Visiting Alaska

I wanted to ask this on the Wilderness forum first, because I was hoping to get answers from people that live there rather than visited Alaska. My wife and are flying into Anchorage and renting a car for 5 full days of travel. I was thinking of driving to Fairbanks (stay night), then to Tok for a night, then to maybe Valdez to check things out turn around and stay in Glennallen, then drive to Kenai (spend night in Homer probably) then drive back to Anchorage for an early flight on day 6.

We are more sightseers and move on, don’t plan on fishing or anything like that. Really just want to see as much of the road system as we can and make short stops to check things out.

I am debating on skipping Tok and going through Paxson to Glennallen. Which route would you recommend for scenery and seeing some wildlife. We really want to see some Caribou and Dall Sheep. Besides taking the bus into Denali, any places that one can see some sheep close to the road? Any other recommendations for places that are worth stopping? Thanks in advance for the info. I’ve been waiting my whole life for this trip and it’s shorter than I would have liked but I wanted to make the most of it. We are coming in over labor day if that helps.

Personally..........I would skip the trip to Homer. Never been impressed by it.

I would also skip Tok. Head for Paxson but before you get there turn back west an go across the Denali highway to Cantwell. Some pretty cool scenery there. BIG BIG vistas .

If you have time in Fairbanks the antique car museum is a must see IMO. Been there twice and will go again.

Again it is just my opinion, but you need at least 10 days to do justice to what you want to cover. The distances are greater than you may think.

EDIT: the trip to Valdez is scenic too especially through Keystone Canyon

If at all possible give yourself more days to do this trip.

Thanks for the replies, I had planned to take the Denali highway but the rental cars don’t allow it and now most of them have GPS so they know if you do apparently (or maybe they just tell you that).

I am putting the destinations together off of google maps. Fairbanks to Tok says 3 hours and 20 minutes. Is that the people at google just applying mileage or is that reasonable time estimate with the roads?

I hear you on the time, I’d have preferred something longer but this is sort of what we were able to make work so trying to make the most of it.

I know the rental agencies all say that but I have done it..........twice ))) Don't tell them I said that. You didn't say WHEN you will be here. The Denali highway can be pretty rough in August/September. That's the rainy season

Our travel days are Sunday-Thursday of labor day week, thanks for that tip.

If you don't already have a rental car reserved, you may be SOL. The ONLY rental my wife could find for the end of the month was a Suburban at $560 a day.

I did the same road trip back in 1983. Six days are going to just be a blur of green.

I would definitely echo the ideas put forth by White17. Get out of Los Anchorage as quick as you can; it's like a million other megatropolis's. Go north to Cantwell and head east across the Denali Highway to Paxson. Then, south to Glennallen and continue on south to Valdez (Valdeeze). With your relatively short window, I'd skip Fairbanks and Tok, and definitely skip the run to the Kenai. That week will be terrible traffic, as half a million other people will be jockeying for pole position on the highway to Kenai. I lived and worked for many years in Glennallen, McGrath, Sitka, and Fairbanks. In my opinion, if you're on the road system, don't bother with any time in Los Anchorage or Bare-Flanks, unless you spend all your time in the Bush Company, Wild Cherry, or Reflections (Infections).

Have a great time!

Jack

Rental rates in Anchorage during the summer are criminal.
I know of a couple of guys who had a week to spare when they got into Anchorage from BB, so they went on craigslist found a $300 beater, drove up to Denali and a few other places, and then left it on the curb at the Airport check-in level when they left town.

Have you guys heard of Turo? It’s like Air BnB but for cars. I just booked a 2017 Tacoma for $51 a day, 1200 miles free and $38/100 miles after that. I haven’t used it before but know others who say it’s great, it’s the cheapest way by far to rent a car. Hope it’s not a joke…sure beats $200 a day for a Festiva.

My advice would be to buy a "Milepost". It's an Alaskan travel guide that covers the entire state. It is published by Alaska Magazine. It goes mile by mile offering suggestions on what to do and see. There are a lot of ads in there for rentals, motels, etc. I have been to Alaska several times and each time I have used the Milepost to help us get around. Great resource for getting around up there.

