 y.o. .. ran to climb the ice .. further and further, higher and higher... and it is slippery like you would not believe .. just scratches , though. Being privately privately owned , it is not managed very well. But definitely go, it is one of the easiest glaciers to access if on a road trip. (Been there in 2015, for some reason an app does not let me put an actual date).

This was a fantastic experience that my husband and I had. The glacier was amazing and beautiful. We learned a lot from our informative guide. I was disappointed we didn’t get to hike to the ice caves but my husband wasn’t up to the hike. I understand they are spectacular and it wasn’t the fault of the guide we didn’t go. She paced our hike at a pace perfect for our physical abilities. They provided crampons and hiking sticks. They drove us to the edge of the glacier in a sled pulled behind a snowmobile. I felt safe in the care of our guide. Definitely worth seeing but with a hefty $150 price tag opted not to revisit when I was backin the area in February

We did a lot of research before we left for our adventure; we packed spikes, gloves, and water... only to find that NONE of the websites had been updated and the $30 tour is no longer available. We thought for $30 we would spend an hour, tops exploring. We drove over an hour to get to the Glacier so once we got there and found out it was actually $60 per person (PLUS tip) we felt that we still had to do it after driving all that way. Even after the bait and switch on price, the Tour was Way More than we expected- VERY COOL. The guide took us places we would have NEVER tired to get to! Seriously for $30 we would have only seen 1/4 of what we actually ended up seeing. I just wish we had known ahead of time that it would be closer to 3 hours and twice the cost. Hopefully sites will quickly be updated so everyone can properly plan the day. Pack a Lunch- they have tables and nearby food options are VERY limited.

You can see it clearly from the road but rather far away. I don't get the obsession with glacier viewing, most of them look alike to me

This group was easy to work with from beginning to end. I inquired about yours via text and was confirmed and given directions via text. We drove in the office and after signing waivers and paid we were sent in further onto the land to meet with our guide and given our safety helmet. Johnson, our guide, was kind, knowledgeable and made sure we felt safe and were safe during the entire tour. Once on the glacier you are provided with crampons and shown the best way to walk on the ice. The tour itself was roughly 2.5 hours and was unforgettable. I am telling everyone I know coming to Alaska that this glacier tour is a must do!

We did the tour of the glacier and it was great. We weren't sure about doing it because of the price, but it proved to be one of the highlights of the trip. The guide was very knowledgeable and it was a beautiful, warm day, even on the glacier. I would recommend for anyone visiting the Anchorage area, especially with children.

Great experience to walk all over a glacier. About a mile off the highway down a dirt road to the office/store. $25 per adult for the unguided tour. 2 mile drive down another well maintained dirt road to the parking lot and then about 1/4 mile easy walk to the glacier itself. Can be pretty muddy but grates and boards placed over the worst parts. Can do in regular shoes but the ice boots would have been nice if we had known you could rent them. The unguided tour is great but I really wish we had known more about the whole deal as we would have definitely taken the guided tour. Already planning a return trip in 2 years and this will be included.

Amazing view, awesome trek, this stuff is beauty in and out ... i have never had a prettier trek ever ... could be easily reached by road, there was a really good restaurant nearby too ... for me, a must do in Alaska

We drove down to the glacier and followed the trail to walk right onto it! It was pretty cool! I'm glad we took the time to drive up and see the glacier, touch the glacier, and even stand on the glacier!!

Booked with “Glacier Tours on the Matanuska” after finding their name on the TA Forum. Booking was a bit different, in that everything is done via text. But you don’t actually pay until you arrive. And it appeared that you can just walk up and get a tour on the hour. They are offer a great price with direct access to the glacier. Paid $65 for a 2-hour walk and was able to drive right to the base of the glacier to meet up with our guide.

We had a group of about 20, unfortunately we had some folks who had some physical challenges so we didn’t get to go to the top as other groups, but it was still fun and different. It was a great way to break up the drive on our way back to Fairbanks. Would recommend this unique experience.

Brilliant viewing of the glacier and you can actually drive upto the glacier and then hike on top of it

We couldn't describe our experience as anything less than fantastic. During our trip to Alaska, we had the incredible opportunity to visit the Matanuska Glacier. Stretching 27 miles long and 4 miles wide, this valley glacier is located near the Glenn Highway in Glacier View, approximately 100 miles northeast of Anchorage. It holds the distinction of being the largest glacier in the United States accessible by car.

The prospect of witnessing this magnificent glacier firsthand filled us with excitement. The Matanuska Glacier offers guided tours, allowing visitors to safely explore its icy expanse. With the guidance of experts, we slowly walked into the heart of the glacier. Navigating through the icy terrain, we were surrounded by towering ice mountains, creating a breathtaking spectacle.

Despite the cold, the beauty of the Matanuska Glacier was a truly unforgettable experience that we will never forget. We highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Alaska.

The visit to the Matanuska Glacier is a bit pricey for a group but worth the trip. The Glacier itself is imposing and impressive. We opted for the well-marked self-guided hike and loved the experience. The fact that you can drive close to the Glacier's edge makes it a relatively easy venture.

We chose this company based on great reviews here. But we were very disappointed with our experience. We went on 8/21 in the afternoon at 2:30. The group was over 20 people, too big for glacier walk with one guide. We are fit, but not as fast as people in their twenties. The guide only catered to the young people in our group and chatted with them along the way. Our group of 4 and another couple behind us could not hear anything. He would not even know if we fell or got lost, as the line with 20 people were quite long. With so many people to guide, he continued to rush us and managed to finish within 2 hours. The website stated 2-3 hours. I would imagined with larger group, taking pictures, etc would take longer. But no, not with this guide. And he repeated reminded us that we had signed our waiver. So if we fell or got lost, he would not rescue us. We understood we always had to sign waivers for activities like this. However, it made us feel really bad when reminded repeatedly. The couple walked behind us also requested the guide to slow down couple of times.
Then there was a black piece of ice and I fell. My hand pushed on the ice and got many small cuts. It was painful and blood was all over my hand. I asked the guide if he had any first aid. He slowly got his first aid out as he continued chatting with the other. I stood with my hand bleeding, listening to his unimportant side chatting with couple of young people. This is really unprofessional. Such bad customer service.
I am sure the company has many great guides and employees as all the reviews posted here. But I had to post this one as I was shocked by this guide's service. Hope others will have better experience than I did.

The reason for rating 3 was because we were not told there’s a national park which is cheaper. However the experience was mind blowing and a great guided tour (out of state per person was $65).

Our group was 7 and no crowd at all during a weekday after 3pm. Entire glacier was all for us.

This tour was well worth the price. Our guide, Chris was excellent. Was very mindful of those of us who were moving a little slower. Even recognized we were pretty tired by the end and had a ride waiting for us after we got close enough. He was knowledgeable and very safety conscious.

It was fairly strenuous but we are in our 60's and not overly active. I would advise at least walking a few miles 3-4 times a week to prepare. Chris made sure to keep checking in to make sure we were doing ok. Even though we were moving slower, he made sure we got the full tour.

100% recommend this tour.

We have seen a lot of glaciers in 7 countries around the world. This was our first chance to walk to the edge of one, and on one.

From the parking lot there is a walk on gravel, and then on boards over glacial silt, and then on broken ice and dirt (it is worth wearing slip on crampons), and then on packed snow and very hard ice. It takes concentration so as not to slip or fall.

What a great experience. The Mat-Su is incredibly beautiful. This activity is worth 2-3 hours of your time. Longer if you want to enjoy the scenery longer.

If this review is helpful then please indicate so below.

6/29. Did the combo Lion Head river rafting in the morning and then the Matanuska Glacier hike in the afternoon through Nova. The river guides were enthusiastic, very skilled and safety minded. We had Colin for our raft - just our family of 5 and what an amazing time - cool silver gray water and beautiful scenery all around. Some great Class 3 rapids made for a lot of fun - and none of us went overboard. Colin was a terrific and easy going guide - made it very enjoyable. In the afternoon, we had Jacob as our guide for the Glacier hike. Jacob was very knowledgeable and helpful for our first ever hike on a Glacier - from getting the equipment on, to orientation, to showing us all the cool spots - we were in awe - including all three kids. If the other Nova guides are anything like Jacob, you'd be in for an awesome experience. Saw others on the ice without guides or equipment, but I wouldn't recommend that - much better to have the guided tour for the safety and getting a much better appreciation and tour of it. Thumbs up to Nova for a very well run operation and providing great guides and an overall experience of a lifetime.

We had a fantastic day on the glacier! After looking at a lot of tour companies and emailing back and forth we went ahead and took the plunge on a self-guided option. We have a 10, 8, 4 and 1 year old and while we weren’t fast, I never felt like we were in danger and they definitely got a once in a lifetime glacier experience. My goal was to get my kids up close and personal with a glacier safely while they still can 😢 and not break the bank! The trail was clearly marked and they go out each morning to make sure it is a safe route and reset it as needed. There was a great self guided info sheet as well!
Tips:
1.Make sure to get the self guided info sheet which gives you information about 10 “stops” along the way, as well as the note to go right around the loop which is way easier and safer than doing it the other way.
2. I found this info hard to find but kids under 12 are $10 for self guided. So while it was $100 for our family, it would have been $600+ to do a guided tour and it was hands down worth the self-guided price.
3. The loaned safety gear for the guided tours that you miss by doing self guided are helmets to protect your noggin if you fall and micro spikes/crampons. We didn’t find a company that could outfit sizes smaller than men’s shoe size 4ish. We brought our own yak trax and nano spikes which were nice for having the little guy in the backpack and helping hold hands on the slick spots. You could pick these up in Anchorage inexpensively before you went and they help a lot. My kids did fine without them and many adults did to, but helping kids and maintaining your own balance is different than hiking by yourself so really good traction is a must for the adults/helpers.
4. Even if you don’t do the entire hike, the experience on ice were great and you could turn around at any point and still get a one of a kind experience and feel you got your money’s worth.
5. Pack gloves for littles when they are out on the ice so they can comfortably put their hands down to navigate.

Our kids are pretty used to hiking, we own and brought the appropriate weather gear (hats, gloves, rain jacket, lightweight jacket), and most importantly are fairly compliant and willing/able to follow directions so at no point did I feel they were in any danger. If your child is quick to run off, go off trail or not follow instructions, definitely pick another glacier activity, but if you and they are adventurous, and have the right gear for the weather, I can’t recommend this enough!

