Alaska Day 3: Exit Glacier + The Alaska State Fair
The 3rd day of my trip involved driving from Seward to Denali National Park which is about a 7 hour ride, so I decided to break it up by making a stop for some culture and lunch at the Alaska State Fair. I packed A LOT into this trip, so you don’t need to make that drive in a day, but it is doable. I did it all by myself!
When I woke up it was downpouring. Again. I checked out of my room and loaded my now wet luggage in the car for the long drive ahead. The lodge I was staying at was on the same road that leads to Exit Glacier, which is one of the most famous glaciers in Alaska. The glacier is often associated with the effects of climate change because of its very visible and well documented retreating over the years. I wasn’t going to see it, but as the GPS was telling me to make a left towards the highway, something inside me said “go right.” And just like that my unplanned detour to Exit Glacier began! I don’t like having regrets and this piece of the planet is disappearing so rapidly that I almost felt like I should go pay my respects.
Exit Glacier (Fun) Facts
Exit Glacier is a valley glacier, which means it starts high in the mountains and ends on land.
It’s part of the Harding Ice Field, which covers 700 sq miles of the Kenai Mountains. It’s over 23,000 years old and more than 30 glaciers flow outward from it.
Exit Glacier got its name when a team of explorers completed the first successful expedition across the Harding Ice Field in 1968 and exited down the glacier.
As I got closer, I started to see small wooden signs marking where the toe of the glacier once was. The first one – which was quite far from any view of a glacier – read 1815. Further down the road came 1889, 1894 and so on. The drive to the visitors center was still another 5-10 minutes away from that first sign, so you do get a clear visual for how much the glacier has retreated. On that stretch of road there is also a viewpoint where you can stop and get out of your vehicle, so if you just want to see the glacier but don’t want to hike up to it, you can snap a pic from there and be on your way.
I got a spot in the parking lot and popped into the visitor’s center to ask what the fastest route was and if was safe for me to head out on my own. They told me that people had been seeing a moose around so I should be on alert, but there hadn’t been any recent bear sightings. Great?! The upside to being there so late in the tourist season is that there weren’t many people around, but that’s also kind of a downside when hiking alone. Everything was soaking wet, so I stayed on the trail and tried to avoid edges that could be unstable or slippery. And you know I kept my eyes peeled for that moose.
Hiking to exit glacier
I chose to hike the Glacier Overlook trail due to my time constraints. The distance was about 1.5 miles uphill, and it took me about an hour and 15 minutes round trip with stops to take some photos along the way.
When I got to the overlook and stepped out from behind the brush, the wind starting whipping and temperature immediately dropped. I was told that glaciers have their own weather systems. You can feel the change any time you get within a certain distance of one. It’s really wild!
Lucky for me, I happened to run into a couple at the overlook just as I was getting ready to head back to the car. They were kind enough to take a photo for me. was glad I went to see it. Soaking rains and all. Who knows what it will look like if I ever go back?
the alaska state fair
The Alaska State Fair Grounds are in Palmer, which was was about a 3 hour drive from where I was, but it took me almost 4 hours to get there thanks to road construction delays – which FYI is something ALL drivers deal with during the summer in Alaska. I am a road warrior, so long days in the car are doable for me, but Alaska’s scenery is so pretty (rain or shine) that each hour in the car only felt like 20 minutes. As I got closer to Anchorage the skies began to clear. It was a relief to see the sun after another dreary morning. By the time I arrived in Palmer around 3pm, it was the perfect weather for my first visit to a state fair. Note: The Alaska Railroad runs btwn Seward and Denali, but you can’t get from one to the other in just one day.
I cannot begin to tell you how excited I was to go to the Alaska State fair. I live in New York City and have never been to my own state’s fair – it’s practically in Canada – so this was a real treat for me. It was also Cosplay Day, so I braced myself for what I may get to see, but was surprised that most people were not wearing costumes. I loved checking out the pig races, the prize winning everything, and all the food! Here is a YouTube short that best captures my experience!
ALASKA STATE FAIR PHOTOS
I ate my Talkeetna Spinach bread and was back on the road by 5:15p. I still had a ways to go! The drive from Palmer to Denali took me another 2.5 hours. Breaking up the drive with a stop at the fair was the right move.
I eventually arrived at McKinley Chalet Resort, a hotel in the valley area of Denali National Park. It has good reviews online but there are MUCH nicer accommodations in the area. I was arriving late and would be out the door by 7am so I was not going to spend money on a high end hotel to rest my head for a few hours. It was clean, the bed was comfortable and the staff was nice. I’m a bit bougie, so staying in places like this was new to me, but when you’re on a budget you do your best. It just felt extremely old and worn and I didn’t want to touch anything. Good thing I was so tired I fell right asleep.
Driving Tip
The girls at the rental car desk told me to never let my gas tank get below half full. So even if I had a little more than that, I’d always fill it up. There are stretches of highway where you may not see a
gas station for 100 miles.
other NEARBY accommodations:
Denali Cabins – 229 Parks Hwy, Denali National Park and Preserve, AK 99755
Tonglen Lake Lodge – Mile 230 Parks Hwy Denali National Park and Preserve, AK 99755