Most Scenic Drives In Alaska

When traveling to Alaska most people fly into Anchorage and then drive south to the Kenai Peninsula for excellent fishing, sightseeing, and adventures or they drive north in search of Denali and the wilderness that surrounds it. Almost anywhere you drive while visiting the 49th state will be filled with wonderful scenic views, just some more epic than others. As you drive to your next destination you will notice plenty of pull outs where you can stop, stretch, and grab the camera as you find that next picture perfect view. The drive from Anchorage South into the Kenai Peninsula is one of the most scenic drives in Alaska. When we help our guests planning Alaska vacation packages we always try to take advantage of the drive.

The drive to our lodge in Soldotna is spectacular as you head thru Chugach National forrest and state park. As you head out of Anchorage going south, the Seward Highway captures your eyes as you drive along Turnagain Arm for about an hour (55 miles roughly). This highway is know as one of the most scenic drives in Alaska. On this section of the highway you will encounter one of the largest tidal swings in the USA (up to a 40 feet). If you are lucky you may even see beluga whales or people surfing the bore tide. You will see bald eagles, steep mountains stretching to the ski right from the highway, and wide open views down the arm.

Next comes Turnagain Pass to Summit Lake, which you drive up into the mountains roughly 36 miles through big valleys of mountainous terrain. The drive from Anchorage to summit is easy driving with huge rewards. Lupine & fireweed flowers line the shoulders of the highway all summer long. Small creeks & mountain lakes surprise you as you come around most corners. Frequent wildlife sightings throughout the drive including moose, mountain goat, eagles, just to name a few . Just after Summit Lake area you come to what we call the Y. At this point you can continue on the Seward Highway another hour to Seward itself OR take the Sterling Highway towards Cooper Landing, Sterling, Soldotna, Kenai, Kasilof, and Homer.

This part of the Seward highway stretches 36 miles as you drive down the mountains towards Seward from the intersection of the Seward and Sterling highways. This is a fun, windy drive through steep mountains as you pass through the town of Moose Pass. You pass several picturesque lakes including trail lake, grant lake, and the backside of Kenai lake, which stretches from Cooper Landing to Seward. Once you are near Primrose, where the mountains open up some, you start crossing a few more smaller rivers and that’s your indicator that you are getting close to Seward. One final descent before passing Bear Creek & the turn off for Exit Glacier. Resurrection Bay and this quaint town is now in sight and you have arrived in Seward, which is referred to as the gateway to the Kenai Fjords.

This is the Highway that you take to get to our property in the Soldotna area as you drive 57 miles in Chugach National forest and into the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. As you turn onto the Sterling Highway at the Y, you will descend into the Cooper Landing area, a small mountain town at the headwaters of the Kenai River with beautiful mountain & glacial water lake views. Crossing your first bridge you will see Kenai Lake to the left and the Kenai river to the right. This highway also has frequent sightings of wildlife including moose, eagles, mountain goat, and bear feeding on the river if your timing is right. Be careful and smart as sometimes people pull over in this section of highway to get some pictures in places that aren’t safe but there are plenty of river side pull outs that are better choices.

As you continue to head south after Cooper Landing you exit the mountains and come into the Sterling flats, where on a clear day you can see the mountains and a few volcanoes on the west side of Cook Inlet, over 80 miles away! It is your sign that you have almost arrived to your destination and the first time you see it you will be in Awe (I still am today 25 years later). You will also see a high old burn that happened in a few different woodland fires in the past 10 years. From Mid June through summer these burn areas are loaded with colorful fireweed, lupine, and Alaska wild rose. After about 20 miles of continuing through the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge you will enter the town of Sterling before reaching Soldotna.

Once you are in Soldotna you are surrounded by the Kenai River basin, filled with city parks, state land public use areas, and everything you may need in terms of services. This helps this community to have some of the best park bench river views around. In addition driving down K beach road or the Kenai Spur Highway you can see a few of our local volcanos with a life sized, almost fake looking view as you drive down the road.

From Soldotna, you have the options to go north to Kenai and Nikiski where you eventually get to Captain Cook State Park OR continue south towards Kasilof, Ninichlik, Anchor Point, and Homer. Most people continue the drive 76 more miles to Homer as they pass through the smaller towns until they get to the halibut capital of the world. I will argue though that the drive and town itself also has some of the most stunning views. As you drive along the coastline you will have frequent views of the different volcanos across Cook Inlet including Mount Augustine, Iliana, Readoubt, and Spur. On the final approach to Homer you come over one final hill before seeing the entire Homer Spit with Kachemak Bay and the mountains that surround the area.

We did take a good dive into the drives that bring you into the Kenai Peninsula but we can’t forget that there are a few other drives in Alaska that are pretty awesome as well. We are just a little partial the diverse wilderness, mountains, waters, and wildlife that exists in the Kenai Peninsula. The Parks highway will get you to Denali and has some of the most breathtaking views of North America’s tallest mountain. The drive from Glenn Allen to Valdez on the Richardson highway will make Alaska seem really big (and makes me feel really small). The Denali highway gives access from Paxon to Cantrell and is only accessible in the summer months for driving. The Glenn Highway, particularly around Glacier View, offers stunning views of the Matanuska Glacier and valley. Go find your next best scenic drive while playing in Alaska and you will be rewarded generously!

silvertip

We are Andrea and Jeremy Anderson.  The summer of 2026 marks our 23rd year in the tourism industry helping people plan the best fishing and sightseeing vacations on the Kenai Peninsula,  and our 11th season operating Alaska Silvertip Lodge and Cabins. In the spring of 2016, we purchased Silvertip Lodge and Cabins from Dean and Mary Talley, who built the first cabin in 1999.

Andrea grew up in California but fell in love with Alaska after visiting her grandparents in Cooper Landing. After graduating college in 2004, she moved up to Cooper Landing and worked in nearby Moose Pass. Jeremy grew up in Wisconsin, and in 2001 he spent his first summer in Alaska working at the Russian River Campground. Jeremy spent the next few years working as a rafting guide on the Upper Kenai River. In July 2004, Andrea and Jeremy met and began a great adventure on the Kenai Peninsula.

Over the past 23 years, Andrea and Jeremy have developed a diverse set of skills in the Alaskan tourism industry and have spent countless hours recreating outdoors. Andrea has worked as a guide for several rafting companies, ran a fishing lodge, and currently manages reservations, logistics, and accounting for Alaska Drift Away Fishing. Jeremy is co-owner of Alaska Drift Away Fishing and guides on the river for trout and salmon.