The first time I visited, I went with one of the guides. Do this if it's your first time and they supply gear. This time we brought crampons (rented from REI) and poles so we could tool around for a few hours on our own. Loved it.

This is an extremely valuable hike up an actual Alaska glacier. But the access I chose is an odd private lot with a visitor center. They charge $35 per person just for access. You can get to the glacier, but without adding cleats to your boots, you will be limited. You’re hiking on ice! People post pics inside the glacier but getting there is tricky. The private visitor center is an odd, dated store. Personnel were friendly and helpful. The glacier itself is amazing. The tour needs to be better marked from the road. Also better free public access should be developed: it’s a public asset. Also, I suggest you offer more guided tours without having to wait for the 2 pm guided tour. Tips: you’ll need those cleats.

A nice place to hike the glacier. Our guide, Misty, was excellent. She explained a lot about the formation throughout the year and how it changes.

This was AWESOME!!!! Highly recommend taking the tour for $100 vs. just self-guided entrance fee. Glaciers are DANGEROUS (I didn't realize this before we visited) and it's well worth the money to have someone guide you around safely while you also get to learn! We lucked out and had a private tour so even better - our guide Allison was awesome and clearly incredibly passionate about glaciers and Alaska in general. She also took us to all the best spots for photos! Can't recommend enough.

The walk from the car park can be quite tricky, there are ponds formed by the melting ice, but some boards and walkways have been put in place to make it easier. Guides are available, but not needed if you only want to get close to the glazier and not on it !!

Wow! Extraordinary! You need to take a guided tour to get close. But even viewing the glacier from a distance is great. Getting close allows you to really see the subtleties of the ice, look at crevasse, and explore ice caves. Okay, it is colder in the winter and the valley never really gets any sunlight, but who cares! (Just dress warmly.)

We really enjoyed this, where else can walk on a real glacier. Its a quarter mile hike to the glacier and its very slippery on the ice, BRING SPIKES!! if you can. The owners are very nice and we had a very nice conversation about the conditions of the glacier through the year. they are open year around.

We spotted the matanuska glacier from the glen highway enroute to Valdez and sighting its sheer beauty, decided to push our arrival at Valdez by a day. Parked our RV at the sheep mountain RV park and waited for dawn.

It is quite a popular spot for tourists and thus couldn't find the hikes from the more published ones and we just ended up driving to the site which owns the driveway to the bed of the glacier. We got onto a guided trip. We were provided with helmets and crampons as part of the package. It was roughly a 4 hour hike and was a comfortable one. The experience of walking on a glacier was the first for me and I was just awed at mother nature. We maneuvered through crevasses ;) and enjoyed sights of different kinds and shapes of mou'lins.

Fantastic experience. Cold, fresh, crispy and breathtaking, beautiful hike and the colors I have never seen before . I honestly didn’t know that many shades of ice blue existed !

Fantastic! Never hiked ON a glacier face so this was an incredible experience for my husband and I and our children. It was educational and fun! Definitely one of the highlights of our trip! Must do!

Walking a glacier!!! Wow I would have paid a LOT more than $30 to do it! Can't believe somebody had the audacity to complain about the price! It was one of the most amazing experience of my life!! A photo is worth 1000 words!! If you DON'T do this you will forever regret it! It will make you feel alive!!!!

It was so beautiful and awesome, we just couldn't get enough! A once in a lifetime adventure.
Just make sure you wear mud boots with good grip and warm clothes.

This is a must do excursion! You are able to basically drive to the glacier. They no longer offer solo trips without a guide, but for $60 we took the road down to the glacier and had a guide. The guide was very knowledgeable about the glacier and helped is maneuver into the valley of the glacier as well as the face. Cramp ons and helmet were provided. Originally we wanted no guide but they knew exactly where to avoid and go. We drank glacier water off the glacier and were even offered the natural clay masked used in spas included .

This is a must do esp considering its closer to Anchorage and we can walk and really feel the glacier.

It was an unique experience being able to see a glacier as we drove along the highway. Different views from different distances away. Very nice. I wouldn't pay the money to go right up to the glacier when you can see it from so many other places, but if that's your thing, knock yourself out. We saw other glaciers on our vacation and were closer too them for free, so we didn't see the need to pay. But there are plenty of other places to get a view.

This is so cool!! It was freezing but so neat to see the glacier a d be able to explore the glacier.

The glacier views and walk are great. Guides share a lot of information. Cool experience. However, the pricing is out of control - $150/person and they suggest a $20 tip/person on top of it. Alaskan residents and US military are only $50/person, which is a more reasonable rate.

We did the tour today , and thanks to the amazing weather and a truly engaged tour guide, nik, it was a magnificent experience.
Again thank Nik as well for the advice on where to eat. It was as you said. Top notch.

This was one of our favorite things to do while in Alaska. We wore our waterproof hiking boots so we were able to go to parts of the glacier alot of tourist don't get to go to. Our party had 8 adults ages 20 - 60 so they gave us 2 guides. Our guide told us we were only her 3rd group to be able to go to this area this season. They were very knowledgeable. We went June 24, 2019 and were able to layer down to our muscle shirts. A beautiful day.

We took a 4 hour guided tour to a newly opened (recently drained) ice cave. Our guide, Kathleen was excellent. We were given helmets and cramp-ons. Cramp-ons were new to us so it took a while to trust them. Our guide was patient and walked as slow or as fast as the group went (8 in our tour). We were able to stay in the cave as long as we wanted. What a fantastic day!

This is a private Glacier very cool experience. There are two types of tours the do it yourself for $30 and guided $100
For the self guided tour you really need the chains for your shoes if not you will be sliding a lot once you make it out. Be sure to wear some type of water safe shoes as it is very wet going out and of course on the ice. This trip was well worth the $30

The drive from Anchorage to the Glacier did have quite a bit of road construction so please be aware. The drive itself is full of photographic roadside pull offs and the views are amazing through the mountains - lots to see on the way. Took the MilePost 102 turn and followed the Trespassing Do Not Enter / Hazardous signs - do not get dismayed - KEEP GOING. You will eventually get down to a small shop/entry fee gate ($25 per person). Pay, sign in , and drive down to the glacier. I posted a picture of the view from the parking lot. Gorgeous! Took the marked trail to walk to the glacier. It was a little rainy so the glacier was very slick - be careful! Seeing and walking on this so up close and personal was incredible. I saw all kinds of people from very old to toddlers. Recommend to all!!

Within about two hours north of Anchorage it is possible to hike out onto a huge glacier. The experience was amazing. Beautiful sights. To fully enjoy the trek appropriate footwear is recommended. Glacier melt pools (should you slip into one) are cold and can be fatal to an iPhone.

It was great to just park the car & walk to the glacier. You can FEEL the cold before you even step on it! The different colors of the ice and the crevasses were amazing! You can hear & see the melting water running below you. Note of caution: this is not Disney World with safety features - people with small children need to keep an eye on them as they could easily fall into a crevasse.
Was an awesome, once in a lifetime experience!

Its a big stretch of fun and exploring. Definitely a must for every age.
Get an adventure trip with NOVA (and others available too) and it makes it worthwhile driving up to this place. The drive in itself is amazing... right way to spend a day in Alaska!

I took this tour with Salmonberry Tours and it was excellent. I am a travel agent with Carlsonwagonlit Travel and I would recommend this tour. Our tour guide was Phillip and he was excellent and extremely knowledgeable about Alaska. I would say it’s a little bit of a hike so wouldn’t recommend it if your not in good physical condition as you do about 2 miles of walking on ice with spikes on your boots. Also probably not for elderly because of some of the ice walking. We stopped at a place for lunch close by and it was excellent. It’s a fun day and one you’ll remember!

We took a three hour tour. It is well worth it, the highlight of our trip. Long Rifle Cafe has an excellent view ofvthe glacier through their dining room window. It was great being able to drive and walk to and on the glacier. The guided walk is educational and safer than going by yourself.

We did the guided hike with Kelly and this was truly the highlight our of trip. We were out for about 3 hours.She was extremely conscious of our abilities and what we might be up for which was pretty much anything she thought would be cool! She was very knowledgeable, safe and great company. This was truly a unique experience!

If you want to walk on a glacier this is an easy drive and the walk to the glacier is not bad. It does cost to get in, but was worth the cost. We went in the evening and even on our way back in the dark they had cones out to guide you back. Glad I went!

We paid $30 each for self guided tour, which I thought was reasonable. We parked and walked probably half mile, fairly easy. The glacier was beautiful. The views on the way to the turn off were awesome - the Matanuska valley was incredible. Would definitely recommend.

My teenage daughter and I started our day with an ice climbing trek guided by Noah. Noah guided us though a series of adventures that will never be forgotten. Taking time his time with two novice climbers, Noah was ever patient, while at the same time, providing us with challenges that fit within our comfort zone. A trusted and capable climbing guide, Noah also brought to us a wealth of knowledge about the glacier and Alaska.

After a full day on the glacier we headed back to the MICA site for Mandy's Alpenglow dinner and luxury camping. Fresh salmon, bbq chicken and potato and salad were cooked perfectly!!! Great meal after a hard day's work. Then off to sleep in our tent. Despite my reservations of sleeping in a tent I found the accommodations fantastic. First the view is incredible -- glacier and mountains right outside your tent door -- and a couple of Adirondack chairs to sit in to appreciate them. Next, I joke you not, were more comfortable than anywhere else we stayed. I thought I might be cold with temps getting down to 40's but the ample blankets were more than enough. Finsihsed with Mandy's homemade coffee and bluberry muffins and then on our way.

If you have the chance to take the climbing, dinner and camping--do it!!! It was the best part of our Alaskan adventure. Thanks Noah, Mandy and the rest of MICA crew!!!

We took Mica Guides glacier tour. They are smaller than other groups. It was incredible. One of our top experiences in Alaska. If you only have a few things to do, then don't skip this! If you want to experience a glacier in Alaska, this is the tour.

My friends and I traveled from the lower 48 to go on a photo excursion in Alaska. Our local host brought us here. We spent 3 or more hours here, hiking, photographing and taking it all in. Time went by so fast. For each of us, this was our first glacier hike. Had we not had our own guide, I highly recommend a guide from the glacier office. Trekking poles are also a must, in my opinion, as are the spikes (crampons) you affix to the bottom of your hiking boots. None of us fell or slipped and I believe it was due to these safety measures. What a beautiful and peaceful place.

