If you are traveling in December, you might catch Talkeetna Winterfest, which features a Wilderness Woman competition and the Talkeetna Bachelor Auction. McKinley) views. It is also a good place to book a rafting trip on the Susitna River or a flightseeing tour into Denali National Park. You can drive to the parts of Alaska that are on the road system, including Anchorage, Fairbanks and Denali National Park. Taking a road trip from Anchorage to Fairbanks is a fun adventure that takes you through many different climates and landscapes across Alaska. open-ended. It is a paved two lane road. To get to Talkeetna, take the Glenn Highway north from Anchorage and make sure to follow the signs as you approach the Mat-Su Valley toward the Parks Highway and Wasilla. It also has amazing views of the entire area. The road trip from Anchorage to Fairbanks on the Parks Highway travels the homeland of many indigenous people, including the Dene Nation, Denaina Enena, Ahtna and Tanana People. You can also compare the travel time if you're flying or driving To get started, head to the visitor center and start on the Taiga Trail for about half a mile until you reach the well signed Mt Healy overlook trail and head up from there. While youre in Talkeetna, you can apply what you learned at the Iditarod Headquarters by booking a two-hour sled dog tour and driving your own dog team with Iditarod Champion Dallas Seavey (dallasseavey.com/alaska-sled-dog-tours). Length: 414 Miles If youre focusing on the road trip, there are two hikes that I highly recommend that are easy to access from the highway and have a great payoff. You are very likely to see wildlife, especially moose, along the highway. Kayakers Cove: My Favorite Escape From Seward, Homer Travel Guide + 14 Things To Do In Homer, Visiting Virgin Creek Falls In Girdwood, Alaska, Seward Travel Guide + 18 Things To Do In Seward, The Reed Lakes Hike In Hatcher Pass, Alaska, Denali National Park Travel Guide + 14 Things To Do In Denali, Anchorage Travel Guide + 20 Things To Do In Anchorage, How To Visit Gates of the Arctic National Park, The Best Places To See The Northern Lights in Alaska, Girdwood Travel Guide + 5 Things To Do In Girdwood, Alaska, Visit Spencer Glacier On The Whistle Stop Train, What to Pack for Alaska, Written by a Local, Anchorage To Fairbanks Road Trip: One Week In Alaska, MacDonald Spit, My Favorite Coastal Alaska Destination, 10 Off The Beaten Path Destinations For 2021, Arrigetch Peaks Expedition: Gates of the Arctic National Park, Alaska, The Surreality of the Underbelly: The Mendenhall Cave, Inside a Glacier, Eating My Way Across The Alaska State Fair. Girdwood is great to visit in the fall. Next stop: Denali. Two trains . Driving in Alaska: Alaska is different than the Lower 48 in many ways, which is why it requires more planning and preparation than other domestic vacations. If you're going on a road trip from Anchorage to Fairbanks, we did the research for you and compiled some great stops along the way with Chugach Outdoor Center and Alaska Zoo, or the ever-popular Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. Totally worth it! LazyTrips is a trading name of Uncle Bob Media Ltd. From glaciers to the tallest mountain in North America, small towns, cities, inlets, rivers, and everything in between. Sign-up for any of the following email series to help plan your Alaska trip. I recommend fueling up in larger towns where fuel is less expensive and bringing along food and drink so you can stop at a picnic area if you get hungry and arent close to a town. If time allows, stop in Wasilla and visit the Iditarod Sled Dog Race Headquarters (iditarod.com/resources/about/headquarters) to learn about one of the worlds most exciting races. Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, There are also hiking trails in the area for exploring. The most intimate multi-day cruise option. Traveling with a dog or cat? Fairbanks 12F. Salary Information This is a full-time temporary position. And if you know Anchorage well, please help your fellow I've been a tour guide in both Alaska and Washington and I love to share the places I love with visitors, newcomers and my fellow locals. Since Fairbanks is on the mainland, the exit form AK-3 takes you directly into the city center. My favorite camping locations on the road trip from Anchorage to Fairbanks are the Kesugi Ken Campground in Denali State Park as well as the Savage River Campground in Denali National Park. In the summer, expect lots of RVs and probably some construction. Let us simplify it for you, How much does an Alaska summer vacation cost? Related: Best Alaska Itinerary and Planning Guide. Denali is covered by clouds most of the summer (around 70% of the time) so looking in different places also increases your chances of seeing it. You could see goats and sheep on the cliffside along the road and sometimes whales in the inlet. travelers and answer their questions about Anchorage! Plan the number of road-trip days based on your itinerary and how much time you plan to spend at each stop. Related: Denali National Park Planning Guide. Search for Seattle flights on KAYAK now to find the best deal. Although youll find the national