Travel Alaska

OFFICIAL STATE VACATION PLANNER

IT’S WAITING, FOR YOU.

DISCOVER UNTAMED NATURE EXPERIENCE LOCAL CULTURE EXPLORE THE LAST FRONTIER

On the Cover: John River, Gates of the Arctic National Park

LETTER FROM THE
GOVERNOR

Welcome to your Official State
of Alaska Travel Planner. As
Governor, and as an Alaskan,
I’m thrilled that you’re interested
in exploring our state.
We Alaskans are so proud of
our home. It’s an extraordinarily
beautiful place, with unforgettable
scenery, magnificent wildlife, and
some flat-out wonderful people.
Whether you’re coming to see
our glorious mountains, rivers
and glaciers; to learn about our
cultures and our history; or just
to taste the best seafood on the
planet, we know you’ll make
amazing lifelong memories here.
We’re sure that a trip to our state
will live up to your wildest dreams.
And we look forward to welcoming
you to The Last Frontier.
Warm regards,

Governor Michael J. Dunleavy

1
© State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung

PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND

TABLE OF

CONTENTS

INFORMATION REGIONS 41
43
State Map 3 Southcentral 45
Seasons 5 Interior 47
7 Arctic 49
Planning Your Trip 9 Southwest
Getting Around 53
Inside Passage 54
FEATURES 67
11 TRAVEL DIRECTORY 83
Landscapes 91
Night’s Lights 13 Index 93
Alaska’s History 15 Statewide 95
Alaska Native Culture 17 Southcentral 103
Arts & Culture 19 Interior
21 Arctic
Wildlife 25 Southwest
Road Trips 29 Inside Passage

Parks Community Information

ACTIVITIES 33
35
Find Your Adventure 36
Fishing 37
Hiking 38
39
Flightseeing 40
Water Activities

Shopping
Food & Drink

2

WELCOME TO THE N Arctic Circle

49TH STATE ST. LAWRENCE
ISLAND Gambell
Alaska is so large that it’s sometimes hard to get our heads around it.
Here are a few examples to help: Savoonga

If you put a map of Alaska over a map of the lower 48 states, Alaska would
stretch east to west from Savannah, Georgia to Los Angeles, and south to
north from the Texas Panhandle to the top of North Dakota.

A flight between Juneau, our capital, and Anchorage, our largest city, is
1.5 hours. That’s roughly the same time as it takes to fly from Denver to
Los Angeles (or from Chicago to New York).

The state is divided into five regions: ST. MATTHEW
ISLAND
SOUTHCENTRAL
Scammon Bay
Southcentral Alaska is home to vividly diverse wilderness Hooper Bay
landscapes — from beaches to mountaintops to fjords —
as well as half the state’s population. BERING SEA Mekoryuk
Hub community: Anchorage
NUNIVAK
SOUTHWEST ISLAND

Southwest Alaska’s islands, river deltas and PRIBILOF ISLANDS Goodnews Bay
mountains, team with fish and wildlife. St. Paul Island
Hub communities: Kodiak, Bethel, Dillingham
St. George Island
INTERIOR
ALEUTIAN ISLANDS
The Interior Region is a quintessentially Alaska
landscape, bounded by high mountain ranges Dutch Harbor 4 False Pass Cold Bay
(it’s home to Denali) and crisscrossed by Akutan King Cove
glorious river vistas.
Hub communities: Fairbanks, Tok Unalaska Sand Point

ARCTIC Alaska & Lower 48 comparison

Alaska’s far north features the country’s only Arctic
ecosystem; northern lights dance above the snowy
tundra in winter, while birds and caribou graze
during the long summer days.
Hub communities: Nome, Kotzebue, Utqiaġvik (Barrow)

INSIDE PASSAGE

The Inside Passage in the Southeast, home to
breathtaking temperate rainforest, protected
waterways and glaciers, reach into deep coastal fjords.
Hub communities: Ketchikan, Juneau

3

Utqiaġvik (Barrow)

Wainwright

CHUKCHI SEA ARCTIC OCEAN

Point Hope

Prudhoe Bay

Deadhorse BEAUFORT SEA

Umiat Kaktovik

Noatak

Little Diomede Shishmaref Gates of the Arctic 3
Wales Nat’l Park & Preserve Coldfoot