I have taken a guided tour for glacier hiking from Nova Inc.
You have an option of 3 or 5 hrs hike, We opted for 3 hrs and it was sufficient

Our tour guide was very good and was arranging everything very well
You will get helmet, shoes and crampons for this tour which is included in the package. you can certainly add rafting in your trip if you considering NOVA for this hike. They give good combos in around 90$ for the activities

We drove to Matanuska glacier and signed up to take a hike. We were added to a small group that was being formed and were quite fortunate to get Jackson as our guide! He was very knowledgeable about glaciers and geology, and eagerly shared information with us. Safety was always on his mind, but he also allowed us to enjoy ourselves in this majestic land of ice as he guided us along our trek. It was a wonderful afternoon and an experience we will never forget; thank you Jackson for being such an outstanding guide for our group!

We drove the 3 hour drive from anchorage to see the glacier. The website said it was open until 9pm. We arrived at 8pm to a closed sign on the road and 2 open signs on sign posts. We drove down the rough road with signs saying the road was hazardous to the gift shop / office and a lady came out and said they were closed. We asked about the website hours and she said that those hours were for the summer season. We went on August 12th. So if you are going be sure to call to get the hours of operation.

What a fabulous experience! At mile 102 or 103 on the Glenn Highway in Alaska, you will see a turn off to drive & walk up to Matanuska Glacier. The gravel road down was much like many traveled country roads with a few pot holes, but easily missed. Close to the glacier there is parking where you can take a 10-15 minute walk right onto the glacier! Young and old took this path, including our daughter and son in law who had their 1 and 3 yr old "packed" on their backs. We all agreed, it was a fabulous experience!

We booked our adventure through 907 Tours and happy we did so. It's an amazing experience, an adventure of a lifetime. Because we had our tour guide, we were able to discover parts of the glacier that we wouldn't have been able to find on our own. Our two young daughters, ages 12 and 9 were able to make the trek and we were grateful for the crampons. Make sure to wear layers and waterproof boots and be ready with your camera.

We got there after it closed, but got a good view by hiking the nearby trail. The weather was very cool. Wear an appropriate jacket.

The Matanuska Glacier is a 3 hour drive from Anchourage and the turn off the Glenn Highway is easy to miss as not well sign posted.
After the turn off you drive down a rough dirt road to an old house at the entrance where you can pay or book a tour and also sign no liability paperwork.
My husband and I paid the senior's rate of $15 and did not do the tour which you can pre book, we didn't feel the tour was necessary as we managed well on our own.
We spent 2 hours on the glacier which was a 15 walk out to by following the orange hats where you reach a picnic table where there are warning signs not to continue if not wearing appropriate clothing and footwear or used to glacier walks.
You need to stay on the black or crisp ice when walking the glacier as it becomes very slippery.
Wear warm layers and sturdy boots and enjoy this amazing experience and views.

I give this a rare 5 star rating. I've been around the world in my 50 years and multiple military tours, including a lot of time in AK based at JBER. This place is private property and you have to pay to enter. Its a bit of a trip from Anchorage, but the accessibility and sheer awe is worth it. You can clearly see the retreat of the glacier in the past 100 years, which is obvious proof or global warming. The unprecedented access is incredible and you actually have to be careful not to fall in a crevice. This is must see for all Americans.

You can drive to a private tour shop to hike the glacier for $20 without taking a tour guide; just make sure you have your water proof hiking boots on as it is cold and muddy or you can take the tour guide, rent some crampons and scale the wall. There is a nice clean bathroom in the gift shop for when you arrive and when you leave and a few snacks and souvenirs. The staff were nice.

We took the self-tour. Approaching the glacier involved about a mile plus hike across slippery and uneven mud flats. Although the concessionaire set up plank crossings across many of the deepest mud streams, the crossings were quite rickety. Recommended for the agile. Still arduous and risky.

Beautiful glacier easily approachable.Exciting experience of walking on a glacier which is not very difficult even for children and seniors.

About 2 hours by car from Anchorage, this glacier was one of our highlights, You have to pay an entrance fee, around 30 dlls per person , but its worth it if you`re already in this part of the world, because you get so close to the glacier you can walk on it. If you have crampons even better, we didn´t go too far with normal shoes for security reasons but you can definitively get the feel of it on you own, you don´t need to hire a tour.

I felt like this was a very expensive excursion. I knew beforehand the prices and had planned it in my itenerary. I still dont really understand why the high fee after trying to find info on the matter. We were not made to pay the $100 fee for a tour for first time visitors that I had read about. We paid $30 per adults and $10 per child. The people that run it run a very tight ship and were kinda grumpy, or should I say not very friendly. During our 2 week RV trip this was the only excursion/tour where we came across not so friendly Alaskans. Just a weird vibe in the the shop you have to enter to fill out waivers and pay. After you pay, you get in your vehicle, they open the gate for you and you head down the road to a parking area. My family and I did enjoy our time here and it was definitely different than anywhere we have ever been. We did not do a tour or ice climbing. The groups we saw heading out didnt look too enthusiastic.
We did hike to a few other Glaciers during our trip that were free, but this glacier you are actually walking on. So that being said. If its between this and another excursion in Alaska I would skip this and hike to the other glaciers for free.

We stayed at the Long Rifle Lodge with views of the Glacier. It is amazing, reseeding like most so get there to see it befor its gone. The highlite by far was walking on the Glacier. You pay the local land owner $30 per person (quite expensive but worth it) to use there access road to get the the base of the glacier. I wouldn't reccommed elderly people walking on it as its very slippery. If you do though its a fantastic experience. It lets you appreciate how big these glaciers really are.

This was a fantastic tour! I've actually done it twice now. Our guide was so kind, patient and easy going. We had parties that wanted to go a little slow and were a little nervous and our guide was fantastic in making her comfortable. We had ample time on the glacier and I was shocked at how much it had changed in the last few years. I like all the changes they've made by adding bathrooms, a tent, water and all the supplies they gave us during our trek. We even got poles to use if needed. My only concern, in my opinion, was the woman in the office telling us there was a customary $20 per person tip at the end to our guide. I completely agree he deserved it and had no problem paying it; however, was a little put off by her stating that when I felt tips are earned based off how the customer feels the service was, not because they are obligated to pay that. Now, if I had asked her what was customary that would be different. But I did not ask. She told each person that as they paid for their tour. Otherwise this was a fantastic tour.

The best experience. Our guide Alyssa was knowledgeable and we had a blast with her. She kept us safe and if we veered off course she quickly guided us back. We filled our water bottles with the best water I have ever drank. I would HIGHLY recommend Alyssa with Mantanuska glacier access

It’s a great hike to the glacier. You don’t realize but you are actually on the glacier as soon as you get off the parking lot. Really cool. The only thing missing is some information about the glacier like how old, where it was before etc. the fees seems a bit too much to enter a public glacier.

Exploring the Matankuska Glacier was the perfect Alaskan adventure. Our guide Nick was very friendly and knowledgeable . We learned so much about the glacier from him. The hike was challenging and the sights were beautiful. I'd highly recommend this tour for adventurous nature lovers. Remember to wear hiking boot, you will get your shoes dirty! I would not recommend this excursion for young children (maybe ten and up). Get gas and eat BEFORE you drive all the way out there. Worth every minute and penny!

This is one of, if not the best, glacier experience value in Alaska. It's a $20 per person entry, but then you have independence and as much time as you want. Be careful in your wanderings and maybe consider paying to go with a private outfitter that will allow you to truly climb the glacier with equipment. I would recommend taking gloves and microspikes with you. FYI: This is a privately run access not state. I actually preferred that. It meant independence as opposed to your taxes paying a dozen employees to sit around and do nothing or tell you where to place every foot.

We did a tour of the Glacier with Nova Tours. Ben was our guide and he was great. Loved Nova because they have a low guide to visitor ratio (1:8). Some other operators were more like 1:20 ratio. My teen daughter was hesitant as to whether she would enjoy but she loved it and was glad we did it. Take ziplock bags to collect some glacial mud for facials. Definitely a great day excursion.

A must-see attraction. The Matanuska Glacier is completely accessible - right up to the face of the glacier - for only $30pp. I could upload about 100 amazing pictures for this hike, but limited to 8, so I tried to pick the best. First, the entire area around this glacier is beautiful, not just the glacier. The scenery is amazing and the leaves were changing colors to add even more amazing views. The glacier appears to be far in the distance as you begin the hike from the parking lot. The hike is so enjoyable, you don't really notice how quickly you are approaching the glacier. The hike starts on silt and ice, but as you get closer, the terrain turns to pure ice. The glacier begins to rise and you climb up to the face of the glacier. A "path" is marked by orange cones to try and give you guidance on how to effectively reach the glacial face. I recommend using hiking poles if you have them. There are some icy streams that you have to navigate over or around and the poles will help you determine the depth at some areas. There are "holes" that have melted at spots in the glacier and they are surprisingly deep. Once you get to the main portion of the glacier, it will take your breath away. Well worth the short, slippery hike to the top. I recommend the self-guided tour, but for more $$ you can opt for a guided tour. The guided tour goes behind the glacier and comes back around to the face of the glacier. There is a silt covered portion of the glacier behind the face, and the guided tour takes you through that "path". I would definitely love to return to this glacier again on my next trip to Alaska. At the entrance to the park, the visitor center offers a nice selection of souvenirs, including some great t-shirts. Buy those after your hike so that you don't have to carry your souvenirs with you while navigating the slippery trek. The staff was super friendly and they are enthusiastic about their glacier.

We first visited the glacier back in 2008 during autumn and were surprised to see how bright the ice was in early spring.
The glacier can be seen from the road at a couple of different overlooks along the Glenn Highway, before and after the large recreational site. The small overlooks can accommodate around six cars, while there is plenty of parking at the recreational site, with facilities including toilets, picnic tables and pavilion. The glacier is viewed in the distance, but there are telescopes to get a closer look if you don't have a zoom lens. If you want to walk on the glacier you will have to drive further along the Glenn Highway. The property is well signed, and you will be charged a fee for the guided walk. We chose not to do the walk as we were quite happy with the views from the vantage points.

Great hike along the Manatuska Glacier with NOVA. The guides were very knowledgeable and friendly. Although it was a short trip, we learned a ton and saw some cool sites. I recommend this trip to anyone looking for a unique experience in Alaska!

It was a dream! But it doesn't a dream I had been there for real! This scenery is magnificent, I can says this sentence again and again!!! I am not sure about other places else but I am sure about here was fulfilled my dream. I love and glad I made it.

