Matanuska Glacier is a valley

glacier A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its Ablation#Glaciology, ablation over many years, often Century, centuries. It acquires dis ...

in the US state of

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...

. At long by wide, it is the largest glacier accessible by car in the United States. Its

terminus Terminus may refer to: * Bus terminus, a bus station serving as an end destination * Terminal train station or terminus, a railway station serving as an end destination Geography *Terminus, the unofficial original name of Atlanta, Georgia, United ...

feeds the

Matanuska River The Matanuska River ( Dena'ina: ''Ch'atanhtnu''; Ahtna: ''Ts'itonhna’'') is a 75-mile (121 km) long river in Southcentral Alaska, United States. The river drains a broad valley south of the Alaska Range eponymously known as the Matanusk ...

. It lies near the

Glenn Highway The Glenn Highway (part of Alaska Route 1) is a highway in the U.S. state of Alaska, extending from Anchorage near Merrill Field to Glennallen on the Richardson Highway. The Tok Cut-Off is often considered part of the Glenn Highway, for a tota ...

about north-east of

Anchorage Anchorage () is the largest city in the U.S. state of Alaska by population. With a population of 291,247 in 2020, it contains nearly 40% of the state's population. The Anchorage metropolitan area, which includes Anchorage and the neighboring Ma ...

in Glacier View. The glacier flows about per day. Due to

ablation Ablation ( la, ablatio – removal) is removal or destruction of something from an object by vaporization, chipping, erosion, erosive processes or by other means. Examples of ablative materials are described below, and include spacecraft materi ...

of the lower glacier, , the location of the

glacier terminus A glacier terminus, toe, or snout, is the end of a glacier at any given point in time. Although glaciers seem motionless to the observer, in reality glaciers are in endless motion and the glacier terminus is always either advancing or retreating ...

has changed little over the previous three decades. Nearby State Park: There is an

Alaska State Parks Alaska’s state park system is managed by the Alaska Department of Natural Resources division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation. The system contains over 120 units spanning 3,427,895 acres, making it far larger than any other state park system in ...

facility, the Matanuska Glacier State Recreation Site, a park with trails and a small campground. Vehicle & Walking Access: As the largest glacier in Alaska which is accessible by car, travelers have options for up-close viewing or walking on the ice. Matanuska Glacier is accessible by a single road, S Glacier Park Road found at Mile 102 of the

. This gravel road with small bridge crossing comes to an electronic gate operated b
Glacier Tours on the MatanuskaGlacier Tours
also maintains the remainder of the drive to the glacier, as well as parking, a shelter, paths and picnic tables. Visitors may pay a fee for guided tours with a local guide. Local tours are operated year-round. Additional tours depart from

downtown Anchorage Downtown Anchorage is a neighborhood in the U.S. city of Anchorage, Alaska. Considered the central business district of Anchorage, Downtown has many office buildings, cultural points of interest, shopping areas, as well as dining and nightlife at ...

and include a guide with shuttle service to Matanuska Glacier. Fun Fact: The glacier is the eponym of the

Alaska Marine Highway The Alaska Marine Highway (AMH) or the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) is a ferry service operated by the U.S. state of Alaska. It has its headquarters in Ketchikan, Alaska. The Alaska Marine Highway System operates along the south-central ...

ferry M/V ''Matanuska''.

References

Glaciers of Alaska Glaciers of Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska Tourist attractions in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska {{Alaska-glacier-stub

See also

References