📷 Forest Service Alaska Region, USDA, Public domainBegich, Boggs Visitor Center
Portage, AK
A visitor center on Portage Lake, where icebergs once drifted from Portage Glacier. The glacier has retreated out of sight, but summer boat tours reach its face; the center is open in summer.
The Begich, Boggs Visitor Center is a Chugach National Forest visitor center in the Portage Valley near Portage, Alaska, at the northwest end of Portage Lake. From Anchorage, reach it via the Seward Highway and Portage Glacier Road; from Whittier, after exiting the Anderson Tunnel.
The center stands on the terminal moraine left by Portage Glacier in 1914. The building was constructed from July 1984 to September 1985 and opened in May 1986; the exhibits were redesigned in 2001 and focus on the ecosystems of the Portage Valley and Prince William Sound. There are two parking lots nearby.
Season: it is open Thursday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., from Memorial Day to Labor Day and closed in winter (currently closed, as of October 2026). Admission is $5 per adult per day; children 15 and under are free. The Forest Service warns of a potential landslide at Portage Lake; there is currently no indication that one is imminent, but extra caution is advised during and after heavy rain.
- Nearest town
- Portage, AK
- Category
- Nature & parks
- GPS
- 60.7864, -148.8401
Hours, fees and access change. Confirm with the operator or park before you go.
Good to know
Best time to go
No month is ideal everywhere on this route; the most pleasant are usually June–August. Cold, short days in November–April. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
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FAQs
Where is Begich, Boggs Visitor Center?
Begich, Boggs Visitor Center is in Portage, AK, at GPS 60.7864, -148.8401. It is about 15 mi from Girdwood.
Which road trips pass Begich, Boggs Visitor Center?
Begich, Boggs Visitor Center is a stop on these CampingSpirit trip guides: Kenai Peninsula to Homer on the Sterling Highway.
What is there to see near Begich, Boggs Visitor Center?
Places worth a stop nearby: Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (6 mi), Flattop Mountain (36 mi), Alaska Native Heritage Center (42 mi) and Eklutna Lake (44 mi).
When is the best time to visit Begich, Boggs Visitor Center?
No month is ideal everywhere on this route; the most pleasant are usually June–August. Cold, short days in November–April. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)