Moosetrot

By the way............the last time I was through Paxson ( three years ago) there was no place to stay. Paxson lodge was closed. So take things like that into consideration.

After reading Gulo's post above I'm going to make a suggestion considering your limited time available.

After picking up your car..........drive south to Whittier. Spend the night. Take the Ferry the next day to Valdez. Spend the night.
Drive north on the Richardson HWY to Paxson and then take the Denali hwy west to Tangle lakes. Spend the night (if Tangle Lakes Lodge is open). Next day drive on to Cantwell and maybe north a bit to the Denali park entrance. Drive in as far as Savage River 12-15 miles or so.

You can spend the night a couple miles north of the park entrance.......there some old railroad cars on the west side of the highway. The rooms are decent. Next day drive south to Anchorage and take the first thing smoking out of there !

Keep food and water in your car all the time. Never know what might be closed these days

Thanks, I’ve been reading their website all morning
, waiting for it to arrive in the mail. Lots of good info.

White’s last post is probably what I would suggest except leave from Fairbanks. I couldn’t drive into Anchorage twice in the same week personally!
Being Labor Day week the game is going to be scarce since hunting starts then in a lot of areas.
Denali Highway a must the 1st. of September with the fall colors and if you can get on the bus to Wonder Lake would be your best bet for seeing game IMO.

may be best to buy a car while you are here in Alaska, people are paying around 500 a day to rent cars in Anchorage. One of my relatives just decided to buy a used car for their vacation down in the area.

Thanks everyone for the info. I cut Tok out but still plan to go to Fairbanks but will take the Richardson Highway to Glennallen, seems like a more scenic drive from what I’ve read online.

We land at 6 pm so I’m going to book something in Palmer or nearby for the first night, (heeding advice to get out of Anchorage and the lodging there is ridiculous) then go the Fairbanks (the wife really wants to go to North Pole). Then go down to Glennallen (maybe run up the Denali highway from Paxson 30 miles or so and back track? if we don’t spend too much time in North Pole) and stay in Glennallen on night 3. Debating on going to Valdez for a day and stay in Glennallen again or down the Kenai for a night then back to Anchorage for the last night to catch our early flight. I figure they will be long days of driving with stops but that’s usually how we do vacations, 10 hours of driving and sightseeing.

What’s everyone’s opinions on what the Kenai will be like on the wednesday and thursday after Labor Day. Will some of the traffic be thinned out mid week versus the weekend? Is Valdez better or worse from a eat food and walk around and buy souvenirs perspective?

North Pole and Valdez each one can be thoroughly explored in a couple hours. Glennallen bit less. Our opinion! Maybe we have been here too long and a lot of the old road houses have closed down like Paxson Lodge. Even if it reopened wouldn’t be the same.

The drive from Glennallen to Valdez is the most scenic of the drives you have mentioned and worth the trip. The city of Valdez itself doesn't have much to offer. Going to Fairbanks you should check out the university museum and the car museum, North Pole only has the Santa Claus House.

I can't think of any reason to drive to Kenai. Thats road is usually very congested during the summer months even on weekdays.

X2 !!

I would also say..........skip Talkeetna

Thanks guys we’ve made a few adjustments off some of your advice to make each day about 5 hours of drive time (5 hours according to google maps without stops, we’ll see how accurate that is??)

First night in Palmer, then Valdez, then Delta Junction, then zip through FBKS and stay at one of the lodges near Healy, then another lodge outside of Wasilla, then the last night in Anchorage for the early flight home.

I don’t want to ride the bus into Denali, is it worth driving into Savage River or wherever the road closure starts?

The Stampede Trail bus was popular, but has been relocated, so can't recommend that one.
Bag the Kenai. Listen to the above suggestions, and you will have a great trip.

When you get on the road check….511.Alaska.gov….for road conditions and it also shows points of interest. I would recommend the 20 miles or so of paved Denali Highway from Paxton to Tangle Lakes. In September the colors will be worth it IMO.
The road goes through the Alaska Range so after Summit Lake stop and scan the mountain sides and sheep, caribou, bear, moose can be seen if you spend scanning with Binoculars. Lots of pullouts to do viewing. Being hunting season might effect seeing game.
Heading south on the Parks Highway after Healy the same viewing of the mountain sides the same game can be seen. Cantwell can have Caribou along the road.
Parks Highway is high speed travel so viewing is not as good as the Richardson which is a little more layed back.
The best sections of your trip you have planned is Glennallen to Valdez and if you drive into Tangle Lakes are our favorite.
The Richardson will have mostly travelers returning from Valdez to Delta and Fairbanks towing boats and hunters. Not much truck traffic. Parks has all the truck traffic and travelers both ways between Fairbanks and Anchorage.

