The Fairest of Them All
The Seward Highway was recently voted the most beautiful drive in America.
Even if we weren’t partial because we live here, we would have to agree. There’s no denying the breathtaking beauty of the Seward Highway.
Within moments of leaving downtown Anchorage, the Seward Highway whisks you away on a sweeping journey through the most stunning landscape your eyes may ever behold. Swaddled between the Turnagain Arm and the Chugach Mountains, the highway winds its way towards the Portage Valley and will strike awe into your heart at every corner.
Along the way, falling straight out of the heart of the mountain, is a water spring where people stop and fill jugs. I’ve tasted that water myself, and it’s like drinking the purest liquid life directly from the source.
Large turnouts rest along the banks of the Turnagain Arm so that travelers may stop and soak in the majesty of it all. When I first lived in Alaska, back in 2003, my cousin and I would sit upon large boulders at the waters edge and watch the summer run of beluga whales as they chased fish up the Arm. We also watched as daring surfers paddled out to ride the bore. A tidal bore is a phenomenon in which the leading edge of the incoming tide creates a wave that races up a narrow bay against the direction of the current. The height of the wave varies, but it’s always exciting to see.
Filling jugs at the water pipe. Photo: stock
As you round the curve and come into the village of Girdwood, the snow-capped peaks make your breath catch. This valley of ice is where I first witnessed the Northern Lights. Kissing the top of Mount Alyeska one evening, the green lights swam though the cold night sky and seemed to touch my soul.
Further down the road is the turn to Whittier, the town whose road shares a tunnel with the train. And yes, it’s as spooky as it sounds.
The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center sits at that turn and is well worth the visit. A legit wildlife rehab facility, AWCC is a non-profit that rehabs and releases native Alaska wildlife such as bears, moose, caribou, wolves, bison, and lynx.
As the Seward Highway meanders through the valley and around its corners, you pass serene Summit Lake, the quaint town of Moose Pass, and eventually find yourself at the end of the road, in the town of Seward. Resting on the shores of Resurrection Bay, Seward is sleepy and vibrant at the same time, with Sauerdough Lodging sitting at the center of it all.
Downtown Seward at dusk. Photo by Liberty Miller
Numerous car rental companies are located within the Ted Stevens International Airport in Anchorage. The Alaska Railroad is a relaxing and memorable alternative to car rentals, and drops you in Seward, only one mile from Sauerdough Lodging.
Aerial view of the Seward Highway and the Turnagain Arm. Photo: stock
Book your stay at Sauerdough and experience the Seward Highway, the most beautiful drive in America.
Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center website: https://www.alaskawildlife.org/
Anchorage Daily News article about the water pipe: https://www.adn.com/features/alaska-life/2017/04/22/the-curious-popularity-of-a-water-pipe-on-the-seward-highway/
Blog by Liberty Elias Miller. Visit her website here: https://www.libertyeliasmiller.com/