Turnagain Arm Tour for Wildlife Viewing Opportunities

From moose to mountain goats: What Alaska animals can you spot on a Turnagain Arm Winter Tour?

From moose to Dall sheep and bald eagles, scenic Turnagain Arm is a winter wildlife hotspot. Here are some iconic Alaska critters you may see on Greatland Adventures’ Turnagain Arm Winter Tour. 

Visiting Alaska during the winter months means gathering a whole new perspective on the dramatic landscapes and abundant wildlife of the Great Land. One of the best reasons to travel with Greatland Adventures is the opportunity to become more familiar with local animals and birds along one of the most scenic stretches of highway in the United States. Yes, especially during the winter months. 

Why is it called Turnagain Arm?

Called “Turnagain Arm” by British explorer James Cook, this muddy inlet got its name after Cook’s 1778 expedition needed to do an about-face at the far end after they realized it was not the Northwest Passage, after all. Cook had been seeking a way through the North American continent (spoiler: There isn’t one), so he was forced to “turn again” and try elsewhere (another spoiler: He never found a way). The name stuck, and today’s Turnagain Arm features dramatic tidal swings, silty water, all accessible via the beautiful Seward Highway, one of only 13 designated All-American Roadways. 

The Turnagain Arm Winter Wildlife Tour features plenty of opportunities to spot the iconic critters for which Alaska is famous. This full-day tour covers a 50-mile section of the Seward Highway, with all the stunning winter scenery you’d expect from Alaska, but also the chance to spot several animals and birds that make their homes along the Arm. Your guide is a local and knows the places to stop and look for wildlife, and will find the best photo stops for a dramatic shot of this beautiful area. 

Dall sheep

During this day-long adventure, guests will be treated to a stop at Beluga Point, where in the summer months, these white whales hunt salmon and other fish within the silty water of Turnagain Arm. In the winter, the whales head toward ice-free Cook Inlet, but we still stop here to take a turn at the telescopes provided roadside. Why? We’re looking for Dall sheep, which frequent the rocky slopes of the Arm’s cliffsides. Dall sheep prefer a mix of open ridges, meadows, and steep ledges, and in the winter, gather in full view of Beluga Point’s pull-out area. It’s always an amazing sight to see the sheep navigate the slippery rocks with little effort, and our guides are happy to answer any questions you may have about these impressive animals. 

Moose

Moose are another animal frequently spotted on a Turnagain Arm winter sightseeing tour, especially along roadways and brushy areas. The largest member of the deer family, moose can weigh up to 1,500 pounds and require a lot of vegetation to keep them going during a long Alaska winter. With no green grass available between October and May, moose resort to stripping the bark from deciduous trees, munching away seemingly unaffected by the human activity around them. Keep a sharp eye out for moose as you enter the community of Girdwood, especially, as local homeowners often plant attractive shrubs that mean a tasty winter snack time for these gangly ungulates. 

Bald eagle

Hear a sharp, high-pitched chattering from high in the treetops? You may be listening to a bald eagle give the what-for to another bird nearby. Bald eagles are, of course, America’s national bird, best known for their yellow talons and beak, brown to black feathers, and the distinctive white head. Drawn to large, open bodies of water, bald eagles find the Turnagain Arm area to be the perfect place to catch fish, raise young, and soar on the variable currents of mountain winds. Fun fact: Alaska has the most bald eagles of any state, with an estimated population between 30-50,000 of the big birds found across the diverse regions. 

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

The Turnagain Arm Winter Tour also includes a stop at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center in Portage, about 10 minutes south of Girdwood. This 200-acre sanctuary provides spacious habitats for resident animals no longer able to reside in their own wild habitats. These habitats are all outdoors and allow the animals to display their natural wild behavior as education ambassadors for their individual species. During the winter months, some animals, like black bears, will be in hibernation, but occasionally the brown bears will rouse, roam about, and go back to sleep. Guests can see, however, a multitude of other animals, including moose, musk ox, wood bison, elk, wolves, and porcupines, among others. It’s a wonderful place to witness the big-name iconic species, and also do your part to support the ongoing efforts to preserve this amazing facility’s mission, vision, and goals for years to come. 

Read more about the Turnagain Arm Winter Tour and suggestions for other Greatland Adventures Tours on our website. We can’t wait to welcome you to Alaska!