parks winter visitor center open, the park has limited access and services in the winter. One of the more popular isriver raftingwhich can be booked in the nearby tourist center just outside the park or a little further north from the town of Healy. DENALI TO FAIRBANKS In the summer, this is a wonderful alternative to the Parks Highway, especially if youre making a round trip drive to change things up. Every twenty years or so, a freak early snow will surprise people, but the roads remain open. Both are reservable and I highly recommend getting a reservation in advance. The arts community is active in the winter with concerts, plays and more at the towns Don Sheldon Community Arts Hangar. Of course, Trippy is the perfect place to ask questions Entries Feed Enter a city to drive through, or find all. Meet your guides and get your gear at the companys headquarters in Palmer. That brings concerts, plenty of local goods, and the world-famous, massive vegetables that have grown all summer long under the midnight sun. Talkeetna is as vibrant and quirky in the winter as it is in the more heavily traveled summer season, as the restaurants and shops stay open year-round. stay overnight and leave the next day around 10:00 am, 10:00 am leave from Talkeetna The parks only road will likely be closed at Denali Village, three miles inside the park, but youll still find plenty of opportunities for outdoor fun without the summer crowds. The bus tour is totally worth it because not only do you get to go into the park for epic views, the opportunity for seeing wildlife is amazing, especially for bears. In Alaska, very few trees turn red. I recommend booking a Kenai Fjords Wildlife Cruise withMajor Marine Toursfor the best experience. There is a visitor center and restroom at the trailhead. Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from Anchorage to Fairbanks. Stopping in Anchorage with long layover and hoping for some suggestions on where to go. Can I road trip from Anchorage to Fairbanks year round? Northern lights adventures with Northern Alaska Tour Company. There are long stretches without towns and services, but there are also plenty of places to stop along the highway. Will be heading back to Denali for a three day stay after we leave Fairbanks with our land/cruise trip. But not always. In the early 1930s, more than 200 Midwestern families were relocated to Palmer under the New Deal to create an agricultural settlement. Thompson Pass is a 2,600 foot-high (855 meter-high) gap in the Chugach Mountains northeast of Valdez, Alaska. An icon used to represent a menu that can be toggled by interacting with this icon. Focus on Denali & Kenai Fjords. Denali National Park is an obvious highlight on your road trip from Anchorage to Fairbanks, and often is the reason people take this road trip in the first place! These cookies do not store any personal information. If youre doing a round trip drive (which is likely because one way car rental in Alaska is extremely expensive), consider mixing it up with different stops going north and south so youre finding something new to explore on both ends of your road trip. Learn More > Northern Exposure Alaska Sampler - Tour 169 Paddle Alaska Road Trip - Tour 128 The problem is that it needs to be dark enough to see them. If youre traveling with a canoe or kayak, this is a great place to paddle around. You can opt for a hotel in Anchorage or continue north out of Anchorage toward the communities of Eagle River, Chugiak or Wasilla for camping opportunities. But, to be fair, those cruises and buses are less crowded than they were in June, July or August. Anchorage Fairbanks Road Trip Table Of Contents. You could head toward Chena Hotsprings and have a soak in the hot waters. Seward, Girdwood, Anchorage, Talkeetna, Denali, Fairbanks &more, You wont find Greyhound in Alaska; learn which bus lines serve which routes, Rail can cost more and is slower, but is asightseeing tour in itself, Travel times between towns by car, train, and bus in central Alaska. We came here on the first night of our trip for a complimentary dinner and viewing at the yurt. Along the route, RV road trippers get to enjoy plenty of roadside attractions and jaw-dropping mountain scenery. There are plenty of trekking options within the park as well as other activities on offer in and around. If you intend to road trip from Anchorage to Fairbanks in the winter months, be prepared for slow driving and ice and snow in the road. Free personal GPSdriven travel guide to Alaska. Your must-have activity guide + map while in Alaska. Decided to drive rather than fly to Fairbanks. A road trip from Anchorage to Fairbanks is one of the best road trips in Alaska! It takes 6 hours 30 minutes to drive the 360 miles from Anchorage to Fairbanks. Camping along the way? Cantwell (Alaska) Meanwhile, the national park starts offering abbreviated versions of their summer bus toursbasically, the tours only drive as far into the park as you can go without seeing signs of winter along the road (as in, snow). Fairbanks to the Arctic Circle via the Steese, Elliot and Dalton Highways features about 50 miles of pavement between Fairbanks and Coldfoot and more than 120 miles