Glenn Highway, National Scenic Byway in Alaska, United States

The Glenn Highway is a 179-mile (288 km) road from Anchorage to Glennallen, part of Alaska Route 1. It runs through the valley between the Talkeetna and Chugach mountains, following the Knik Arm for about 30 miles and then the Matanuska River. The highway is a two-lane paved road with a double yellow center line, passing Palmer, Sutton, and Chickaloon.

The Glenn Highway began in the 1930s as the Palmer Road, built to reach the agricultural colony at Palmer. During World War II the Alaska Road Commission completed it to Glennallen, linking Anchorage to the continental highway system. It was named for Captain Edwin Glenn, who led an 1898 U.S. Army expedition seeking an Alaska route to the Klondike gold fields, and it was paved in the 1950s.

The route crosses lands of the Ahtna and Dena'ina peoples, who have lived here for generations and continue to maintain their connection to the area. Information centers along the way share how these communities have used and understood this landscape for centuries.

The highway runs 179 miles from Anchorage to Glennallen, with the Tok Cut-Off adding another 149 miles to Tok. Fuel and services are sparse between Palmer and Glennallen, so fill up before leaving the Mat-Su area. The highest point is Eureka Summit at 3,332 feet, where weather can differ from the coast.

Near mile marker 102, travelers can reach Matanuska Glacier directly and walk on the ice formations year-round. This access point makes it unusually easy to experience ancient ice without special equipment or climbing skills.