Begich, Boggs Visitor Center in Portage open for winter

By Lezlie Murray
Special to the Turnagain Times

If you're looking for a great day trip just 55 miles south of Anchorage, the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center in Portage Valley is well worth your time.

The facility offers award winning exhibits on the natural and cultural history of the Chugach National Forest, and the classic film, Voices From the Ice, which plays 13 times per day on the half-hour from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The center's Alaska Geographic Association bookstore offers compelling books, DVDs, maps and other educational products to enhance your knowledge about public lands. In addition, the center is sponsoring a special exhibit ‘20 Years after the Spill' developed by the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, as well as an exhibit on climate change from the National Park Service.

So whether you come to Portage Valley to ski the Trail of Blue Ice, enjoy a good meal at Portage Glacier Day Lodge, or just enjoy the scenic beauty of the Chugach National Forest, the visitor center is there for you. The center is open on weekends from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. thru May 23 and will also open Dec. 28-31 to greet the public during the busy holiday season.

In addition, center staff will be there to assist the public during Anchorage Fur Rendezvous February 26 to March 7. No recreation fee will be charged for the movie and the exhibits during the winter season. The center will return to a recreation fee for adult visitors next summer from May 24 through the end of September.

If you have questions about the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center, its educational programs, or about facility rental please contact Lezlie Murray, Visitor Center Director at llmurray01@fs.fed.us or at 907-754-2316.