Walked the glacier on our own and had a fantastic time. If you're going to go any distance, make sure you have crampons .... makes the hike so much easier. If you don't want to do it on your own, you can hire a guide to take you out on the glacier.

We regularly take our visitors here, as it's one of the few places where you can go out and explore a glacier on your own. It's a little quirky in that it's literally in someone's backyard but for $25, you can spend hours exploring. I highly recommend visitors bring micro spikes or crampons and trekking poles with them, along with a coat (as it's quite a bit cooler out on the ice). You'll see people out in sandals and with babies in front packs walking around on it but given the lack of supervision and supports, as a younger and active thirty-something year-old whose been out here a half a dozen times, I wouldn't venture out without the spikes!

Still not sure how we stumbled across this gem. Was looking for the Highway overlook but ended up here, hesitant at first- owner was INCREDIBLY nice and hooked us up. We normally don’t do tours- both super outdoorsy and not really into the introduction stuff.
$60 tour with Nate was insanely worth it!! was just us- we assumed tour would be a simple short face intro. HOURS of exploring and learning SO MUCH climbing all over the glacier. He adapted the tour to our skill level and From one tour guide to another- he’s a Super knowledgeable dude. Good tour man! CryoConite!

Must visit on your road trip to alaska ... The drive from glacier towrads sheep mountain area is so scenic that we loved every part of it ..The glacier can be seen from a road but we drove towards the glacier paying a certain fee and had tea infront of glacier ..Its a amazing feeling ...The glacier looks really different from top view of road ..The drive on this road is spectacular ...Most beautiful drive , I must say in alaska ...It started to rain , so we left early though we wanted to spend more time on glacier ..we walked a little on glacier as well , though not hiked it but its awesome ...

Super cool glacier on private land. Cost $20/person and we had to sign liability waivers. It was so amazing and beautiful! I would do it again in a heartbeat.

I cannot recommend the Matanuska Glacier Tour enough. I’m not 100% sure if this is the spot for the company we went with, but we made reservations via text and it cost $150 per person, similar to another review posted below. I consider the hike the highlight of our 11 day Alaskan vacation and we had some pretty awesome experiences to choose from. Amy was our guide and she could not have been more kind and helpful. She shared information about the glacier, constantly checked in with us to make sure we felt comfortable and safe, took family pictures of us, and went above and beyond to ensure our time on the glacier was perfect.

Matanuska Glacier is a valley glacier in the US state of Alaska. At 27 miles long by 4 miles wide, it is the largest glacier accessible by car in the United States. The Matanuska Glacier is a large ice flow, 24 miles long and 4 miles wide at the terminus, averaging about 2 miles in width – Matanuska is also a valley glacier, meaning it exists on a valley floor.

It costs $30 per person to drive along a unpaved road to the parking lot near the glacier and to hike the glacier on our own. There was no guide or any signs whatsoever, which made it pretty dangerous. On our way back, one of our group members (in his 50s) stepped on a large piece of ice that looked sturdy, but was actually floating on a deep trench. Half of his body fell into the trench, and we were lucky enough to get him out. No one from the group that charged us would have come and help us. Also, the experience isn't that unique. There are more cost-effective options to experience walking on a glacier often for free on your own, or with experienced guides elsewhere in AK. Do not fall for this tourist trap.

How many people can say they set foot on a real glacier? Not that many. And if you are in Alaska: a must see.
The DRIVE from Anchorage or the Valley is very beautiful so allow some extra 30 min to make a couple of stops for taking pictures. However, there's an active avalanche area so please make sure you pay attention to the signs.
ACCESS: the glacier itself is a public land but the only road that leads there is a private property. So you'll have to pay entrance fee of $25. However, the money goes to maintaining access to the glacier so don't feel bad about it.
GUIDES: if you want to have a truly unforgettable and SAFE experience, I'd recommend taking one of the guided tours (I used MICA). WHY?
1) They provide all the safety equipment: believe me, you CANNOT walk on this ice without crampons and a hard hat never hurt anybody. Plus MICA would provide you with proper footwear if you show up in sneakers (I'll write later on clothes recommendations).
2) The glacier changes every day and those guides know their work: they ensure you are safe, they are trained in wilderness survival and they have radios. Meaning, they will explain where to step and not to step, the DOs and DON'Ts, etc.
HEALTH CONCERNS: if you are going on the ice wearing crampons, please be aware that it might affect your knees. I do not have an established disease but my knee muscles are rather weak: walking in crampons did hurt a little bit. Also do let the guide know if you have any other medical conditions as they are responsible for your well-being when you are out there.
CLOTHES:
* I was there at 75F sunny weather (which is not that often in Alaska)
1) FOOTWEAR: highly recommend good hiking boots (high up to your ankle) - because the crampons are fixed not only to the sole of your shoe but also around the lower part of your ankle. If you are wearing sneakers, your guide might have a pair of footwear, but it's always nicer to wear your own, right?
2) LAYERS OF CLOTHES: the glacier has its own "microclimate" so even if you are wearing a T-shirt on the parking lot, it's going to be very windy and chilly when you actually get on the ice. I'd recommend a windbreaker (I was wearing a T-shirt, and 2-layered North Face windbreaker jacket at 75F). Better take extra clothing and not need it than get chilly with 30-40 min hike back to your car;
3) SUNGLASSES: you'd need that for sure cause the ice is bright;
4) SUNSCREEN: all the sun reflected from the ice will burn your skin in no time;
5) BACKPACK: if you are going with a guide, they'll provide crampons that you'll have to carry for first 15 min of your hike. Better have a proper gear for that;
6) LUNCH/SNACK: if you are going with the guide, they'll make a couple of stops on the way where you'll get a chance to snack on something. Believe me, the hike is going to take a lot of your energy.
I know it seems like there are a lot of things to consider before going there but please do believe, you'll make one of the life-long memories!

I went on a tour with Nova and it was gorgeous! It is definitely worth seeing. The only bad part is that the place is privately owned and the land owners charge for you to see it with a hefty price tag. Hope in the future they will sell to the state and it will become a state park as it should be.

Last day of a week long drive around Alaska. Perfect way to finish off a great holiday.
We elected to go with Mica, had Levi as our guide in a party of just four so we got to see parts that larger groups may not.
Levi was great, provided an excellent commentary and kept us away from falling down crevasses. Though we are reasonably competent in outdoor activities, it made sense to go with a guide and get the word on safe travel on ice. You can only go so far on the glacier without a guide.
Pretty happy that we did the glacier and selected Mica.

I cannot understand the plethora of good reviews for the Matanuska Glacier tour. Have people lost all sense of value for money? They charge $150 per person (!), plus tips, for a 2-3 hour group tour. This is pure exploitation, only made possible because access is controlled by private ownership. In the past, this would have been called highway robbery.

This is a natural beauty being shamelessly commercialized, with Alaskan visitors being blatantly ripped off. Shame on you – this is how reputations, both of individual operators and entire regions, are ruined.

I managed to get an organized guided tour on the Matanuska Glacier: simply fabulous! The guides gave us the minimal equipment we needed (ice crampons, poles and helmets). Along the trips, which was around 3 hours, the guide explained us a lot of things about the glacier itself and glaciers in generals. The light was really good and we walked on an ice layer that was 1 km thick. The walk on the ice is suitable for anyone with minimal leg strength. There are anyway several trails that can be followed according to the ability of the visitors.

We took the matanuska glacier hike with the guide in July 2022. It was an incredible experience, the views were beautiful and our guide Maggie was super knowledgeable and friendly. I will say the hike was very challenging - I’m in average physical shape and had a really tough time on some of the steep ice hills. At one point we had to climb up an ice ladder that the guide literally hacked into the side of an ice sheet with her hatchet. I will say I felt safe with the guide and she physically supported me/kept me from falling into a glacier crevice at one point. I would still recommend the hike because it’s a truly unique and breathtaking experience, but would just cation that it is actually much more challenging than described on the website.

Do this trip! Did this tour with Nova - they were excellent! We had just arrived from Boston and were on a tight schedule so decided to use a guide to figure everything out! Tremendous views, great experience and in our case, the guiders were super knowledgeable! Highly recommend them.

The $30 unguided hiking is no longer available, but they still post it on their official website. They were very rude and even refused to admit that the unguided option on their official website was posted by themselves. There are a lot other glaciers that you can hike and climb at Alaska and they are free!

We took the guided tour with Garrett and it was amazing! He took his time with our group and answered all of our questions, allowed us plenty of time to take photos and explore safely. I can honestly say I was humbled by the fact I was on a glacier and walked away with a greater understanding of Alaska, glaciers, global warming effects (per my request and prodding!) and a better appreciation for “rocks.” Thanks Garrett! Your Rocked it! 😂

Our Guide Jay was very friendly and knowledgeable.The hike was little challenging but view was amazing.
Only thing I say is to tip your guide. We booked our tour through glacier tours. They don’t pay any money to the guides. When you pay for the tickets they suggest a tip of $20 to guide .Remember to wear hiking boots. I would recommend the hike because it’s truly a unique experience.

two of us paid the $30 each to drive to the parking area and hike on our own to the glacier. My friend was 79 and was able to easily walk all the way out to get on the glacier. about halfway during the hike we realized we were walking on the glacier! The views were amazing. The glacier so cool. Other than hubbard glacier, Matanuska is my next favorite. Highly recommend. Maybe next trip I'll take the $100 tour and go further in. The B&B we stayed in thought it was stupid to pay $30 to walk to the glacier. But we set him straight and said it was well worth the money!

To experience what a glacier really is, go! It is not an easy hike but it is not difficult to get close enough and on top of if you take your time and enjoy it.

We were 2 adults and 6 year old kid, we went on our own to walk on the glacier and it was a very good experience.

The glacier is really beautiful and its worth going for a hike. The entry fee of $30 seems very steep though.
Good shoes with crampons are highly recommended if you are hiking on the glacier. Many tour operators have guided hikes, but I felt that you could hike on your own.
Tour operators are probably a good option for activities like ice climbing on the glacier

The glacier is beautiful but the entrance fees to walk on the ice are quite steep, especially if you have a large group with children who will only go part of the way. Not too thrilled with the fee structure that turned this wonderful area into a bonafide tourist trap, but what is one to do once you are there? The worst part is that for the fee you get nothing but access: no information, maps, advice...nothing.