I agree with Oh Snap about the short trip to Tangle Lakes. I would do that before I made the trip to Savage River. To me, the drive into Denali isn't worth it until you get as far as the Toklat River. Then the geology gets interesting. I would NEVER ride the bus into the park. Maybe in the future you can put in for the road lottery that allows private vehicles all the way to Wonder Lake or even Kantishna.

It isn't hard to draw a pass if you do some planning. The downside is all the flatlanders gawking at a squirrel.


A good read.......if you are interested in Denali is.......The Wilderness of Denali by Charles Sheldon. It's out of print but you can buy an electronic copy from Amazon I believe. Or hit your local library

Thanks for the info White and Snap, I’ve never had a good experience with a national park, between the traffic, tourists and uppity Park Service staff. I haven’t been to one that i thoroughly enjoyed and I know I won’t enjoy a bus ride with those same people so I think I’ll skip Savage River.

On another subject, my wife just encouraged me to look into bird hunting while we’re there, nothing serious just bring a shotgun and try to find some ptarmigan when we are exploring around. I’ve been reading ADFG site all morning. Could one expect to have an opportunity at a ptarmigan in the areas we will be traveling? The F&G website makes it sound like they are pretty widespread depending on which type of ptarmigan.

I'm not real familiar with that part of the state for bird hunting but I would not be at all surprised to find ptarmigan in that country between Paxson and Tangle Lakes. Be prepared to hike though !!

In fact..........I think Gulo has written on here about shooting them in that area.

There will likely be moose and caribou hunters along there also

I have hunted Ptarmigan quite a bit between Donley Dome just south of Delta to Sourdough Creek as well as out of Paxton on the Denali and on good years did well. I usually hunted in the winter on snow shoes though.

Oh Snap mentioned the good ptarmigan areas. I usually find them in those areas during September, early mornings and late evenings seem to be the best time for me and I also tend to find them along creek drainage's or up in the berries. Its always above treeline in the alders and willows or the tundra. From Paxson lodge to Tangle Lakes and around Summit Lake are usually the most productive that time of year.

You might bring a light tackle fly or spinning rod. All of the creeks along the road from Valdez area have trout and from Glennallen to Summit Lake have greyling usually the culverts hold fish. Fresh greyling and ptarmigan over a fire with blueberries for desert is killer!

I hunted ptarmigan dozens of times (maybe hundreds) along the Denali back in the 80s. However, there are tremendous ups-and-downs in their populations, and I'm not sure what the populations are like right now. A couple miles east of Tangle River up on Rock Creek is one of the very few places I've ever found where a long day of hunting can be rewarded with finding all three species of ptarmigan. Willow ptarmigan are most common, and are usually right alongside the road. More rocky, open, and higher elevation country has a few rock ptarmigan. On tops of the range of foothills before the Alaska Range, we infrequently could find a few white-tailed ptarmigan. I know of very few hunters that can claim all three species in a single day's hunt. Used to be a daily bag limit of 20 birds, but I know that has diminished considerably since that time. Along with the good chances of seeing moose, caribou, and Dall sheep along the Denali, I've seen grizzlies commonly, wolves, and surprisingly, quite a few wolverine. Also, Rock Creek, right along the road, has some of the biggest grayling I've ever caught, up to 22" and supremely beautiful. Far as I'm concerned, however, I'd rather east a stack of soggy paper towels.

Back in the 80s, too, I could usually find spruce grouse and periodically a sharp-tailed grouse along the road between Paxson and Gakona.



Best of Luck on your trip, sir.

Jack

Gulo, Snap, White, Bronco,

Thanks for all the info! I’m thinking the day driving the Richardson will be our longest day due to all the stops and especially now with all this added info. I wasn’t even planning on trying to hunt something on our anniversary trip but my wife encouraged it so why not.

