Glenn Highway

The Glenn Highway is a 179-mile road from Anchorage to Glennallen, part of Alaska Route 1. It began as the Palmer Road in the 1930s and is named for Captain Edwin Glenn, who led an 1898 Army expedition seeking a route to the Klondike.[1]

Route

The highway runs from Anchorage, near Merrill Field, to Glennallen, where it meets the Richardson Highway. With the Tok Cut-Off the route extends to about 328 miles. The Palmer to Glennallen section is part of the unsigned Interstate A-1, and about 38 miles from north Anchorage to the Wasilla city limits is freeway.[1]

History

The road began as the Palmer Road in the 1930s to reach the agricultural colony at Palmer. It was completed to Glennallen during World War II as part of a military road and base programme that also produced the Alaska Highway, and it was paved in the 1950s. It is named for Captain Edwin Glenn (1857 to 1926), who led an 1898 expedition to find an Alaska route to the Klondike gold fields.[1]

Places and scenery

The road passes Chugiak-Eagle River, the Eklutna area, the Knik River, Palmer, Wasilla and Glennallen. Eureka Summit, at 3,332 feet, lies on the divide between the Chugach and Talkeetna mountains. Features include the Matanuska River, Matanuska Glacier at about mile 102 and Mount Drum at about mile 129, and a hadrosaur found in 1994 in a quarry about 150 miles northeast of Anchorage was the first associated dinosaur skeleton found in Alaska.[1]

FAQs

How long is the Glenn Highway? 179 miles.

Who is it named for? Captain Edwin Glenn.

Where does it end? At Glennallen.

Sources

1. Wikipedia: Glenn Highway

Editorially reviewed by Specialty Digest Editorial TeamLast reviewed November 14, 2026Researched and drafted with AI assistanceReport an issue