On the nature side, what a neat experience. Some of our party did not wear good hiking/climbing shoes and paid for it with cold feet, but those of us who were prepared sure had a grand time. The views are stunning and the time just flies by. Be sure to bring a hat that covers your ears and some light gloves if you are going to be spending some time climbing around.

Did not care for the setup, but would I go again...yes.

This place is a great getaway from Anchorage. About a 2.5 hour drive. opportunity to walk on a glacier. $20 per person unless you're an alaska resident then $15.

Such a wonderful experience you can't miss!!! I highly recommend doing this excursion for any adventurous people who love the outdoors and hike. Our tour guides, Halie and Sari, did a great job leading us on and off the glacier without any problems. The best thing I liked was when they let us drink the water running off the glacier. It was the best water I've tested yet and I can't wait to come back and do it all over again!!

I would recommend a stop here for anyone that wants easy access to a glacier. It's certainly not every day one gets to scramble across ancient ice. However I don't think it's the prettiest one I've seen in Alaska. If you only have time to see one near the Matsu valley area I would take the boat trip out to Knik glacier.

there is no other way to visit this other than to pay $65 dollars per person. You think for that kind of money they would at least pave their horrible road. They will apply heavy pressure on you to tip your guide by giving you an overinflated number at the beginning “as an estimate” and it’s cash only. For my group of 3 she quoted me 45-65 dollars for a tip. Yea ok. I thought a tip was just that…a tip. And only for superior service or experience. This was not the case here. So we went out. Group of about 20, all ages from 4-5 years old to Medicare aged. Guide was a college student who was not funny or sociable or talkative. He had zero business of being a guide for anything. He simply did not have the personality to be a tour guide, this stuff is not for everyone. We stopped here and there and he said a few sentences. $65 for a tip? Yea no. Tour was about 2 hrs. Takes what seems like an hour to even get on the ice, you stop like 3 or 4 times at cool spots for pics then you come down and walk back. is it worth it? I don’t know…probably wouldn’t do it again at this location.

We were a big group of 11 people. Our guides Adam, Brett, and Wess (sorry if I spell your names wrong!) took good care of us and made this the highlight of our 10-day Alaska trip! Thank you!! The ice-climbing tour was challenging and rewarding. The activity itself was so much fun and the view was stunning. The guides were so knowledgeable, professional, and flexible to make sure everyone was safe while trying different ways of ice-climbing. Highly recommended!!

The Matanuska Glacier is located near the Glenn Highway. There are several pull offs with great views of the Glacier. You can get very good Photo-Ops from any of these pull offs. This is a Glacier you can get good views of from the highway.

We had an amazing experience today at Matanuska Glacier! We read a lot of reviews and decided to take a day trip out of Anchorage to the glacier, not exactly sure if we were just going to picnic or hike it.

The picnic area is quite a distance away, so we decided to continue to Glacier Bay Road. The road was rugged and had 2 one-lane bridges. It ended at the gift shop where we were informed that you could not proceed without purchasing a tour. YOLO. From there, we drove 2 additional miles to the glacier, had lunch with an impressive view and met our tour guide Melissa (+2 interns). Facilities were nice and we quickly geared up to start our 2 hour journey.

Melissa was a great guide - she kept an easy pace and shared a lot of facts. We filled our water bottles with glacier water, took lots of scenic photos and even saw some calving. She was super patient with our 10 year old who was by her side the whole time. What a day to get off the grid and have a once in a lifetime experience!

An incredible way to start our trip! Cheyenne was our shuttle driver. She was super knowledgeable and helpful. We stopped in Palmer for snacks and bathroom and along the way for photo oops. Our guide at the Glacier was Leena (not sure how to spell it). She was awesome and kept us super safe. We learned so much about glaciers and the history of the land, drank fresh glacial water and took in the scenery. After, the Long Rifle Lodge was a unique place to eat with an awesomw view of the galcier. Food was great. I got salmon salad, rest of family got burgers. The glacier cookie was a big hit, but i loved the rhubarb pie that was made fresh by one of the servers. It was a truly amazing experience.

This was maybe the best experience of our twelve glorious days in Alaska. Our guide was so passionate and informative. We hiked the glacier for nearly three hours and were engaged and felt safe the whole time.

I lived in Alaska for 18 years and never realized how close this glacier was to Wasilla. It's a fun day trip, the website makes it sound like you can only go so far but actually you can clamber out onto the ice as far as you are willing to dare. Don't wear sandals, go with something spiky preferably. Pretty cool activity if you are looking for something to do in the mat-su valley.

We did a guided hike with Matanuska Glacier Adventures. While we could have done the unguided tour, I'm so glad that our family decided to pay more and have the guide. In addition to getting the spikes for our shoes, our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and took time to teach our kids (ages 7, 9 and 9) about the glacier. She stopped so we could fill up our bottles with fresh glacier water. She even cut out some mud that we could use for facials. But, the best part was when she told us that some people even swim in the pools by the glacier. No one was doing that while we were there...until we put on our bathing suits and went in. It was cold, but it was wonderful. We covered ourselves with the glacial mud (it felt amazing) and dove into the water while we could see people taking pictures of "those idiots in the water". Had we done this unguided, we would have had a cool experience walking onto the glacier. But, because we did the guided tour, we made memories that will last a lifetime!

It was awesome! Me and my son just lived it , we can not wait to go again. The guide was very nice and knew what he was doing. Great time to spend outdoors.

We didn't pay the money. This glacier is privately owned and they want you to either take a tour or pay $30 per person to hike near the glacier. Keep driving. Go to Worthington Glacier. Free and an easy walk to touch the glacier.

This is a privately owned attraction. The fee was $30 per person. The 20 minute hike to "the glacier" is mostly dry. The trail is roughly maintained. To actually touch the glacier you would need boots with clampons. Wearing hiking boots we got within 500 feet. This is not the worlds pretties glacier. The views are very nice, however, it is easy to find nicer views in Alaska. Being from Minnesota, this reminded me of a large melting snowbank.

...otherwise you have no chance to visit the glacier.

For the 150 USD you get the right of access to the property - sealed with a barrier - and then you can take the bus towards the glacier (distance only 2-3 miles !!!) - I understand that "security" and "staff" cost money, but 150 USD / person for visiting a piece of nature are simply overpriced and outrageous.

This has nothing to do with "precautionary measures", but here someone mercilessly exploits his monopoly to maximise profits from the only significant attraction on Glenn Hwy....just to stop this profit thinking, one would almost wish for an even faster melting of this one glacier (to then ask the owner of the land what his business model would look like in this lonely area).

This is he only glacier in Alaska that you can drive right up to and then walk across it. It's definitely worth the stop and the time on your way to Wrangell St. Elias Park.

Though there are many grander glaciers than Mantanuska, it was very memorable to walk on the glacier, be able to peer down into crevasses and see all the beautiful blue colors up close. We toured with MICA guides and I give them an A+. Our guide, Megan, was very knowledgeable and because we were the only 2 in what would normally be a group of 6, we were able to see more and go to more parts of the glacier. Megan was very safety conscious...almost to a fault, but maybe that had something to do with our age!! Would definitely recommend a tour over going at it on your own!

This glacier is not to be missed! It is massive and gorgeous. To view it from the road is amazingly beautiful, but closeup is indescribable. We opted to drive to the private owners shop to purchase tickets. This enabled us to drive almost right to the glacier. From there you walk (further than it looks) and explore the area. The owners take good care of the area by providing a parking area, picnic tables, and walkways in wet areas.

Went on a super snowy day so had to follow the guided tour. But it was totally worth it to see, touch, even slide down from the real glacier! It took longer than expected because people are taking turns taking photos. I would still recommend going with the guide if you are not an experienced hiker so you can make the most of the trip - some spectacular spots are beyond the self-guided trail. And it's dangerous not following the instructions since there might be cracks underneath.

We drove from Anchorage to the glacier, around 2hours. Nice drive with pretty views. You can choose for a guide ($100.00) and climb the glacier or no guide ($15.00) but than you can't climb and have to stay in front of the glacier.
It's worth it: wearing spikes and climbing to the top! Take a look at the pictures :)

The entry road was covered with ice so we hiked in. Two miles to the visitors center then three miles to the glacier. It was a long day but amazingly beautiful, would do tomorrow in a heartbeat!

This was a really neat and educational experience. It was a small group, which was nice. Our tour guide, Chris, was awesome. He was knowledgeable, friendly and always had a smile on his face. He was quick to help anyone who fell behind or needed a little extra help with the terrain. The views were stunning and we had plenty of time to take pictures. We got to drink some cold glacier water. The time the tour took was about 2.5 hours, which was perfect. Be sure to bring shoes that you are willing to get dirty. I would return and do this tour again.

Our guide, with Nova, was Mitch. He was fantastic. Nova provided us with boots, crampons and helmets for our 3+ hr hike on the Matanuska Glacier. It was just 3 of us on the tour and Mitch make the afternoon. He told us about the history of the glacier and some of his life stories as well. Would definitely recommend this tour. We booked our land package to see Alaska thru Alaskan Tour.com and they arranged this excursion and we could have hiked longer, it was so much fun.

A must stop on the way out of Anchorage. The drive down is windy and steep so be mindful with what kind of car you are driving.

My wife and I drove to the Glacier from Anchorage. While beautiful from a distance, all of the land surrounding the Glacier is private property and the owners charge $100 per person to walk you through their property to get to the Glacier. Just not worth it when so many other Glaciers in Alaska are accessible from public property.

Wow! What an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon. The Matanuska Glacier is a frozen spectacle of ancient ice. I am an Alaskan, so it only cost $20 to drive up close to the glacier and take a walk. If you're a tourist, it's $25. No senior discount available, that I'm aware of...

I did the ice hiking and it was a wonderful experience!! You do not need anybody to your side to have fun Live is only one!!

There is a sign designed exactly like national or state park sign saying "glacier access". But it's private and they charge $25 per person. They must bribe publishers because brochures and milepost give the impression you can drive to it without mentioning the fee. The sign should not be permitted it's deceptive

Incredible! Drive out then walk across ancient ice! Interesting to see rocks half frozen from the ice age, and the geological deposits of post melt debris. It's quite a drive from the main highway, but worth seeing. Stay at the Matanuska Lodge if up there.

