The Bore Tide

It’s the most northern bore tide in the world and the only one in the United States. It’s also the only bore tide bordered by high-rising mountains, which give the wave a dramatic backdrop. And because the arm is narrow, shallow, and gently sloping, the wave builds slowly, long and rideable rather than a quick crash, which is why surfers and paddlers travel from around the world to ride it.

You can catch the wave anywhere along the Seward Highway for the 40 to 50 miles it hugs Turnagain Arm, but the best places to watch are the ones closest to Girdwood: Bird Point and the five official highway turnouts just east of it. Bird Point has a dedicated day-use parking area and the most scenic view down the arm, and the numbered turnouts let you pull off safely right where the road meets the flats.

Because the bore tide travels up-arm, it passes Beluga Point closer to Anchorage first and reaches Bird Point about an hour later. That Bird Point arrival is the time we advertise on this page. Harbor seals often ride the tide in, and beluga whales may follow once the water deepens.

The bore tide follows the largest tidal swings, so this schedule lists only the strongest days: the bigger the swing, the better the show. Times lead with the estimated wave arrival at Bird Point, with the earlier Beluga Point pass shown below it.