My friend Elaine and I had the opportunity to visit the Kantishna Roadhouse this past week, a true journey into the wilderness, yet with the comforts of home:  home spun, healthy meals, up-to-date firm mattresses on the beds, good shower heads, fresh coffee early in the mornings, and best of all the sweetest and most pleasant service personnel and guides one could ever ask for.

I loved the peace and quiet of the surrounding woods around the cabins and sounds of the rambling brook in front of the roadhouse. Sitting in a rocking chair, soaking in the warm sun, and listening to the birds chirping was just what I wanted to do as I left behind the hectic city of Anchorage, the usual phone calls, and my busy fingers at the computer.  Elaine enjoyed the hiking more than I did. We did get a van ride up to Wonder Lake to see the mountain. It’s the closest either of us had been. The sun was shining with just a touch of cloud at the tip. Wow! What a sight. (more…)

Comments(1) |  Email This Post |  Print This Post

We’re always on the look out for adventures which get visitor’s off the beaten path and that can reasonably be experienced in a day or less while in Denali National Park or in the South Denali – Denali State Park region.  So working with two of our local Alaska guide services, we’re excited to be able to showcase two new adventures which we’re sure will be among the highlights for visitors this summer.

The Denali State Park Raft & Kayak adventure starts with a visit to Byer’s Lake in Denali State Park, one of my own favorite places to visit.  Byer’s Lake is located in a pristine setting at the foot of the Kesugi Ridge and offers spectacular views of Mt. McKinley.  Along with your guide, you’ll use sit-on-top kayaks to paddle through the tranquil waters while on the watch for resident trumpeter swans, loons, and beavers. If you haven’t ever tried a sit-on-top kayak before you shouldn’t worry as they are easy to use even for new kayakers. One of the highlights for me while at Byer’s Lake is kayaking over pools of spawning salmon – I’ve also seen signs of bears along the far shore of the lake and the local guides say they occasionally see them from a safe distance away while kayaking. 

From Byer’s Lake you’ll head to a unique, Alaskan lodge & café called Mary Cary’s where you’ll have lunch while enjoying views of Denali and the Alaska Range. Then its onward to your launching ground on the Chulitna River to embark on a peaceful, scenic raft trip that takes you through the stunning Chulitna Canyon and ends 19 miles downstream in the town of Talkeetna.  Transportation is provided from both Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge and McKinley Princess Lodge, or if you have your own car you can meet the guides at Byer’s Lake and they’ll bring you back to your car at the end of the day.

(more…)

Comments(0) |  Email This Post |  Print This Post

We often get asked, “how do you get around in Denali if we don’t have our own car?”  Well, it is fairly easy with a little planning and knowledge of the transportation options to get to Denali. Our recommendations include the Alaska Railroad and the Park Connection Motorcoach.  Once in Denali, there is a network of National Park Service shuttles and local Denali hotel and tour operators that provide complimentary services to prospective clients. The next key to visiting Denali National Park without your own car is to select a hotel which provides a shuttle service into the Denali Park entrance area and to the Alaska Railroad Depot. 

(more…)

Comments(0) |  Email This Post |  Print This Post

Denali National Park has three visitor centers inside the Park.  The Denali Park Visitor Center and the Murie Science & Learning Center are both located just inside the Denali Park entrance, about a mile up the Park Road.  The third is the Eielson Visitor Center which is located at mile 66 of the Park Road. A stop at Eielson Visitor Center is included in both the Kantishna Wilderness Tour and the Kantishna Experience Tour.  Because these tours are about 12 hours long, their best suited for adults and families with older children.  The most popular park tour, the Tundra Wilderness Tour, is shorter but does not go to Eielson due to only traveling to mile 53 of the Park Road.  You can also reach the Eielson Visitor Center by purchasing a shuttle bus into the Park.  This option is popular to local Alaskans and other returning visitor’s to the park as well as those who are camping inside the park.  But be sure to not purchase the Toklat shuttle if a visit to Eielson is important to you as it turns around before the visitor center. (more…)

Comments(0) |  Email This Post |  Print This Post

For the past five summers I have been visiting Denali and enjoying the locally owned restaurants.  When you arrive in the Denali National Park area you find several large lodges and of course each of these has one if not multiple restaurants, ranging from casual cafés to more upscale restaurants.  These restaurants are great but somtimes you want to explore the local fare, and there are several located within a few miles from the Denali Park entrance.

In the area known as the Denali Canyon you will find a full service restaurant & bar, a fish and chips restaurant, two beer and pizza joints, a hot dog stand and, and a burger joint with the best views in the canyon. The Denali Park Salmon Bake is located across from the Denali Princess Lodge and serves a hearty breakfast, has a full service bar and has a great lunch and dinner menu with local favorites such as Salmon Quesadillas and Halibut Tacos. (more…)

Comments(0) |  Email This Post |  Print This Post

Denali National Park hotels vary widely from full service premium hotels such as the Grande Denali Lodge to smaller family owned lodges offering  cabin style accommodations such as the Denali Crow’s Nest Cabins.  Most visitors to the National Park stay in Denali’s “front country” just outside the Park Entrance along a 13 mile stretch of the Parks Highway.  While those seeking a more intimate experience and an extended stay in Denali often combine a stay at the Park entrance with a two night stay deep within Denali National Park’s at Kantishna, also referred to as Denali’s “backcountry” located at the end of the Denali Park Road.  (more…)

Comments(2) |  Email This Post |  Print This Post

Since I was a little girl I’ve enjoyed the sport of dog mushing as both a competitive musher and a spectator.  Every year one of the biggest dog mushing events in the world is held in Anchorage, Alaska. The ceremonial start of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race begins on Fourth Avenue in downtown Anchorage on the first Saturday each March. The Iditarod Trail stretches over 1149 miles of Alaska’s vast wilderness. The true race begins a day after, on Sunday from Willow, Alaska. This is where you see the mushers dressed in their cold weather gear and their sleds fully packed with food and equipment for themselves, but mostly for the dogs. From my experience as a musher your number one priority on the trail is your dogs. Each dog is treated with great care to assure they are performing at their very best. Imagine what it’s like to care for not just one Olympic athlete but a team of 16. (more…)

Comments(0) |  Email This Post |  Print This Post

The Crow’s Nest Cabins are a great place to stay at Denali National Park. Working long summer hours in tourism my husband and I rarely get a quiet moment to relax together, but the Crow’s Nest Cabins allowed us to do so. For travelers it is a great property to visit as a quiet get away with beautiful views.  the Crow’s Nest is located just outside the entrance to the Park. (more…)

Comments(3) |  Email This Post |  Print This Post