Worthington Glacier State Recreation Site

Located in the Chugach Mountains near Thompson Pass—the snowiest place in Alaska—Worthington Glacier is one of the most accessible glaciers in Alaska, passing within a few feet of the parking lot and viewing shelter right off the Richardson Highway.

Tips for Visitors

• Drive the scenic Richardson Highway and turn off at Mile 30 just outside Valdez.
• Watch, photograph, and read about the glacier from the interpretive viewing shelter.
• Hike the one-mile Moraine Trail to get up-close to the blue ice.
• Stay off the ice, but explore the cracks and pools at the glacier terminus.
• Climb the Ridge Trail to explore the alpine tundra, more hanging glaciers, and for a spectacular view of the grand valley.

Natural Highlights

• Like most of Alaska’s glaciers, this valley glacier has been steadily retreating for the last 150 years, but not as dramatically as many others. The upper basin sits at 5,500 feet and collects about 28 feet of snow each year.
• Worthington Glacier is part of an on-going study funded by the National Science Foundation to study ice flow dynamics as they relate to climate change. By comparing movement at Worthington with numerical models for glacier flow, scientists hope to answer important questions about the future of climate change.

Historical Highlight
The glacier is named for the transit man of an 1899 survey party mapping an ice-free corridor to Alaska’s interior who survived being swept away in a glacial stream.

For more information visit Explore Alaska!

Back to List of State Parks