Turnagain Arm Bore Tide
Witness one of the world's most spectacular tidal waves along Girdwood's coastline, and learn how to track and view it safely.
CRITICAL SAFETY WARNING: Turnagain Arm Mudflats
NEVER walk out onto the Turnagain Arm mudflats under any circumstances. The coastal flats consist of fine glacial silt that acts like quicksand, trapping legs instantly. The rising bore tide wave climbs 6 to 10 feet tall and travels at speeds of 10 to 15 miles per hour. Once stuck in the mud, self-rescue is impossible, and the freezing glacial water climbs rapidly, creating a severe drowning hazard. Multiple fatalities have occurred. Watch from designated highway pullouts only.
About the Turnagain Arm Bore Tide
Turnagain Arm features the second-largest tidal range in North America, with a difference between high and low water of up to 40 feet. When a massive rising tide pushes back into the shallow, narrow inlet of the Turnagain Arm, it forms a single, continuous cresting wave up to 10 feet tall. This is the Bore Tide.
The wave travels the length of the arm, drawing kayakers, surfers, and paddleboarders who attempt to ride the wave front for miles. The wave is accompanied by Dall sheep on the roadside cliffs and Beluga whales feeding on the fish pushed ahead of the rising tide.
Turnagain Arm Wave Simulator
Input the daily low tide time at Anchorage (Tide Station 9455920) or click Use Live AK Time to track where the wave front is along the Seward Highway corridor right now.
Estimated Arrival Windows Along Turnagain Arm:
*Note: Wave speed is governed by Turnagain Arm bathymetry, minus tides, and barometric wind pressure. Arrive at highway pullouts at least 30–45 minutes prior to listed times.
Best Viewing Pullouts
Beluga Point (Mile 110)
+1h 30mOne of the earliest spots to view the wave. Features rocky cliffs and viewing platforms with panoramic views of the arm. Great for early photos.
Bird Point (Mile 96)
+2h 15mWidely considered the best viewing spot. Offers paved trails, safety railings, binoculars, and historical interpretive plaques. The wave is often loudest and most distinct here.
Girdwood Intersection (Mile 90)
+2h 30mThe pullouts opposite the Girdwood Alyeska Highway intersection provide a great view as the wave passes the local mudbanks. Surfers often exit here.