Summit Lake State Recreation Site
🏆🏆🏆🏆 Alaska Wilderness — Alpine lake at 1,100 feet on the Seward Highway — stunning turquoise glacial lake surrounded by Chugach Mountains at Moose Pass.
Visitor Information
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | Alaska |
| Access | Check AK State Parks |
About Summit Lake
Summit Lake State Recreation Site sits at Broad Pass — the highest point on the Parks Highway between Anchorage and Fairbanks. At 2,300 feet elevation, the site offers treeline camping with expansive views of the Alaska Range. On clear days, Denali (20,310 feet) — the tallest mountain in North America — dominates the northern horizon.
Things to Do
Camping with Denali views (when clear), fishing in Summit Lake, berry picking in the subalpine tundra, photography of the Alaska Range, and wildlife viewing for caribou and moose. The Parks Highway drive is one of Alaska’s great road trips.
About Summit Lake
Summit Lake State Recreation Site along the Seward Highway sits at the summit of Turnagain Pass — a 1,000-foot mountain pass through the Kenai Mountains between Anchorage and Seward. The alpine setting offers dramatic mountain scenery and serves as a year-round recreation hub. In winter, the pass receives enormous snowfalls and is one of Alaska’s most popular backcountry skiing and snowboarding destinations.
Things to Do
Fishing in Summit Lake, camping, hiking in the alpine terrain, backcountry skiing and snowboarding in winter (massive snowfall), wildlife watching for Dall sheep and mountain goats, and photographing the dramatic Kenai Mountain scenery.
Insider Tips
Scenic drive stop: Summit Lake on the Seward Highway is one of the most photographed spots in Southcentral Alaska — the turquoise glacial lake reflects snow-capped mountains. Pro tip: Stop at the pullout on the south end for the classic calendar shot. Wildlife: Dall sheep are visible on the rocky crags above the lake — white dots moving across impossibly steep terrain.
Best Time to Visit
Year-round: Accessible on the paved Seward Highway. Summer: Best weather and turquoise water color. Winter: Dramatic frozen lake with Northern Lights. Fall: Alpine tundra turns gold above the lake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the water turquoise?
Glacial meltwater carries suspended “rock flour” — microscopic rock particles ground by glaciers. These particles scatter light, creating the distinctive turquoise color found in glacial lakes worldwide.
