Hi travel fam! If you are heading to Alaska and looking for the most photo worthy spots, you are in the right place! This guide includes spots from Denali all the way down to Seward. There aren’t many non-photographable places in Alaska, but here are just a few of my personal favorites!
For a guide to the Ultimate one week road trip itinerary from Anchorage, click here. This guide also gives you directions to all the spots on this list!
1. Denali National Park
Denali has so many spots to take pictures, and so much wildlife to spot! I recommend having multiple lenses (to get those good wildlife shots), and definitely check out my guide to Denali here.
Some of my favorite photo spots include the following (left to right, top to bottom):
Savage Alpine Trail
Savage River Trail
Eielson Visitor Center
Denali View North Pull off
Mountain Vista Trail
Horseshoe Lake Trail
2. Hatcher Pass Lodge
The iconic red cabins against the backdrop of Hatcher Pass should not be missed! Be mindful this is an active hotel, so be respectful of guests as you take a few pictures. You can also stay at this hotel for a fun, unique experience! Click here to learn more.
3. Hatcher Pass
The drive up Fishhook Road is an incredible place for mountain shots! If you want to hike in the later parts of summer, check out April Bowl. Otherwise, explore around Independence Mine at the top of the pass.
4. Matanuska Glacier
Who doesn’t want a photo standing on a glacier? Be warned, to actually go onto the glacier you need a guide (unless you can prove you have glacier training and equipment). See my road trip guide here for how to!
5. Old Glenn Highway Pull Off
To find this spot, enter this address into your GPS: 36600 Glenn Highway. You will hit this area on the way to Matanuska Glacier.
But there are so many pull offs along this highway to enjoy, and keep your eyes open for bald eagles!
6. Moose Pass
Moose Pass is a very small and adorable town with mountains and lakes everywhere! This is the site where we actually stayed overnight boondocking! Boondocking is where you just stay at an undeveloped, dispersed campsite. It was a blast, and definitely an ideal view to wake up to.
*Pro Tip: Make sure you stop at Moose Drop In Trading Post for the BEST fudge. Seriously. So. Good.
7. Resurrection Bay Seward
The town of Seward sits on Resurrection Bay. The ocean surrounded by the mountains is the most iconic backdrop. Park your car and head towards the Seward Harbor. There are a lot of pathways down to the water and keep your eyes peeled for otters as you shoot some pictures!
You can also take a tour onto the water into Kenai Fjords National Park. We spent the day with Major Marine Tours and had the best experience!
8. Harding Ice Field
This was one of my favorite hikes of all time. It leaves from the Exit Glacier area. Be warned this is a difficult one! Four miles one way with 1000 feet of elevation gained per mile. Also in the spring and early summer there is high avalanche danger and you likely won’t make it to the top without very specialized equipment. Still worth it to do part of the hike!
*Pro Tip: look out for black bears here!
9. Virgin Creek Falls
A beautiful five minute walk takes you to an isolated waterfall in the forest. Definitely a must see in Girdwood (between Seward and Anchorage). Be mindful of the residents of the neighborhood! If you go early in the morning you can likely get this magical spot all to yourself.
10. Turnagain Arm
This isn’t a photo spot per say, but a gorgeous stretch of water surrounded by mountains. There are a ton of pulloffs on the Seward Highway to see it, but for a higher up vantage point, take the Turnagain Arm Trail towards Rainbow Creek from the McHugh Day Use Area. It’s a difficult trail, so for you novice hikers, just take it partway if you want pretty views!
There are so many incredible spots in Alaska, and this guide really does just scratch the surface. I feel like I wanted to take a photo everywhere I turned. Hopefully this gives you a basic, beginner look into things to see and do. If you want a more in depth guide to Denali, click here, and for the ultimate road trip itinerary, click here. As always, happy travels fam! Drop me your comments below and subscribe to stay up to date on all the latest adventures!
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