One final annoying lower 48er question! It appears a lot of the waterfowl seasons open on September 1 in at least the southern areas, I don’t really care to shoot any ducks I can shoot at home but the ultimate prize for me would would be a Harlequin, how common are those in those southern zones? Or do most people hunt waterfowl on the coast out of boats? Ie, a guy jump shooting little creeks and what not would have a tough time finding a Harlequin?

Yeah RockCrick, the harlequins spend a bit of time on little mountain creeks during breeding, but the males return to the ocean soon after breeding. The females, of course, stay with the nests and the brooding through the summer, and then they too return to the ocean. I've shot a lot of harley's around Kodiak and Prince William Sound, and a few in SE around Sitka, but your chances of finding a fall or winter harley away from the coast are just about zip. Sorry for the bad news... There is a slight chance for long-tailed ducks (oldsquaws) on some of the bigger interior lakes, but I've never shot 'em except on the ocean.

Jack

Thanks for the insight. I mostly only interested in a drake to take home to the taxidermist, try to not shoot hens of anything anyways. I think it’s only a $10 state duck stamp on top of the license I’ll be buying already and I’ll have the federal stamp for this fall anyways. Worst that can happen is I get a souvenir state duck stamp from Alaska, I suppose. We will be in Valdez for a night so who, knows maybe I’ll get lucky. $10 isn’t anything when compared to the money we’re already spending for the entire trip.

Gulo, you continue to amaze me with ALL your knowledge. It is a gift to me from you that you haven't been thanked enough for. THANKS

I saw that same photo hanging in the post office !!

I agree Paul, having the chance to pick Gulo's brain is a real gift !

I hunt around the Denali Hwy each fall, and the Ptarmigan numbers have been dismal for several years now. Not sure why. I'd rather spend money on a fishing license and bring a light spinning rod. You could catch anything from a Silver (Coho) Salmon in Valdez harbor, stream trout and Grayling almost anywhere. Have fun!

Have a great trip and enjoy Alaska, Rock Crick!!!!!

Moosetrot

30 ought, thanks for the info.

Moose, thanks as well. I’m pretty dang excited to say the least. Been waiting for this for a long time.

The best place I know to see dall sheep pretty close is just south of ANC along Turnagain Arm. Not sure of the milepost but google it and I'm sure there are photos galore on the web. Sometimes they are right on the side of the road. White mentioned the ferry ride from Whittier to Valdez. Good Idea. Others said the Kenai not worth it. I would say the drive from ANC to Seward is well worth the time, very scenic, then you can check the Kenai off your list. Then backtrack to Whittier for the ferry ride to Valdez. Might even at least see some harlequins. Then Valdez to Paxson, Paxson to Cantwell via Denali Highway. Panorama Mountain just outside Cantwell holds Dall Sheep. Then to Fairbanks, fly home out of Fairbankas.

Wait, no southeast? Sea ducks galore! Rafts of Scoters numbering in the thousands! The sound of a huge raft taking off can't be described.
Bears are a constant problem, and whales are abundant, to say the least. At times, (now), they are in the harbors.
This part of Alaska requires it's own visit, to be sure. If Harlequins are on your list, this is the place.

Not on this go around for visiting SE, maybe next time though. Thanks for the info though

I'd go to Seward instead of Homer. Valdez is a must. Glennallen is nothing special. After seeing Santa it's time to leave North Pole. Forget Tok. I'd probably take an hour plus to drive the first 15 miles of the Denali Park road. I live in Fairbanks and wouldn't burn any time here.

If that Tacoma has a shell on the back I'd buy a couple of bags, an inflatable air mattress and pull over an sleep next to a river.

You shouldn't smell to bad after 5 days and laundromats often have showers.

Have fun.

Watch out for moose from Salcha to Paxson. They seem to appear from nowhere. They are really big and look even bigger when you finally get stopped 20 feet from them.

Thanks for all the helpful info WhiteDog!

Some joker on here told you to skip Homer. WHAT??? :-) Haha

I primarily came here for a woman, otherwise I'd be somewhere else too.