Had an amazing time viewing the glacier. We did a self guided tour. Alaska residents are charged $25, for non residents the price is $30. Its a bit confusing to get to, just off the main highway you get to a dirt road. There was a sign that said yes we are open that was very helpful. We drove about a mile in, down a slope and over a bridge before reaching three small cabins and a gift shop with an open sign. There you sign a liability waver and also sign that you promise to stay on the provided path (they use orange cones to guide you on how to get to the glacier). After that they lift a traffic stop and you drive another two miles to a lookout point. From there its about a mile hike. Its muddy and you definitely notice when you shift to ice. I would recommend wearing hiking boots, cleats would help a lot too. I definitely slipped a bit with my regular winter hiking boots. The views were stunning. Seeing the little water streams that have created deep crevasses in the ice was amazing. Would definitely recommend. There was only one other couple out there when we arrived around 530pm. We had plenty of space and didn't wear masks. Would definitely recommend.

Ignore the signs saying not suitable for vehicles it's fine if you want to drive down, we walked since it was a beautiful day. It's open all year round, when you get to the bottom there's a shop where you purchase a ticket, you can drive, have a tour or walk. We hitched a lift and walked back with the hope of seeing wild live, which we didn't.
You can get really close to the glacier and do a walk around the area. The lady in the shop was very helpful. Defo good place to see a glacier in Alaska.

What an amazing experience! An easy and beautiful 1.5hr drive from Anchorage.

You get a good view of it before arriving and then head off the highway on a dirt road (no issues driving it) down to a house where you pay access fee. Some basic things available for purchase, and they will note down your number plate when you sign a waiver. It is $30 for visitor to access, or can pay more for a guide. Then you drive round to the parking lot and from there it's a walk on dirt/mud/platforms out to the glacier. Some great spots for photos along the way and would only be a few hundred meters until you are on the glacier! We used some spikes on our shoes and poles and they were most helpful.
You are free to roam around and do your own thing. So beautiful, so peaceful!

Definitely worth doing!

This was our first trip to Anchorage, so we wanted to see/touch a glacier. After visiting the Exit Glacier in Seward and the Portage Glaciers (viewing from a distance), we wanted to walk on and touch a glacier.
The lady at the Anchorage info center pointed us here. It's about 2 hours from Anchorage (don't visit on the last day of your trip like we did. It takes a bit of time to get back).
After you turn off the highway, follow the sign and drive about a mile on a dirt road to this general store. Pay the lady $25 per person for the self guided tour. Drive another 2 miles on the dirt road to get to the glacier.
As I walked toward the glacier, I was puzzled by the mixture of ice and rocks underneath (why hadn't the ice melted away in the 50 degree temperature). Then I realized we were already on the glacier. As we proceeded towards the "glacier" looking part, we saw the sign that stated "go no further if self guided". What? we don't get to climb on the big blocks of ice?
After taking a few pictures and thinking about it a bit, I thought not allowing random people to climb up the ice is probably a good idea. On top of that, we were late and needed to go back to Anchorage.
I would have loved to jump on top of the big ice block, but it was still a fun experience. Oh, there was a mud river crossing, and some planks sank a bit. Got some mud on my shoes/pants. Come prepare to get a little dirty (and expect the car to be a little dirty afterwards).

Definitely do a guided hike. We cannot praise Jordan enough for her patience and knowledge. The glacier is there to give you an experience, so take the time to put your cameras away, listen to the ice cracking and popping, and learn about it's incredible journey.

We paid for access to the glacier on the private road but did not take a guided hike. We stayed to the marked trail and were able to walk onto the glacier in just hiking boots and sneakers. I didn’t bring my crampons but should have to go a little further. The kids (ages 13-16) were fascinated and really enjoyed it. We also stopped at the state recreation area right off the highway and walked the easy mile loop for great overlook views of the glacier.

Tips: stay on the trail while walking to the glacier. We accidentally got off and one of us sank in knee-deep glacial silt.

Take crampons if you have them. It’s slick in places.

Very scenic glacier hike. The drive in is a little scary, narrow mountain road. Check in and pay before entering. We were going to do a guided hike but we were shorter on time than expected so just did a hike on our own which was easy. The trail is relatively well marked but you can deviate from the trail. It is a long walk to the glacier face, we didn't quite walk all the way to the glacier. Got lots of nice pictures and enjoyed the nice weather. There were a good amount of other people out on the glacier. Careful where you step or your foot might sink in the glacial mud. If you want to get to the glacier I would give yourself 3 hours there.

Called ahead and Bill was very accommodating so that my handicap wife could experience the glacier up close and personnel on a winter sleigh tour Thomas was a world of information and answered any and all of our questions. I recommend that you ask for Thomas as he is the best tour guide and a good photographer

Hiking the glacier was a great experience, but it is a moderate/strenuous hike. Hiking poles and crampons helped, but I still ended up with a few scrapes and bruises. Of course, the tween-aged kids on the tour had no issues! Glad I did it, but wish I had more idea of what was involved beforehand.

Walking on a glacier with crampons is a unique experience. Even though my husband and I are older, the guides are very accommodating to everyone in the group. We were guided by Maya and David, both of whom are wonderful! The three-hour hike is really suitable for absolutely everyone, even those without fitness. If you're in Alaska, don't miss Matanuska.

We booked the Matanuska Glacier Walk with "Glacier Tours at Matanuska" for $65 per person for a 3 hour walk on the glacier with a guide. You book by calling or texting, and pay when you get there. You drive your own car down to the base of the glacier and the crew sets you up with helmets and spikes for your sneakers/boots. Our guide was Michelle and she was adorable, friendly, and informative. We had a great time learning about the glacier and taking unforgettable photos on the ice. My grandparents struggled walking on the terrain, but Michelle was nothing but supportive and held my grandma's hand to make her feel more comfortable. Such a great experience for the whole family, and a great value for a 3 hour excursion!

While the views from the state recreational park are nice, it's disappointing that there are no state roads to the Glacier. It is accessable via a private road by paying a fee (Absorbent) to a private group that owns the only roads leading closest the glacier. Too bad for the disabled, parents with young children, and elder people or even those who wish to just see a glacier up close without taking a tour and walking on it. The average person (non- environmental hikers) will be overall disappointed at the lack of access.

This was a spur of the moment decision to do but one of the highlights of our trip to Alaska. To be able to walk the glacier and our guide - Jason was so informative and kept the tour fun!! Highly recommend doing this hike!! Well worth the money!!

The Matanuska Glacier was amazing. It was a highlight. It is a privately owned Glacier so it is closed to public use, which is good because a guide helps keep the adventure safe. It was a 2 hour hike with many picturesque places. We got up close and personal with the glacier. We saved hundreds of dollars by driving to the glacier ourselves. It is 2 hours from Anchorage. We called prior and set up our time. We were able to pay just $100 per person upon arrival. If you don’t drive well in the snow from October to April you may prefer for a company to take you up. We tipped the tour guide $20 per person. You do need to wear snow gear in October and Winter months. They gave us helmets and spikes for our shoes. I was glad I wore my snow boots and snow pants and warm gloves. We were able to explore an ice cave and see the beginning of the river source. Our teenage son loved it and there was 5 year old in our group that kept up too. So it is great for all ages but does require 2 hours of ice hiking. Our guide was knowledgeable and helpful. I highly recommend this adventure.

This was a great addition to our trip. We got to walk on the glacier, see some interesting things and beautiful glacier formations. It is about a 2 hr guided tour. Quite expensive, but worth it.
We called the company the same morning and they were able to add us as walk-ins to an existing group. We were there during the week and it was busy, but not that busy. I hear it tends to get much busier during the weekends so you might want to book in advance.

We took unguided tour and it was a nice trek. Cold of course, but not slick. $25 per person compared to the $100 per person of guided tour and we stayed longer than the tour group that left at same time. As a side note, absolutely NO drones are allowed and they are not shy about giving their opinions on them.

Ethan was an awesome tour guide! He was so fun and knowledgeable! The glacier was stunning! I had a blast!

Coming to the matanuska glacier was one of the highlights of our entire trip to Alaska. Don't be fooled that you need to sign up for a pricey tour to see this beauty! Coming off of the Glenn Highway, there are handpainted signs that says "Glacier Access -->". Simply follow these signs down a dirt road, ignoring the 'dangerous road, no trespassing' (these are referring to little dirt road offshoots), until you hit the gift shop. Park, go inside and sign a waiver and pay $25/person and you can go explore the glacier until your heart's content. If you have the gear, bring your own helmet, gear and crampons to go wherever you want. Otherwise, you follow orange pylons out onto the glacier or just stick to the dirty ice since it's not slippery. We spent the majority of the day exploring on our own and it was amazing. We were also the only ones out there for most of the time. Loved it!

Remember to bring your hiking shoes, warm jacket and hats because it does get cold out on the ice!

Also, if you have mobility issues, don't fret! You can still enjoy the glacier from the parking lot with picnic tables and maybe venture a little bit on the pathway out to the ice if you just can't go far.

We did NOT do the expensive guided tour but essentially did the same path. Wear good hiking boots! Great for kids and teens.

I visit Matanuska Glacier with NOVA. I enjoyed a lot the hiking on the glacier with Petra. I do recommend it. It was a very good experience and Petras was a very good guide.

It was cool to see but if I planned this trip for someone else I would recommend the full day tour to hike on it and go down to the ice caves and everything else you see in their marketing since you don’t see a heck of a lot with just the 30 access fee.

Amazing view and experience. Walking, touching, seeing and taking in the air of a glacier is a Must do for everyone.
I was surprised and also disappointed with entrance charge because the infrastructure is not yet completed poor signage and parking area is limited and a mess. Until this is cleaned up and organized the gate charge of 30.00 per adult is robbery.

We didn't get a chance to hike on the glacier but we did visit the state park and had a great time on the hike. The views of the glacier are amazing and the the information boards are very helpful and informative. Worth a drive from Anchorage.

This was the best vacation activity! Jason was an excellent guide. We had a group of 10 in our family and had a tour guide all to ourselves. He was friendly and patient as we all trekked up and down the glacier (age 7 to 67 in our group). There were challenging situations, but he helped us navigate and shared some really interesting facts about the glacier. It was a beautiful sight and an experience not to be missed.

Must visit place for Alaska. It was incredible journey. I am planning to go once more in February to see the snow caves.

We traveled the Glenn Highway from Glennallen to Anchorage. Along the way you drive right by the Matanuska Glacier.

There is a pull-off with an overlook and pit
toilets where you can get a lovely view of the glacier.

Very pretty to see. And a good opportunity to get out and stretch your legs.

It only takes a few minutes.