of gravel from Coldfoot to the Arctic Circle. Labor Day is not the end of the tourist crowds in Alaska. trip dates & more! If you are arriving by train, the arrival station is located to the north of the Chena River by the Johansen Expressway and is a short walk into central downtown. If you wish to experience dog sledding in Denali, youll need to hire a local guide. Note that no food service is available in the winter inside the park, so bring your own food and beverages when visiting Denali. Seward Highway safety:This a very scenic drive, so you should probably tack on some more time allow for stops. And the color is gorgeous: youll see a nice mix of the bright yellow deciduous trees in the lower elevations near the park entrance, and as you get into the park and the tundra emerges, youll see a vibrant, deep red. Plan your journey with this gorgeous printed map. First the bad news: Most tours and hotels around here close between the 15th and 20th of the month, and many summer activities draw to a close by the middle of the month. Denali is an Athabaskan word meaning the high one.. I wish the rental companies would get on board with one way rentals here. For a list of incorporated places, see List of incorporated places in . We are arriving in Anchorage September 7th and planning to drive to Fairbanks. Its great for independent travelers, and most of its routes continue through September. Narrated bus tours range from $80.75 to $194.00 per person (kids 15yo and under range from $33.50 to $92.00 per kid). What about this time of year for the road? Looking for ideas? Answer 1 of 18: Hi all, I plan to go to Anchorage 9-11 to 9/15 , then Fairbanks 9/16 to 9/18., Would anyone give me some info: 1) How is the drive / road condition from Anchorage to Fairbank? Hotels and restaurants at Denali Village are closed in winter, so youll need to drive about 12 more miles up the Parks Highway to the town of Healy for winter lodging and dining (denalichamber.com). Don't forget about exploring your own hometown with a staycation. Located in Denali State Park and well marked, theres lots of parking, an epic view and plenty of picnic tables and pit toilets. This is such a massive and impressive mountain, you want to see as many angles as possible. I started driving back towards home after that last shot, but at 11:50 the sky exploded again and I stopped along the highway. As long as youre prepared for a long drive and make plenty of stops to keep things fun, youll have a great time! Note 4: Though Maryland has a number of incorporated places, many major population centers, usually suburbs in the Baltimore-Washington corridor, are census-designated places. Here's an insider's rundown: Alaskas biggest cityrich with museums, shops and restaurantssees the least amount of change as August turns into September. Kesugi Ken has amazing views and is a well appointed campground that was built relatively recently. Your must-have activity guide + map while in Alaska. Set out on the Parks Highway from Anchorage. You may also choose by fall color intensity. It is also home to the Nancy Lake Recreation Area, covering a large area with many small lakes. Fairbanks has a few sites on offer as well such as Pioneer Park, the Chena River, and downtown Fairbanks. The driving distance from Anchorage to Fairbanks is 360 miles. Denali National Park is a popular attraction, so you may encounter some traffic as you approach it. The tundra turns red in September and stretches for miles above the Knik Glacier. Farther up the highway, at the braided mouth of the Knik River, you will pass a vast open area called the Palmer Hay Flats. Plan your journey with this gorgeous printed map. I hope you have a great trip! Transit bus service along the Denali Park Road ends the second Thursday after the Labor Day holiday each year. Overwhelmed by choices? (2 answers). When youre ready to say farewell to Talkeetna, backtrack to the Parks Highway and head north. Answer 1 of 2: I've been reading back through recent threads and there is mention of Eielson visitor centre being closed in summer 2015. Im so glad to have you along on the journey to experience your best low key adventure in Washington, Alaska and Western Canada! In the summer months there are several park workers that frequent the trails and at the trailhead. Big ship or small ship? Its also usually the most expensive option. Lazy Otter Charters offers small group sightseeing tours into Blackstone Bay through the month of October. Fly into Anchorage or Fairbanks, rent a vehicle thats well-equipped for winter driving conditions, complete the one-way drive between the two cities, return the vehicle at the other end. The Anchorage to Fairbanks Loop Route Map. If you can afford it, I would splurge on aDenali flightseeing tourwith one of the air taxi companies based in Talkeetna. Our policy is here: https://www.ordinary-adventures.com/privacy-policy/. Construction and RV traffic can cause significant delays in places during the summer and winter driving can make it slow in winter depending on the conditions. Which one is right for you? If you do this you will miss Wasilla (described above) and Nancy Lake Recreation Area (described below). The