I understand though. We have a tourist town here - and in the summer, we don't like to go down there ourselves (Homer Spit). We avoid it like the plague.
September to May are much more suitable.
The Kenai Mountains across the bay are wonderful scenery, and it's all public - my personal playground.
I've been to all the areas you mentioned. Sometimes a good road trip is just what you need. But you got a lot of miles for not many days. Like somebody said, a blur of green, and maybe some yellow. Think Green Bay Packers.
I hunted all up and down the highway between Paxson and Cantwell, and hardly saw a Ptarmy - and that's with an excellent gordon setter. That was a few years ago though. I think the later the better for them. The few I saw were way up high and way off the road. I did see lots of spruce chickens though, especially on the Cantwell end.
As others said, there are grayling there - but I didn't try for them as I would rather hunt than fish.
Lots of hunters along that road. Mostly friendly and excited to be out. Some subsistence hunting there too, I think.

We don't have much for Ptarmigan in Homer, but we have a lot of Harlequin, and if you really want a good one, I could probably help you with that as I take out some duck hunters.
I also do tours on the bay, and I know right where to find them.
But now I might be screwing up your trip as others have told you to skip Homer. Decisions. Decisions.
If it were me, I would skip Tok and Glenallen and hunt birds.
Homer is better than Seward IMO.
Whittier is interesting and beautiful, but there isn't much there.
Personally, I prefer the wilderness areas - so I love Cantwell to Paxton, or Tok to Eagle, or the road to Valdez. Beautiful long stretches of nothing there.
Coopers landing is beautiful on the way to Homer. But that is touristy as well.
I'd skip Anchorage altogether but to fly in and fly out. That city is becoming a pit!

Good luck and let us know how you do.

Thanks for the info WH, appreciate it.

Hey ya’ll some of you requested an update, so here goes.

Arrived in Anchorage on Saturday and took a cab to pick up our Turo rental then buzzed up to Wasilla heeding the advice to “get out of Anchorage as fast as possible”. I didn’t think Anchorage was that bad of a city from the little bit I saw though but I’ve also been to Portland so anything is an improvement from that.

Sunday we drove from Wasilla to Valdez, gorgeous country. Really enjoyed that entire drive. In Valdez we had some burgers and brews and watched people catch Coho from the city dock and then checked out the other side of the river by the fish hatchery. THAT was impressive. Millions of dead pinks EVERYWHERE. We have salmon down here but nothing like that.

Monday we left Valdez and I traipsed around on Thompson Pass for an hour or two trying to find a ptarmigan. The wind, rain and fog was downright nasty and didn’t see a bird. Berries were thick though. After I threw in the towel we hoofed it up to Delta Junction, that was a scenic drive but the road conditions and traffic was terrible (labor day). I swung out of Paxson to Tangle Lakes for another hour or two and did some more bird hunting but got skunked. The drive from Paxson to DJ was my favorite and it go better the closer we got to Delta. As if I couldn’t have been enjoying things more, we absolutely loved Delta Junction. Small but scenic and I enjoyed seeing some farm country with the back drop the Alaska Range. We stayed up until 2 am watching the northern lights, it wasn’t a great show but we drove out of town and parked out in the boonies so we could really get a good view. Also saw at least 3 foxes driving at night.

Today we drove to Healy and called it a night. Also a nice drive, Fairbanks wasn’t too exciting but we stopped at the Christmas store and Creamers Field before departing. Watching the planes buzzing around at the air force base was pretty cool. Also stopped in Nenana and got invited on a tour of the old train depot. That was really cool, it’s short but was really interesting. The drive to Healy from Nenana was also pretty nice.

Anyways, you all are lucky to live here, I’d move to Delta Junction in a second if the opportunity presented itself. Heading to a lodge outside of Palmer tomorrow and then down to Seward for our last day. Hoping to see the dall sheep on Turnagain Arm.

Look for sheep on Panorama Mt just north of Cantwell.

Thanks Drasselt. We’ll be in Cantwell in an hour!

Glad you are getting to see so much. Sorry about the lack of birds. Our limited road systems are probably not the best hunting.
Maybe come again, and focus on bird hunting, and get to see a whole other part of Alaska.

I definitely could have put more effort in but this was a vacation more than a hunting trip. Bird or no birds I’ve had an awesome time. We’re already planning our next trip up here!