Going Wild with a Alaskan Road Trip

The sheer size of Alaska is enough to intrigue any road trip planner because they wonder if Alaska can really be explored in one road trip.  Alaska offers vast mountains, colossal blue-white glaciers and an abundance of wildlife with activities unique to the state.   This combination earns an Alaskan Road Trip top honors in travelers’ memory books.  

For most road trip planners, their itinerary will start with flight plans.  Most people flying in will land in Anchorage.  At this point, they’ll either rent a car and stay in hotels along the way (reserved in advance of course!) or they’ll rent an RV to explore Alaska at their own pace (with their itinerary allowing impromptu exploration options). 

After exploring Anchorage’s offerings, many place the city of Tok as a destination in their road trip planner because it helps create a good triangle for your road trip.  Tok is known as the "Sled Dog Capital of Alaska”.  Plan on 5 ½ hours driving time from Anchorage but you’ll want to stop – even spend a day or two – around the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.  This is the largest and most magnificent of the National Parks of Alaska, with nine of the 16 highest peaks in the United States. This mountain region contains numerous glaciers, lakes and mountain streams and is home to a rich variety of wild life. It is superb country for climbers, walkers and water sports enthusiasts.

Fairbanks would be the third point of your trip triangle to add to your road trip planner (Anchorage to Tok to Fairbanks).  Some travelers start their Alaskan Road Trip by flying in to Fairbanks, so for them, their trip triangle would be Fairbanks, Anchorage, Tok.  Fairbanks is second biggest city of Alaska and has the all the amenities of an urban community.   The Gold Rush Street at Pioneer Park was a replica but a real operating gold mine exists in this proud city. Visit the Museum of the North, take a river trip for half-day cruise through the Chena and Tanana Rivers.  In the summer, the Riverboat Discovery Tour runs twice a day.  Trip reservations are a must so make the necessary arrangements ahead of time.

 

Leaving Fairbanks, include the impressive Denali National Park in your road trip planner before hitting Anchorage.   Denali contains Mount McKinley, the tallest mountain in North America and is definitely worthy of some heavy-duty exploration.

 

A four- to six-hour drive down south from Denali National Park, passing through Talkeetna, you’ll reach the town of Wasilla.  Moose or bear sightings along the way are often part of the journey.  For canoeing experience, go to the Nancy Lake Recreation Area.  There are plenty of cabins to rent for overnight stays.  Further south, visit the Big Lake for swimming, camping, jet-ski and fishing. Proceed to Mat-Su Valley and drop by Iditarod Trail Headquarters on Knik Road. Learn some history at Knik Museum and the Sled Dog Musher’s Hall of Fame.

 

Another town to add to your road trip planner is Palmer, only 15 minutes away from Wasilla.   There is a great RV campground here as well as some cool farms like the Musk Ox Farm.   Best time to be here is in late August when the Alaska State Fair is celebrated.

 

Leave another day in your road trip planner to explore more of Anchorage.  It has plenty of hiking opportunities, cultural events and art exhibits. The Flattop Mountain and Chugach State Park are the city’s pride together with Alaska Zoo and Potter Marsh, a bird and wildlife sanctuary.

 

If you have more time, add another leg of your road trip by driving along the Seward Highway, designated as the All-American Road, and enjoy the scenic view.  Picnic opportunities are everywhere, and the picture perfect backdrop is hard to resist. Fishing, camping and canoeing activities in the Kenai/Soldotna area are nice options too.

 

Now that I’ve shared one road trip example, make sure you customize yours to best reflect your vision of Alaska.   Below are some tips to help you get the most out of your trip.

When is the best time to…?

• See the Northern Lights; plan on coming either late fall and early spring.

• Enjoy the Midnight Sun; place June 21^st in the middle of your road trip planning.

• Go whale watching; head to Alaska anytime from mid-May through mid-September.

• View the most wildlife; summer-time will get you sightings of moose, bear, mountain sheep, caribou, coyote, wolves, sheep, beaver, otter, mink, or hare.   In addition, birdwatchers can photo-capture eagles, hawks, jays, owls, spruce hens, grouse, and ptarmigan and migratory waterfowl coming north to nest each summer.

What are the Top 10 attractions in Alaska?

Glaciers
Historic mining towns
Inside Passage
Museums
National parks and monuments.
Native Arts & Culture
Russian heritage and
Sport fishing
Trans-Alaskan pipeline
Wildlife viewing

Make this the year your road trip planning takes you North to Alaska, knowing in advance, you’re building advance memories for a trip of a lifetime.

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My son and I were fortunate enough to have had a weekend in the wilderness of Alaska. The circumstances of us being there were not so joyous but after the funeral we managed to get a couple of days in the forests, it was unforgettable. Thanks Uncle Ted, keep climbing.