I am upset with not only myself, but the "owners". We paid for a guided tour, if I would have known you can walk as far as you want without having to pay for the guided tour, I would have.

They made it seem like the unguided tour, you can only go so far. NOT TRUE. $100 for a guided tour is a lot of money, compared to $30 do it yourself. Granted out guide gave us lots of information, advise to anyone: JUST WALK IT YOURSELF.

Overall beautiful glacier though!

Beautiful area and glacier is close to the main road. Private access to walk on the glacier so it is expensive ($30 per person) with no frills. If you want to walk on a Glacier try the Worthington glacier for free on your way to Valdez.

We hired 907 tours to take us to hike this glacier. Our guide Melissa at the glacier was very informative. Be sure to stay on the trail. Make sure to use restroom before going out on 2 hour hike. Wear layers due to changing weather conditions. Great for taking lots of photos and videos. Get up close to features of the glacier otherwise that would not be able to see. You can bring water bottle to fill up with the glacier water. It’s a long 2 hour hike be prepared. Glad we got to experience this glacier up close and personal. Was told the best time to see this glacier is in the winter since there are areas you will not be able to hike to in the summer.

It's amazing experience to see glacier calving while on boat and yet another magic walking on the glacier and hearing them moving slowly!
This is not that far from Anchorage and Palmer is another nice stop on the way. Must do!

I've lived in Alaska for 25 yr and this is my first visit to the Glacier at Milepost 102 on the Glenn Highway. I will go back again. You can drive within 1/2 miles of the glacier, park your car and walk down to the glacier and up on the ice. There are multiple tours that are offered (schedule them ahead of your visit) for a cost. This glacier is probably the best one to walk on in Southcentral Alaska. However, you must be careful walking around because their are crevices over the entire glacier. It costs from $20-25 per person to go down to the glacier and walk around. There was a group repelling the face of a glacier. There were also "people walking where they shouldn't be!! You need to be in good physical condition to walk down the hill and around. There is a viewing spot (free) about 1 mile before from this glacier walk location. Outdoor latrines are available at both locations. I saw several young children with parents on the glacier. The kids need to mind the adults so they don't go running and fall....even into a large crevice!

Visiting Matsu Glacier is an easy day trip from Anchorage. If you have only time for one day trip this would be at the top of places to see. The hike from the parking lot to the ice is not far or difficult. It can be a bit muddy and wet at times. Normal hiking boots are fine. If you want to hike on the ice, ice cleats are good to take along. My kids bound over the ice like mountain goats in just gym shoes. It's very beautiful and on a sunny day is truly spectacular. There are several restaurants in the area. 1 before and a few several miles past the turn off if you get hungry from the hike. Don't miss it!

It was a cool experience to get to walk on a glacier, but the fact that you have to pay $25 to $30 to access it via private land is super lame. I went with a friend who was visiting from out of state, I don't think I would have paid to go if it wasn't for her wanting to see it.

Full disclosure. I'm a local. I've been to this glacier a few times before the "you must have a guide" rule came about. Listen, I get it, people were definitely being idiots on the glacier and some kind of regulation was probably needed but not this, this is just the fleecing of tourists. Here's my pro + con list for what it's worth.
Pros - you are on a freakin glacier! Yes, it's cool & if it's something you have to do, do it.
Cons - lady at the front desk yelled at me about how the native corp bought the land a few years ago and now the only way to see the glacier is by buying a tour when I asked about being able to go on the glacier without a guide
- $150 per adult is a lot of money for a "meh" 2 hour tour. Guides are young, mostly out of state college students who likely get a crash course on safety and some spikes for you to put on and a template of what to say for 2 hours. For what its worth, our guide was great + funny. I don't think the company takes good care of their seasonal workers as I was told that some of them live in tents. I don't think they get paid much either as there were a lot of signs about tipping. The same lady from the front desk also asked if I wanted some cash for tips while swiping my card. Perhaps I'd be more supportive of the company if they took better care of their employees.
At the end of the day, this "mandated" tour is just a cash grab for the native company.

You can NOT just drive up to The glaciers.
A guy named Bill owns the ONLY road into the park and he is charging a fee of $125 per person to go on his road.
You can see it only from the freeway.
So yes The glaciers are awesome but we never got directly on them.

We took the guided tour and since my daughter was an Alaskan Resident, received a discounted price. The tour was so educational! I am a science teacher and I learned some things!! This is a must, whether you take the tour or go unguided!

We are adventurous and had a phenomenal time!! It was absolutely amazing hiking to the top of the glacier !! Unlike anything we have ever did before!! Breath taking views ! Everything in Alaska is so beautiful !!

It was $30 per person, and there was very little of the glacier that we were allowed to walk on when doing the self-guided tour. The people who paid $100 to go on the guided tour had a lot more access.

As far as you go into the glacier, you will feel you are in a special place on earth. It was a very unique experience to walk on ancient ice. The road to reach the glacier is not well kept, but worth the ride. You do not need to hire a company to walk the glacier, but be careful, there are a lot of huge cracks that could make your way back difficult/dangerous.

We heard about this place from the place where we were staying. Was a little expensive, but glad we went! Pretty cool to say we walked on a glacier. Kids loved it, beautiful breathtaking scenery. They do offer excursions deeper onto the glacier for an additional fee.

It’s disappointing to see how much it costs just to walk on a trail and enjoy one of alaska’s Natural resources. They even want 10$ for my 1 year old who gets pushed in a stroller. I imagine that the glacier is beyond beautiful, but I’ll never know because I refuse to pay 30$ per adult (my 14 year old included) to walk On a trail in the woods and see a glacier.
Portage is free at least. Unless you wanna drop some cash, I suggest passing this one up.
😞

We were too late for the guided tour so we did the self guided tour. It was $30 per person and the road was a little rough but go slow and you'll be fine. Walking on a glacier was truly a very cool thing to do and I'm so glad we did. It was like a high but the best kind....a nature high. However, you absolutey need cleats on your shoes. We kept sliding on the ice and we really could have gotten hurt. I wish they would at least rent them out to people doing the self guided tour. I would have rented them for sure. If I had to do it again, I would go with the tour guide and get the cleats. Costly yes but safer for sure.

We stayed at Palmer for the night and went to the glacier in the morning. We had booked a guided tour which turned out to be one of the best hikes of my life. It was new experience like never before. The guided tour is a must

If short on time in Anchorage, this glacier is just a short drive away! There are multiple viewpoints, including a state recreation area dedicated to the glacier. We just stuck to the pullouts since we were short in time.

There are also tours to walk on the glacier, but we did not do it since we arrived in the afternoon and dover all the way from Fairbanks.

Take the Glenn Highway towards Glennallen. It is right after the Matanuska park. Private road, poorly maintained. Stop at the shop and pay $20 each. Drive 2 more miles.

You might have been able to drive up to it before, but it has receded. There is plenty left, after a difficult walk through mudfields. We had no special equipment and were fine. My dad is over 75, there were a few places where he wouldn't have done it without me there.

The glacier is neat. Lots of gravel, moraine, interesting rocks, and walls of ice. They don't care how far you go... You've signed a waiver.

Once in a lifetime chance to do this. We tried to get to exit glacier in Kenai Fjords.... It had nothing on this.

I do not normally do reviews but after my experience I felt a need to do one. We booked a tour to Matanuska Glacier for a group of us visiting Alaska. There were 5 adults and 5 kids. I had calculated what my total would be before I arrived since I had a few Alaska residents as part of the 10 and they have a different rate. Note: if you have any Alaska residents with you they are less expensive and can sponsor 2 non-Alaska residents but this is not advertised anywhere. The lady started by telling me this was a $1000 tour that is "discounted" down to $390.00 for the 10 of us. I told her that she must have done something wrong since I had already calculated what my cost should be. Instead of apologizing and checking her totals she argued with me. I stood my ground and asked her to show me her numbers. Well she had 3 Alaska residents at $35.00 each totalling $195.00 instead of $105.00. No apology whatsoever but did take my $300.00 cash. She proceeded to tell me that with a group of 10 that the expected tip is between $300.00 and $500.00!! My daughter has worked adventure guiding for many years and the various companies she has worked for has never told you how much you had to tip. The office lady also told me exactly where to be when I tipped the guide! If that is the expected tip then this place needs to add that to the price of the ticket. Of the 5 kids there was one aged 15 and the other 4 under the age of 8 so that left this $300 - $500 tip on the 5 adults. So much for the family experience that was somewhat cost effective. She also told me that if we "ever" put the 18 month old child that we had with us "on the ground" then I would need to pay for him as he was free as long as he was being carried. The hike itself was wonderful with a super great guide. I encourage visitors to take this hike in. However, the company needs to find office staff that is not so rude and they really need to find a better way to explain tipping options than to tell clients what they must tip! Totally left a very bad opinion of this company with me!!!

We went with MiCA Tours. They were great and even gave us a Sr Discount.
We had a guide named Luke who gave us a very educational tour. He drilled a hole in the glacier so we could drink clean clean water. He showed us how to walk down a hill and up a hill with our crampons on. We learned all about the winds that blow warm one direction and cold from the other. It was a great way to spend the day.

One of the things I wanted to do when going to Alaska was walk on a glacier. My prior time I had been on a cruise ship but this time with a couple of extra days in Anchorage I decided to book a day trip. I didn't want to ride on a helicopter or a have a huge hike in. We drove down and had our own guide, from Salmon Berry tours, who walked with us and showed us around the glacier. We did have spikes on our shoes which helped quite a lot in walking around.

If you aren't with a guide your access appears to be pretty limited and since the road access on private property you have to pay to come here.

This was our first experience walking on a glacier. We did the tour with Nova Guides. Perfect tour for kids, the walking distance ir around 3 km (2 miles), slow pace over the ice, enough time to take pictures and enjoy the view. Our Guide Betsy was very cautious and make the trip very safe.

This is quite the drive to get to. About 2 hours from Anchorage and the last part is on a single lane dirt road. Once you get to the bottom it is a $30 charge per person to access the glacier or $100 per person for a guided tour of it. We chose the do it yourself unguided tour. You have to sign a waiver before heading out. You then drive about another mile to the starting point where it's about another mile hike to the glacier itself.You follow the cones to the glacier as that is how the "trail" is marked. But once you get there; it is awesome! You get to touch, sit on it etc. Your are up close and personal to it. It was amazing. Lots of photos.We were the only ones doing the unguided tour but there were two other guided tours ahead of us. I think they do them every hour or two. We all enjoyed this very much!! (Christa)

We had a wonderful time hiking on the glacier with Nova Alaska Guides. Although many people did hike alone, the reviews we read about getting access without a guide led us to make this decision and we are glad we did. The experience was very enjoyable and hassle-free.

