One third of the Chugach’s 5.6 million acres is rock and ice. Its mountains and immense rivers cradle Prince William Sound in Southcentral Alaska, spreading west to the Kenai Peninsula and east to the Copper River Delta.
Don’t miss the visitor centers in Portage and Valdez.
Angle for a fish as big as you on the Kenai River.
Kayak or cruise with whales and among glaciers in Prince William Sound.
Hike the historic Iditarod Trail.
Drive the breathtaking Seward Highway, one of America’s all-time great scenic roads.
Hop on board the Alaska Railroad for a Whistle Stop adventure to Spencer Glacier
Natural Highlights
Millions of shorebirds gather on the tidal flats of the Copper River Delta outside Cordova each May during their spring migration.
Wildlife viewing is exceptional and includes bears, moose, caribou, Dall sheep and goats, eagles and lots of birds.
Historical Highlight The historic Iditarod Trail runs right through the Chugach and for decades was the only transportation route across Alaska. First mapped in 1908 as a mail supply route and later used as a life-saving highway for a diphtheria outbreak in Nome, the trail today is used by hikers as well as dog teams.
Cultural Highlight Chugach National Forest got its name from the indigenous Chugach people, an Alutiiq group who has lived a traditional subsistence lifestyle in Southcentral Alaska for thousands of years.
Back to List of National Forests