USDA Forest Service Celebrating Wildflowers

USDA Logo and Forest Service Shield

Alaska Region Viewing Area

Turnagain Pass Viewing Area

LOCATION and PHOTOS

portion of Turnagain Pass seen from a parking area off of the Seward Highway.
A portion of Turnagain Pass seen from a parking area off of the Seward Highway.

Picuture of Chocolate lily (Fritillaria camschatcensis) and Narcissus-flowered anemone (Anemone narcissiflora) in the meadows of Turnagain Pass.
Chocolate lily (Fritillaria camschatcensis) and Narcissus-flowered anemone (Anemone narcissiflora) in the meadows of Turnagain Pass.

Forest: Chugach National Forest

District: Glacier Ranger District

Description: The Turnagain Pass area features a rich mixture of plant communities in road accessible subalpine setting. The Seward Highway crosses Turnagain Pass and large, frequently used, parking areas are located on each side of the highway. Trails radiate out from these parking areas into the surrounding herb-rich meadows. These meadows are graced with numerous species of beautiful wildflowers including tall fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium), chocolate lily (Fritillaria camschatcensis), northern geranium (Geranium erianthum), Nootka lupine (Lupinus nootkatensis), and Sitka valerian (Valeriana sitchensis).

Safety First: Brown bears (grizzlies) occur in the area.

Directions: From Anchorage, take the Seward Highway south to the Turnagain Pass parking areas at milepost 68.

Ownership and Management: Lands in the area are managed by the Chugach National Forest, U.S. Forest Service.

Closest Town: Turnagain Pass is about 60 miles from Anchorage and 70 miles from Seward, Alaska.

For More Information:

What's Flowering at Turnagain Pass?

by Robert L. DeVelice, Ph.D.
Vegetation Ecologist
U.S. Forest Service, Chugach National Forest

Updated: June 26 and July 2, 2008
Location: Turnagain Pass
60.78122° -149.21599° NAD83
Approximate elevation 920 feet.

Gallery:

Spring vegetation at Turnagain Pass.
Spring vegetation at Turnagain Pass.

Fritillaria camschatcensis
Fritillaria camschatcensis (L.) Ker-Gawl. (Kamchatka fritillary).

Lupinus nootkatensis
Lupinus nootkatensis Donn ex Sims (Nootka lupine).

Potentilla drummondii
Potentilla drummondii Lehm. (Drummond's cinquefoil).

Description: Snow only recently melted off of Turnagain Pass and the plants are now growing fast in the long days of summer. Included among the currently flowering are Alaska Indian paintbrush (Castilleja unalaschcensis (Cham. & Schltdl.) Malte), Kamchatka fritillary, woolly geranium (Geranium erianthum DC.), Nootka lupine, Drummond’s cinquefoil, Sitka valerian (Valeriana sitchensis Bong.), western buttercup (Ranunculus occidentalis Nutt.), and arctic blackberry (Rubus arcticus L.).

Of interesting note is that Drummond’s cinquefoil is rare in Alaska. Despite this rarity state-wide, this showy species is quite common in the meadows of Turnagain Pass.

U.S. Forest Service
Rangeland Management
Botany Program
1400 Independence Ave., SW, Mailstop Code: 1103
Washington DC 20250-1103

USA.gov logo

Location: http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/regions/alaska/Turnagain/index.shtml
Last modified: Thursday, 03-Jul-2008 18:31:09 EDT