Kotzebue Anaktuvuk Pass Arctic Nat’l
Wildlife Refuge
Noorvik
Arctic Village
Taylor Selawik
Pilgrim
Teller Hot Springs

Wiseman

Council er Bettles
White Mountain Huslia Hughes
Nome Yukon Ri Koyuk u k 3
K uskokwim
NW TERRITORIES
R iv
Nulato Stevens Beaver Fort Yukon
U.CS.AA.NAALDAASKAVillage

Unalakleet Rampart

Ruby Tanana

Emmonak St. Michael Galena Manley 3 Central Circle
Hot Springs Fox Chena Hot Springs

ver FAIRBANKS Yukon-Charley Rivers
Nat’l Preserve
St. Mary’s Denali Nat’l North Pole YUKON
Nenana T

Holy Cross River Park & Preserve 1 Salcha Yukon RanEagle
McGrath Kantishna Healy Delta Jicvte. r Chicken Boundary
aR
Denali Cantwell an Dawson City

Bethel Aniak

1 Paxson Tok

Trapper Creek Talkeetna

Willow Northway

Quinhagak Lake Clark Nat’l Houston Lake Louise Gakona Jct. Nabesna Beaver Creek iver
Park & Preserve Big Lake
Togiak Nat’l Wasilla Sutton 2 Glennallen
Wildlife Refuge Port Alsworth ANCHORAGE Copper Center
2 Palmer
Dillingham Iliamna Kenai Soldotna 2 Kenny Lake Carmacks
Girdwood Valdez
Chitina Kennicott Ross River
Whittier

Ninilchik Cooper 1 Prince Tatitlek McCarthy
Landing William Cordova
Chenega Sound Wrangell-St. Elias
Naknek Anchor Pt. Nat’l Park & Preserve Destruction Bay
King Salmon Homer
Seward
Seldovia Whitehorse
Kenai Fjords
Katmai Nat’l
Nat’l Park Kluane Nat’l Park Haines Jct.

Aniakchak Nat’l Park & Preserve & Reserve

Monument & Preserve Carcross

Port Lions Yakutat

Chignik Kodiak Nat’l Ouzinkie Haines Skagway BRITISH
Wildlife Refuge
Kodiak COLUMBIA

4 Old Harbor GULF OF ALASKA Glacier Bay Nat’l Auke

4 Park & Preserve Bay

KODIAK Gustavus JUNEAU

ISLAND Elfin Cove Tracy Arm Fjord

PACIFIC OCEAN Pelican Hoonah/Icy Strait Point
Tenakee Springs

Angoon

Sitka

Highway Check out these road trips on page 25. Kake Wrangell
Pipeline 1 Seward & George Parks Highways Petersburg Hyder/
2 Glenn & Richardson Highways Stewart
Ferry 3 Elliott & Dalton Highways PRINCE OF WALES ISLAND
Railroad 4 Alaska Marine Highway System
Limited Access Hollis Misty Fjords
Nat’l Monument

Ketchikan

Metlakatla

Prince
Rupert

SPRING © State of Alaska/Mark Kelley
SUMMER
FALL
WINTER

JUNEAU

5

WHEN TO VISIT SEASONS

KODIAK KENAI RIVER FAIRBANKS THOMAS BAY

GRANTED, SUMMER FALL WINTER SPRING
WE’RE
BIASED. This is a great time to Fall is harvest time. Snowmachining, Spring is migration
WE THINK be outdoors: hiking, From fish and game fat-tire biking, skiing time, and cruise lines
ANYTIME fishing, boating, to wild berries, and dog mushing are just starting their
IS A GOOD wildlife viewing and Alaskans are are great winter Alaska season.
TIME TO just having fun under celebrating nature’s activities.
VISIT the midnight sun. bounty.
ALASKA!
PEAK SEASON SHOULDER SEASON WINTER SEASON SHOULDER SEASON
Different seasons May - September
mean different Late September October - March April - Early May
activities and
adventures. SEASONAL PERKS

The long days and Tour operators and Dark skies at night Businesses getting
warmer temperatures businesses often mean stars and ready for summer
are perfect for have special rates northern lights. offer early season
outdoor activities. during this time. discounts.