You can no longer do a self guided tour of this glacier, you have to pay $125 per person for a guided tour. Don’t drive all the way out there if you don’t want to pay for the tour!

Walking on a glacier was the most incredible experience. Being able to drive right to it was icing on the cake. Bring some shoes that you will not mind getting scuffed, wet, or dirty, as this is a walking attraction. This glacier is huge. From the parking lot, it looks like the glacier is just in front of you. The scale of the size is misleading. You may walk as much as a mile to get up to the face of the ice, all the while walking on ice that was once the bottom of the receded parts. If you love adventure, this will appeal to you. If you really just want to be lazy, there are tables and benches to sit at near the parking lot. It is at least 4 miles across the face, so you can get great photos from just about any angle, from any distance away. This stop is an Alaskan vacation must.

the tour is great and our guide did an excellent job. especially in teaching us the basics in ice climbing, thank you.
the glacier i find somehow easy, i had expected more difficulty.
personally, i find the tour a bit too expensive. nevertheless, it was a great experience.

WOW! I am not entirely sure what I was expecting, but my mind was absolutely blown. As somebody fortunate enough to have done and seen many things in life, this tops the list without a doubt. Not only was my tour guide Nick unbelievably amazing and knowledgeable, he was a true professional. I cannot recommend Matanuska Glacier Tours highly enough. From the staff at check in, to the lead guide/supervisor Kendra, to my tour guide Nick. Amazing people, amazing place, amazing experience. Worth every single penny and then some. Easy/flexible scheduling via text, easy to navigate directions, unreal/once in a lifetime experience. They tell you this in advance, BUT, be sure to gas up before you go and 4WD/AWD is recommended in winter. I CANNOT WAIT to return, and I will certainly be calling ahead to ensure I will be guided by Nick again! WORTH EVERY PENNY AND MORE!!!!!!

My daughter, niece and I stayed in the area earlier this week. My niece and I decided to do the self guided glacier hike. My daughter did not want to do the hike but to ride with us to where we parked the car, she still had to pay the $25 fee. I understand they would not have known if she hiked or not - hence the fee, but that was a little disappointing since there was no place else for her to stay while the other two of us hiked. Once you arrive at the office/store which is down a non paved road, you pay the fee and they open the gate to let you continue down the road approximately 2 more miles. You park then start the hike to the glacier. They have cones placed to help you decide the best place to walk. They also have boards to walk on to help stay out of the mud although we still had to walk through some mud which got almost to the top of our sneakers in some places (had to change sneakers and wash the ones we had on later). The disappointing part was that we expected to be able to to all the way to the main white part of the glacier. However, at a certain point we came to a sign stating self guided hikes were to "stop here". Well "here" was a view point looking down at the glacier. So...we looked around and found a place to the right where we had seen the guided tours going and decided to go in that direction to get to the glacier. We got to a separate small section of the white part of the glacier, took a picture and headed on toward the main part - where we sunk in mud. We turned around and headed back to the car. I had mud all the way to my upper thighs. I am glad we went and at least we got to see/touch/take a pic by a small part but I was really disappointed that we did not get to go to the main glacier.

It was very interesting to walk out to and on a glacier. Visitors are limited to a short trek onto the glacier unless equipped for their safety.

We were only able to drive to a place near to this glacier due to time restraints but it was beautiful. Plan ahead and take time to see this!

The glacier is a fascinating and awe inspiring experience. Just one important update this year only guided tours are available. One cannot just pay and go on their own. The price for a guided tour is $100 per person. Just be aware.
Beyond that, the people are SUPER nice and friendly. We arrived thinking that we could just tour on our own. We had limited time and could not wait for the next tour. They arranged for a guide to take us right away and work within our schedule. It was very nice.
Tom our tour guide was very nice, friendly and knowledgeable. Very nice people!!

We booked our tour through Salmon Berry. Very happy we made the trek here from Anchorage. This is one of those awe inspiring sites. Spent several hours on the glacier and had the most memorable day.

When planning our Alaska vacation we wanted to include active adventure. The MICA Guides ice climbing adventure on Matanuska Glacier exceeded our expectations! Our guides Brett and Emily did a great job of ensuring we were safe and had plenty of climbing. What a thrill to hang from the side of a glacier and use the skills they taught us to climb a sheer ice wall. And the raw beauty of Matanuska is amazing. This was the highlight of our trip. Thanks, Brett and Emily!

We were really on the fence if we should take a tour or not. I ended up choosing NOVA and was so glad we did. Our guide took us out waaaay longer than the stated time and I just couldn't imagine seeing what we saw without her. What a great experience!

Great attraction to see. Do note you should bring proper attire for walking around on the glacier. Layered clothes, correct footwear (yak traks or crampons very helpful). It is $25 a person which is pricy but I had no regrets! Very pleased with my visit, plan for about 1-2 hours to explore :)

My husband and I did a guided tour with NOVA company on our last day in Alaska after hearing from other travelers that this place could be very scary to hike by yourself without professionals. I feel that is true from our experience. You definitely need to get crampons and a true hiking boots with ankle support for this activity if you go without a tour. Your uggs or regular snow boots won't be suitable. Instead of getting all these gears, just go with a tour, at least you don't have to worry about all those deep cracks on the glacier. Our guide from Nova was great. She is very passionate to show us around and make it very educational and fun for us to learn about different types of ice/glacier, the muds, the formation of "mountain" that is found around the glacier. She taught us how to hike safely and was very familiar with the routes despite just an intern with the company for the summer. We felt we were in good hands crossing over some crevasses. One more perk of going with a guide is that you get a free photographer to take picture for you.This hike was a piece of cake doing it with a guide for us, not sure we would find it easy in the first place if we didn't go on a tour instead. I think we wouldn't know what to expect and why regular tennis shoes are not sufficient. We are told you can't fly your drone there, although it is tempting with all the scenic views. I could only imagine watching top down could be even prettier. Here are more information if you want to know how exactly we did this on our last day in alaska. FYI, NOVA has 9.30am and 2.30pm tour in August. I drove from seward, therefore I booked the 2.30pm tour. The tour takes about 3 hours or slightly overtime to head back to the car park, we finished around 5.45pm, drove to Fitness Alaska (open 24 hours) in Anchorage in less than 2 hours to take a shower with 15 dollars day pass, it was clean and has great amenities, then took a dinner and relax before heading to the airport to catch our flight around 12.45am.

This was one of the best glacier experience as it allowed us to get close up and on to the glacier. Make sure you wear warm clothes and covered toe shoes as the weather can get cold.

We decided to bypass paying to go out on the glacier as it looked like a lot of mud to trek through before you actually got there. Keep driving up the road to mile marker 105 you'll see an AT&T cellular tower turn on the gravel road park near the gate, call AT&T (The number is on the gate) and ask permission to go on the land and they will grant it.

There was a lot of vertical change on this hike. walk down the gravel road when it forks go right you'll see the trail. we saw a baby moose with its mom got within 15 feet (maybe that wasn't the wisest thing but it was cool).

The hike was definitely a work out, narrow trail, very vertical amazing amazing views of the glacier and the surrounding area you will be glad you did it no matter what condition you're in I would rate this hike as moderately difficult.

When you're finished go up the road a couple miles on your left will be sheep Mountain Lodge doesn't look like anything special however the food is excellent appetizers main course and dessert and service it's a winner
make sure you stop there no matter what time of day

I didn't see this until my second trip to Alaska and am so glad that we made the stop!! It was $25 to visit the glacier but it was definitely worth it. It is a short walk but is slippery so make sure you can maintain steady footing. The glacier was absolutely breathtaking and you get to walk right out onto it. Also glacial pools that you can see as well. One of my favorite parts of the state!

The view from the road itself is so beautiful. We did not get a chance to actually hike to the glacier, However, we did stop at various points on the road to appreciate the beauty of the glacier. If you are driving between Copperville / Valdez and Anchorage do not miss the spot. There are tours available to hike the glacier and I am sure would be worth it.

My first experience hiking on a glacier didn't start out so well - we were late because of construction and therefore didn't arrive in time for our scheduled hike BUT MICA Guides had already scheduled us with Brett (one of the best guides) for a later time. Brett was an excellent guide and did everything he could do make our time on the glacier safe & enjoyable including taking a panoramic photo of us where we show up in two places - very cool. He also made us a glacier spigot where we could fill our water bottles. I highly recommend Mica guides (& Brett) to all. Next I'm going to try ice climbing with them.

We used salmon berry tours for our entire trip and they had a guide who took us on the glacier walk. It was absolutely beautiful! There was only one other couple in our group. Kristi was so knowledgeable and beyond friendly! We hiked to the glacier and then once we were there spent a few hours looking at all the different formations and cracks and what not. She took plenty of time to stop and take pictures. And water breaks if needed. I would highly recommend taking this tour! It’s not extremely difficult but it does involve a lot of walking and a little climbing and balancing etc. Everything was breathtaking and we even got to climb in a new part of the glacier that had just opened up this winter! The wormhole!

Did this family hike with grown kids. Views are amazing and picture taking opportunities abound. Cost $25 per person and road is rough but hike and glacier access are worth it. We were in a Toyota Camry and just went slow. Highly recommend.

Very cool getting to hike on the glacier and experience different places on the glacier. Dress in layers, waterproof shoes,cramp-ons and helmets provided. Some agility required to walk/climb glacier. Hannah and Julian were our guides, and they did a terrific job walking with us and helping as needed. They were both very knowledgeable and were very enthusiastic about their job!

I went to Matanuska in July. The price is pretty steep so be prepared to pay $30 per person. You park and walk about 10-15 min from the lot to the glacier. There are a few obstacles and wet areas along the way. Take a jacket even if the weather is warm. Also, if you aren’t on a guided tour there is only so far you can go. Bring crampons if you want to venture a little further.

Our group of 5 couples spent a couple of hours on the Maranuska Glacier. All of us have heard the environmental concern caused by shrinking glaciers. It is impossible to visit the MG and not come away without increased awareness and knowledge.

We were equipped with walking poles and cleats to wear around our shoes. Certainly the footing would have been far more treacherous without these aids.

The MG is easy to find, but there's a significant drive back to the parking lot. Give yourself plenty of time.