Turnagain Arm · MP 79
Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
A nonprofit refuge at the head of the arm — and the herd that brought wood bison back to Alaska
Location
MP 79 Seward Hwy · Portage
From Anchorage
~50 mi / 1 hr
Size
200 acres
Open
Year-round
At Mile 79 of the Seward Highway, where Turnagain Arm meets Portage Valley, the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is a 200-acre nonprofit that takes in orphaned and injured animals that can't be returned to the wild. It's part refuge, part active conservation program — most famously the wood bison, a species gone from Alaska for over a century that was rebuilt from the center's own herd.
Live tide timing
Next good bores
Tomorrow
Mon, Jun 29
Tuesday
Tue, Jun 30
Wednesday
Wed, Jul 1
Thursday
Thu, Jul 2
Times for Hope / Mile 13 · arrive ~20–30 min early. The mudflats are deadly — stay on the gravel above the waterline.
Featured partner
Advertise to bore tide visitors
This spot reaches people actively planning a bore tide trip to Turnagain Arm. Perfect for surf schools, wetsuit rental, Girdwood lodging, guided tours, or gear shops.
Inquire → [email protected]The wood bison comeback
Wood bison disappeared from Alaska more than a hundred years ago. The center raised a herd and, in 2015, released over a hundred animals into the wild in the Lower Innoko region — one of the most significant species-restoration efforts in the state. The bison you see here are the genetic stock behind that return.
Who lives here
The center cares for brown and black bears, moose, caribou, Sitka black-tailed deer, elk, musk ox, lynx, fox, porcupine, coyotes, bald eagles, and owls — animals that came in orphaned or injured and can't survive on their own. They live in large enclosures set against the Chugach and the Portage glaciers.
Drive or walk the loop
A loop road circles the property, so you can drive it from your car or walk it on foot for a closer look. It's flat, accessible, and kid-friendly, and the mountain-and-glacier backdrop makes it scenic as well as educational.
An all-weather stop
Because it's outdoors but undemanding, the center is the perfect fallback when the bore's timing is off or the weather closes in. It's one of the few attractions on the corridor open year-round, and a reliable way to see Alaska's iconic animals up close.
Pro tip
Give it at least an hour. The brown bears and the wood bison are the highlights; arrive earlier in the day for the most active animals and the best light against the Portage glaciers.
For business owners
Reach Turnagain Arm visitors first
Travelers deciding what to do around Portage and Girdwood turn to Last Frontier Events. Claim an official listing so they discover your business while they're planning.
More things to do nearby
Alyeska Resort
Alaska's premier mountain resort — 15 minutes up the arm from the bore
Ride the Alaska Railroad
The Glacier Discovery train along the arm — and the only way in to Spencer Glacier
Whitewater Rafting on Sixmile Creek
Class IV–V glacier canyons by Hope — and gentler floats nearby
Bird-to-Gird Bike Path
13 paved, traffic-free miles along Turnagain Arm between Indian and Girdwood
Portage Valley & Whittier
Glaciers at the head of the arm, the one-lane tunnel, and Prince William Sound
Hiking Out of Girdwood
From the historic Crow Pass to easy rainforest waterfalls