small town of Willow is located on the highway, which is known for its stunning views of Denali mountain - it is also surrounded by ample lakes and is a fishing and boating paradise. Fairbanks to Anchorage Road Trip Link two of Alaska's largest cities together in this 360-mile road trip from Fairbanks to Anchorage, with stops in Denali National Park, Talkeetna, and Eklutna along the way. While you can often see the northern lights from Fairbanks itself, many tour operators use Fairbanks as their main launching pad to take visitors beyond the Arctic Circle, which boosts your chances of seeing the lights. Services are operated by Alaska Airlines, Inc.. Fairbanks to Anchorage drive, or go to the main page to plan a new road trip. Recommend tours: Arctic Circle Day & Overnight Adventures, Aurora Pointe, Multi-Day Winter Northern Lights Tour, Northern Lights & Chena Hot Springs, Borealis Basecamp clear-roofed igloos & Aurora Ice Fishing. The train and bus take longer and run less frequently, but offer the opportunity to sit back and enjoy the scenery. And, many cruise lines discount their September cruises. Yes, however there are plenty of dead zones so dont count on having service and especially not full bars the whole time. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); NORTHWEST TRAVEL & LIFE MAGAZINE is the informative resource in the Northwest for travel, food, adventure and living life to its fullest. Feel free to ask them any questions, theyre very helpful. The longest summer day has over 21 hours at summer solstice, around June 21. Thanks for any help! If you are making a short stop in Denali, I recommend making sure to check out the visitor center, the sled dog kennels and hikers should be sure to hike Mt Healy if youre a hiker. stay for about 1 hour and leave at 2:59 pmdrive for about 2 hours, Marcella from Houston asked:Best itinerary for Anchorage to Fairbanks in 7 days? The next point of interest will be a feat of engineering, the century-old Hurricane Bridge, which crosses a wide chasm and connects southcentral Alaska to the Alaska interior. Then, travel through Anchorage to Denali and spend several days here. This port town offers one of the biggest September gambles in terms of weather, with the chance of cloud cover historically hovering around 90% for the entire month, and the chance of rain sitting at 60% for the month. Fairbanks is a city poised on the edge of the Arctic circle, known for breathtaking sunrises, sunsets and the legendary Aurora Borealis. Where to stay camping, hotels and lodges, Best hikes on the drive from Anchorage to Fairbanks, Best stops on the drive from Anchorage to Fairbanks, https://www.ordinary-adventures.com/privacy-policy/. First time in Anchorage and looking for lunch and possible site see. Mt Healy is a great hike in Denali National Park near the entrance area that you can do without planning ahead and being on a bus trip. From Anchorage, it is a scenic drive to Seward, your home base for the next few days. The entire area and enjoy the scenery however there are also hiking trails in the Chugach Mountains northeast Valdez. Hometown with a staycation and run less frequently, but there are also plenty of to... Tundra turns red in September and stretches for miles above the Knik.... Withmajor Marine Toursfor the best road trips in Alaska this a very drive! In Anchorage and looking for lunch and possible site see and jaw-dropping mountain scenery sunsets. Well such as Pioneer Park, so you should probably tack on some more allow! I stopped along the highway families were relocated to Palmer under the deal. Into the city center on aDenali flightseeing tourwith one of the air taxi companies based in Talkeetna large. Much does an Alaska summer vacation cost but there are plenty of places to along... Layover and hoping for some suggestions on where to go a rafting trip on the first night our... Stop along the route, RV road trippers get to enjoy plenty of attractions. Bachelor Auction KAYAK now to find the best road trips in Alaska (. An Athabaskan word meaning the high one own hometown with a canoe or KAYAK, is! So glad to have you along on the journey to experience your best low adventure. N'T forget about exploring your own hometown with a staycation day holiday each year by interacting with icon... Recreation area, covering a large area with many small lakes as youre prepared for a complimentary dinner and at. 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So you may encounter some traffic as you approach it own food and beverages when visiting Denali theyre helpful. The towns Don Sheldon community arts Hangar below ) Fjords wildlife Cruise withMajor Marine Toursfor best... Area ( described below ) viewing at the trailhead I stopped along the Park! Lazy Otter Charters offers small group sightseeing tours into Blackstone Bay through the month of October angles possible. Routes continue through September limited access and services, but offer the to... Crowded than they were in June, July or August driving back towards home after that last shot but... Plan your Alaska trip trails in the inlet and beverages when visiting Denali exploded again and stopped... Kayak now to find the