Page 114 - Vacation Country Travel Guide

the world, retirees in RVs, miners and trappers,
outdoor adventure enthusiasts and artists and
photographers. They all converge on this historical
outpost to find their piece of Alaska, whether that
is in a gold nugget, the awe-inspiring beauty
or time spent with friends around a campfire.
Chicken, Alaska offers travelers the opportunity to
find the frontier spirit, whatever that may be.

JCT. ALASKA HWY TO DELTA JUNCTION &
TOK CUT OFF HWY 1 TO GLENNALLEN
Tok
Location: Milepost 1314 on the Alaska
Highway. Tok is the first town reached after
crossing the US/Canadian Border and is the
“Gateway to Alaska.” 210 miles to Fairbanks,
328 miles to Anchorage, 391 miles Whitehorse,
YT. Population: 1,415. Area Population: 4,200.
Visitor Information: Mainstreet Visitors Center,
PO Box 389, Tok, AK 99780; Phone (907)
883-5775; Website: www.tokalaskainfo.com.
Chickenstock Alaska Public Lands Information Center - Tok,
photo by:
Mike Busby
long and stretches between Alaska and the Yukon. weatherport and single bed platforms, five cabins
Traveling above the tree line, the views of Alaska and a two-bedroom apartment. There is a coin-
stretch out before you like a perfectly plated operated shower house, free wi-fi and free grey
platter, offering miles of uncompromising vistas. water and sani-dumping. Tables and fire rings, and
A stay in Chicken, either before or after a large pavilion with a barbecue for groups, will
traveling Top of the World, will be a memorable have you telling tales around the campfire as you
experience in your Alaskan travels. The Chicken enjoy woodfire pizza and an Alaskan micro brew
Gold Camp and Outpost is the place to park your from the Chicken Creek Outpost. The Outpost
RV for a night or two. They have a campground of houses a cafe, espresso, and gift shop where you
20 acres with electric and dry sites, tent sites with can purchase official Chicken, Alaska gear and
handmade Alaskan items.
If you would like to try your hand at gold
prospecting, the Gold Camp has all the equipment
you will need. For a daily fee they allow panning,
metal detectors, hand sluices, small suction
dredges, and high bankers on most of their
claims. They also provide equipment rental and
transportation to the claims. The claims have
produced a good amount of gold, with some
guests finding nuggets from one to three ounces.
Of course, most guests just enjoy the adventure of
prospecting, whether or not they find gold.
Besides prospecting, guests can enjoy hiking,
wildlife viewing and tours to Chicken historical
sites including the Pedro gold dredge, which
mined 55,000 ounces of gold out of Chicken Creek
from 1959 to 1967. This is the most complete
bucket line gold dredge open to the public in North
America.
During the summer, this area of Alaska has
an eclectic population of travelers from all over

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