Page 122 - Vacation Country Travel Guide

claims, popular Salmon Lake, and a side road to
historic Pilgrim Hot Springs. The Nome-Teller Road
ends at the namesake Inupiat village located 73 miles
northwest of Nome and a mere 108 miles from Russia.
The roads are gravel, only passable in summer,
and seriously prone to rugged potholes. Make
arrangements in advance to rent a 4-wheel drive
vehicle, or guided tours are also available. You can
take a closer look at these routes and their many
dozens of designated points of interest on the
following comprehensive website and see for yourself
what adventures await: alaska.org/destination/nome/
scenic-drives.
A Birder’s Paradise
Nome and the surrounding countryside have
SEE VIDEO become known as one of the best places in the world
to easily see a huge array of birds, both domestic and
Gold Panning Memorial wind-blown Asian exotics rarely spotted in North
with the 3 Lucky Swedes Statues America. The best time for birding is late May and
early June, after the Bering Sea ice spring breakup
ushers in the annual migration. Vast swaths of pristine
photographing the remnants of 100 years of gold Abundant wildlife can often be seen from (or on) the nesting areas, long days and abundant food allow for
exploration. Nome’s gold rush history is legendary road, including prehistoric muskox, reindeer, moose, great viewing into mid-August when migration is in
and gold still plays a large part here. Numerous small bear, fox and many of the approximately 180 species full swing.
mining companies operate in the hills and every of birds that frequent or accidentally drop by the area. The Nome road system provides access to different
summer people camp on the beach to search for gold Hillsides are carpeted with 200 kinds of wildflowers species along each of the three routes, and you don’t
in the garnet-laced “ruby sands of Nome.” in the warm months, and exceptional berry picking even have to get out of your car to add dozens of new
For two weeks, Nome hosts the “Mardi Gras of the is at its zenith in mid-August. Fishing, camping and sightings to your life list! You’ll even find quality
North” during the world famous Iditarod Race, which biking are all extraordinary along these routes. Nome birding on ponds, wetlands and beaches right in town.
finishes on Front Street every year in March. Nome saw the last great Gold Rush, evidenced by old mining If you’re visiting without a car, try the mouth of the
is also the halfway point for the world’s longest, towns, abandoned gold dredges, railroad cars, historic Nome River, Cemetery Pond and East End Park.
toughest snowmachine race, the Iron Dog. wooden trestles, and “The Last Train to Nowhere.” Even through the winter buntings and other species
Scenic Drives out of Nome The Nome-Council Road is optimally a 2-hour are plentiful at Nome feeding stations.
The three roads that originate in Nome lead in and 72-mile drive to the east with sweeping coastal The Northwest Campus of University of Alaska
different directions, winding through a variety of views, ending at the small community of Council. Fairbanks in Nome offers extremely affordable,
dramatic wilderness landscapes of tundra, seacoast The 85-mile Nome-Taylor Road (also called Beam daylong birding field trips for a much lower fee
and mountain valleys carved by sparkling clear rivers. or Kougarok Road) winds north past old mining than dedicated birding tours. Usually held on the

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