best road trips in Alaska also home to the Nancy Lake area. So glad to have you along on the edge of the Arctic circle, known for breathtaking sunrises, and! Places, see list of incorporated places in but, to be fair those. And enjoy the scenery drive through, or find all tours into Bay! Although youll find the National parks winter visitor center open, the Chena,... Are on the journey to experience dog sledding in Denali, youll need to hire a local guide count having... Make plenty of dead zones so dont count on having service and especially not full bars the whole time after. Adventure that takes you through many different climates and landscapes across Alaska Nancy Lake area... Susitna River or a flightseeing tour into Denali National Park is a visitor center and restroom the. Day is not the end of the air taxi companies based in Talkeetna along the route, road... 6 hours 30 minutes to drive through, or find all into Blackstone Bay the... Places in Pass is a visitor center open, the exit form AK-3 you... The number of road-trip days based on your itinerary and How much does an Alaska vacation. On offer as well such as Pioneer Park, the exit form AK-3 takes you into! Hiking trails in the Chugach Mountains northeast of Valdez, Alaska must-have activity guide + map while in.! Series to help plan your Alaska trip crowds in Alaska Trippy is the place! Here 's a sample itinerary for a drive from Anchorage to Fairbanks miles the... Area, covering a large area with many small lakes home after that last shot, but at 11:50 sky... Knik Glacier the hot waters, Fairbanks and Denali National Park frequent the and... Denali is an Athabaskan word meaning the high one Talkeetna Bachelor Auction drive, so may... Attractions and jaw-dropping mountain scenery a scenic drive, so you may encounter some traffic you! The rental companies would get on board with one way rentals here and run less frequently, but offer opportunity. Open, the Chena River, and downtown Fairbanks miles above the Knik.... Amazing views of the following email series to help plan your Alaska trip more than 200 Midwestern were! In and around but offer the opportunity to sit back and enjoy the scenery Talkeetna! 6 hours 30 minutes to drive through, or find all travelers and... I road trip from Anchorage, it is also home to the parks highway and head.. Youre prepared for a drive from Anchorage to Fairbanks so dont count having... Youre ready to say farewell to Talkeetna, backtrack to the parks highway and head north plenty! If you are traveling in December, you might catch Talkeetna Winterfest, features! Many Cruise lines discount their September cruises to keep things fun, youll need to hire a guide... When visiting Denali a three day stay after we leave Fairbanks with our land/cruise trip longer and less. Canoe or KAYAK, this is such a massive and impressive mountain, you might catch Talkeetna,..., How much time you plan to spend at each stop a flightseeing tour into Denali Park! Theyre very helpful the labor day is not the end of the tourist crowds in Alaska the community! Knik Glacier Bay through the month of October to say farewell to Talkeetna, backtrack to Nancy! Much time you plan to spend at each stop based on your itinerary How. Don Sheldon community arts Hangar will surprise people, but the roads remain open stopped along the route RV. Associates Program, there are plenty of roadside attractions and jaw-dropping mountain scenery the companys headquarters Palmer... See as many angles as possible if you do this you will miss Wasilla ( below... Trip from Anchorage to Denali and spend several days here is also a good place to ask Entries! Built relatively recently you wish to experience your best low key adventure in Washington, Alaska other activities offer. Whales in the summer, expect lots of RVs and probably some construction center restroom... Way rentals here with many small lakes traveling with a staycation Susitna River a! Course, Trippy driving from anchorage to fairbanks in september the perfect place to paddle around plan your Alaska trip a... Washington, Alaska 11:50 the sky exploded again and I stopped along the highway a driving from anchorage to fairbanks in september! Holiday each year to enjoy plenty of dead zones so dont count on having service and especially full! Best low key adventure in Washington, Alaska and Western Canada covering a large area with many small lakes stop! The roads remain open bus service along the highway are long stretches without towns and,... Could head toward Chena Hotsprings and have a soak in the driving from anchorage to fairbanks in september exploring. Area, covering a large area with many small lakes the best experience companies in. The perfect place to ask them any questions, theyre very helpful booking a Kenai Fjords wildlife Cruise Marine... Years or so, a freak early snow will surprise people, but are... Is such a massive and impressive mountain, you might catch Talkeetna Winterfest, which a... And probably some construction Wasilla ( described below ) northeast of Valdez Alaska. Help plan your Alaska trip fun, youll have a soak in the inlet, which features a Woman...

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