Page 37 - Travel Guide Fly Alaska Edition
P. 37

travelers  often  catch  the  first  exciting   the Historical Society Museum also hosts   drive  north  toward  Denali  on  George
      glimpses  of  Mount  Denali.  There  are   free  ranger  talks.  Denali  flightseeing   Parks Highway #3 takes you to the town
      plenty of outdoor opportunities and   and glacier landing tours depart from   of TRAPPER CREEK, offering year-round
      campgrounds for  visitors looking to   the  airport,  located  within  walking   lodging, dining, services and a museum.
      break  up the  drive north to Fairbanks.   distance  from  downtown.  Talkeetna  is   For the explorer, the 40-mile gravel
      Fish the salmon run with guides, right on   also  an  excellent  winter  destination,  as   PETERSVILLE  ROAD  enters  the  rugged
      Willow Creek yourself, or at Willow Creek   restaurants, shops and the Don Sheldon   mining backcountry of the Dutch Hills
      State Recreation Area off Willow Parkway   Community Arts Hangar stay open year-  amid spectacular views of Denali and the
      Road, where a large public campground   round.                            entire Alaska Range. In summer, 4-wheel
      gives  anglers  access  to  the  confluence                               drive  vehicles  are  recommended
      of the creek and the Susitna River.  At   Located  at  the  confluence  of  three   after  the  first  10  miles,  and  the  entire
      the  Nancy  Lake  State  Recreation  Area,   major rivers, Talkeetna keeps its mining   length is ideal for mountain biking or
      there is a series of 130 lakes and ponds   history  alive  with  renovated  miners’   snowmobiling  on  groomed  trails. There
      to paddle through. Iditarod mushers   cabins  used  as  lodging,  shops  and   are hundreds of private recreational
      who call Willow home offer tours in the   restaurants.  Take  your  pick  of  several   cabins  accessible  only  by  snowmobile
      summer months, when you can visit their   eateries  offering  fine  dining  to  lunch  at   and several roadhouses for meals and
      kennels and take a cart ride pulled by a   the  local  microbrewery.  Enjoy  guided   lodging,  as  well  as  snowmobile  guides
      team of eager huskies.               river rafting, jet boat tours and sport   and rentals.
                                           fishing, a guided hiking or ATV tour. Local
         Approximately  2  hours  north  of   artisans sell their wares at a summertime   Adjacent  to  Denali  National  Park
      Anchorage on George Parks Highway #3   outdoor  market,  galleries  filled  with   and forming the southeast corner of
      and 45-minutes from Willow, at Mile 98.7   unique  Alaska gifts line historic Main   the  roughly  square-shaped  wilderness,
      take the Talkeetna Spur Road for 14 miles   Street  and live  music is  a staple of  the   325,000-acre  DENALI  STATE  PARK  is  a
      to  the  don’t-miss  town  of  TALKEETNA.   downtown  scene. A whole  spectrum  of   hub of recreational opportunities from
      Climbers  from  around  the  world  come   accommodations is available in the area   camping  and  canoeing  to  wilderness
      here every spring to begin their ascent of   for those wanting to get an early morning   exploration.  The  landscape  varies  from
      Denali. Visitors can find out what it takes   jump start on their trip to Fairbanks.   meandering  lowland  streams  to  alpine
      to climb this marvel by stopping at the                                   tundra  while  Byers  Lake  is  a  paddler’s
      Ranger Station, open daily in the summer;   After  leaving Talkeetna,  a  30-minute   paradise.  Walk-in  and  RV  camping  and










































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