Begich, Boggs Visitor Center
The Begich, Boggs Visitor Center rests right in the heart of Portage Valley.
There are many hikes and sights (including Portage and Byron Glaciers) to see in the area!
Begich, Boggs Visitor Center is built upon the terminal moraine left behind by Portage Glacier in 1914.
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General Information
The Name
The Visitor Center was named in memory of Congressmen Nick Begich of Alaska and Congressmen Hale Boggs of Louisiana. Both men were killed in a 1972 plane crash en route from Anchorage to Juneau.
Design
Designed by Kramer, Chin and Mayo and constructed by Alaska General of Anchorage. Construction began in July 1984 and was completed in September of 1985. Begich, Boggs Visitor Center opened its doors to the public in May 1986.
Exhibits
The exhibits were initially designed by Gideon Kramer and Associates with final selection and modification by the USDA, Forest Service design team in Washington DC.
The new exhibits are designed by the Sibbet Group of San Francisco, CA and installed in 2001. The new design shifted the focus from glaciers to one that incorporates ecosystems of Portage Valley and Prince William Sound.
The building
The visitor center is 17,600 square feet in size with 4,700 square feet of exhibit space, 3,300 square feet of theater, 6,600 square feet of other space (restrooms, office, workroom, etc.), and 3,000 square feet in the basement. The Center is heated by a high efficiency natural gas hot water heater that transfers heat to the building through a main air handler, baseboard, and radiant panels.
The original cost was $8.1 million dollars, with $4.5 million spent on design and construction and $3.6 million on exhibits.
Learning Center
The Portage Valley Learning Center is an extension of the main Visitor Center and opened in 2005.
The Begich, Boggs Visitor Center is open Memorial Day through Labor Day. Please note that this year's hours differ from prior seasons.
Thursday through Sunday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Day Use:
$5 per person per day
When Open - Fees: $5.00 for adults. Fee includes admission to film and exhibits. Children 15 and younger are free! We honor Interagency Passes including Senior, Access, Annual and Military.
Contact Name: Begich, Boggs Visitor Center
Contact Phone: (907) 783-2326
Getting There
Latitude / Longitude
Latitude: 60.78394846
Longitude: -148.8420394
Directions
The Begich, Boggs Visitor is located in Portage Valley on the northwestern end of Portage Lake. Compared to other recreation sites on our forest, the center is fairly easy to get to. If you are coming from Anchorage follow the Seward Highway and, just a little way past the Portage Valley train depot, take a left onto Portage Glacier Road. Keep going until you see the sign on the right and you're there! Easy.
It's basically the same thing coming from the south. Just take a right onto Portage Glacier Road. If you see the train depot, you've passed it.
If you're coming from Whittier, you can't miss it. Once you exit Anderson Tunnel, cross the bridge, and look for the sign on your left. It will come quick.
Parking
There are two parking lots in the vicinity of the Visitor Center.
Facility and Amenity Information
Restrooms
Restrooms are available at this site.
Water
Potable water is available at this site.
Recreation Opportunities
Outdoor Science and Learning
Hiking
Visitor Centers
Viewing Scenery
Interpretive Areas/ExhibitsVisitor Centers Info
The Visitor Center offers a unique and family friendly opportunity to learn about the about the Chugach National Forest. At 5.4 million acres, the Chugach is one of the largest national forests in the United States. In the Center, there's interactive exhibits for the kids, in-depth information for the adults, and a theater experience for everybody!
Viewing Scenery Info
Though Portage Glacier is no longer visible from the Visitors Center, there is still stunning views of Portage Lake and the surrounding mountains.
Interpretive Areas/Exhibits Info
You can't toss a rock in the Begich, Boggs Visitors Center without hitting an exhibit. Talk to a Forest Service ranger about them or just look around. The choice is yours!
Day Hikes Info
While the Byron Glacier hike is an easy walk along a well-maintained trail in the summer, during the spring, a lot of snow in the upper elevations that haven’t avalanched yet. Avalanche activity may occur in the Byron Valley well into the spring due to sun, above freezing temperatures, and any rain. Unless you have avalanche rescue gear, advanced training, and knowledge to evaluate an avalanche hazard we recommend avoiding Byron trail until summer.