Exit Glacier is an impressive three mile long river of ice. Massive ice flows and frequent floodwaters continuously reshape much of the Alaskan topography. Here on the Kenai Peninsula, guests are offered an awesome view of this gigantic icefield. One of two glaciers with easy access, Exit Glacier is a short drive from Seward over the Leirer-Exit Glacier Road. Kenai Fjords National Park is open to visitors all year, but during winter your mode of travel may be limited.
   Trails lead from the Exit Glacier Nature Center up to the glacier’s gorge, where hikers are able to get their first glimpses of the glacier from various points of view from the overlook. For avid hikers closer views offer close-up views of glacier walls highlighted by blue ice. These dramatic ice cliffs are far from stable, and sightseers are warned to keep their distance. During the summer months the glacier is constanly eroding and heavy slabs break from the glacier edge without warning, dropping in a thunderous roar. A small part of the largest icefield in North America, a choice of loop trails offering different viewpoints, with one trail that continues on to the glacier’s toe. Your visit will give no clues as to how far the glacier has retreated, but it's estimated the ice extended for almost eight miles. As of 2015, Exit Glacier had retreated a little over 1.5 miles in two centuries. During the last five years the retreat has been close to half a mile. And it's not just the terminus that is shriveling, the entire glacier is becoming narrower, exposing large areas of rock as seen in this recent view.

     Area Map