Alaska Railroad · Rail day trip

Bears, Trains & Icebergs

Alaska Railroad day trip combining guided bear viewing and glacier rafting

Alaska Railroad runs the Bears, Trains & Icebergs day trip on the Glacier Discovery Train, starting in Anchorage and following Turnagain Arm to Girdwood. There, travellers disembark for lunch and a guided tour of the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, which guarantees bear sightings. The train then continues to the Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop, where a guide leads a rafting trip on Spencer Lake among floating icebergs in view of Spencer Glacier, with rubber boots and a personal flotation device provided. The train returns to Anchorage the same evening. Because every stop is guided and the round trip runs entirely by rail, the day suits first-time rail travellers and anyone who wants one structured outing from Anchorage that pairs wildlife viewing with a hands-on rafting excursion, rather than a multi-day escorted tour.

What to know before you look closer

  • The operator does not publish a detailed stop-by-stop itinerary for this day trip, so timings at Girdwood and Spencer Glacier are not confirmed here.
  • Rafting on Spencer Lake requires rubber boots and a personal flotation device, both provided, so plan for a physically active stop rather than a sightseeing-only day.

Included

  • Round-trip transportation from Anchorage or Girdwood to the Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop
  • Guided tour of the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
  • Lunch
  • Guided rafting on Spencer Lake
  • Rubber boots and PFD

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?
Yes. The trip includes round-trip transportation from Anchorage or Girdwood to the Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop aboard Alaska Railroad's Glacier Discovery Train.
Which train runs this route?
The Glacier Discovery Train, which travels along Turnagain Arm from Anchorage to Girdwood and on to the Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop.
Is it a guided trip?
Yes. It includes a guided tour of the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and guided rafting on Spencer Lake.
What is included in the price?
Round-trip rail transportation, lunch, the wildlife center tour, guided rafting on Spencer Lake, and rubber boots and a PFD for the rafting.
How physically demanding is the day?
The day includes a guided rafting trip on Spencer Lake, for which rubber boots and a personal flotation device are provided.

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