© State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung © State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung © State of Alaska/Matt Hage © UnCruise Adventures

CLOTHING COMFORT GUIDE

ALASKA PRO TIP:
dress in layers

short sleeves, shorts long sleeves, pants hat, gloves waterproof boots insulated boots windbreaker, light jacket long underwear winter jacket

SOUTHCENTRAL WINTER

SOUTHWEST

INTERIOR

ARCTIC

INSIDE PASSAGE

SPRING SUMMER FALL

6

PLANNING YOUR TRIP GETTING HERE

GLACIER BAY BY SEA

© Holland America Line - Ships Registry: The Netherlands The most popular way to get
here! To do it, you can hop
COMFORTS OF HOME aboard a cruise, a yacht (lucky
you!) or take the Alaska Ferry.
In cities and larger towns, we have conveniences, like ATMs, Cruises and ferries leave from
hospitals and coffee shops. Cell coverage and Wi-Fi are good in Washington state and British
urban areas, but you might not have it in more remote locations. Columbia. They sail the Inside
Passage along Alaska’s glorious
TIME ZONES coastline. Cruises generally
operate April – September.
We have two!
BY ROAD
Get ready AKST 1 HOUR 2 HOURS 3 HOURS 4 HOURS
to set those AHEAD AHEAD AHEAD AHEAD Travel at your own pace along
watches! the famed Alaska Highway.
This spectacular, fully paved
We’re on road was constructed in 1942
island time. to connect Alaska to the
Continental U.S. and Canada.
1 HOUR
BEHIND Get more driving tips and
must-see sights here:
NorthtoAlaska.com

For the latest on Alaska road
conditions:
(t) 511 (w) 511.alaska.gov

BY AIR

The fastest and easiest way
to get here. Major airlines
have frequent service to
gateway cities Anchorage,
Fairbanks, Juneau and
Ketchikan year-round. Don’t
forget: If you’re traveling after
October 2020, you’ll need a
Real ID to fly. Get more details
at: www.tsa.gov/real-id

Get more details here:
TravelAlaska.com/GettingHere

7

BEST TRAVEL TIPS

THE ALASKA EXPERIENCE FEELS ONLY IN ALASKA
OUT OF THIS WORLD
Seward’s Day | March
but it all happens in the U.S.A. Honors the day the Alaska
Purchase Treaty was signed
Currency: We use the U.S. dollar. in 1867, on the last Monday of
the month.
Holidays: We celebrate major U.S.
holidays, and throw in a few of our own. Alaska Day | October 18
Most state offices are closed, but all The anniversary of Alaska’s
federal offices will be open. formal transfer from Russia
to the United States in 1867.

© State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung If you’re driving, you have to leave the U.S. and travel through Canada to get
here. And that means you need to think about rules for international travel:
BORDER
CROSSINGS You’ll need your passport or Nexus card to cross the border.
Visit cbp.gov for updated identification requirements.

If you’re bringing a dog or cat, you’ll need proof of current rabies
vaccination.

If you’re bringing a firearm through Canada, please visit
the Canadian Firearms Centre at rcmp-grc.gc.ca.
Please note: you cannot enter Canada if you have a
criminal record (including a DUI).

These rules can change, so get the latest at cbp.gov.

DISABLED TRAVELER SUSTAINABLE
OPPORTUNITIES TOURISM

For a wild place, we’re surprisingly accessible: Adventure Green Alaska (AGA) is a program for
businesses across Alaska that have committed to
Check out these resources for adaptive responsible tourism. AGA-certified companies support
travel information. our local economy, manage resources sustainably,
• dnr.alaska.gov/parks/asp/access mitigate environmental impact and respect local
• challengealaska.org customs and Alaska Native cultures. You can learn
• sailinc.org more at TravelAlaska.com/Sustainable.

Interested in learning more? Visit TravelAlaska.com to sign up for our monthly e-newsletter.

@TravelAlaska @TravelAlaska @TravelAlaska @TravelAlaska_

8

TYPES OF TRIPS GETTING AROUND

PACKAGE TOURS In a state this size getting around is half the fun. Most itineraries
include more than one way of traveling.
How to get around? Where to
stay? What to do? Don’t worry BY AIR
about the details. Tour operators
and travel agents design tours Experience the diversity Alaska has to offer by air.
that feature the state’s highlights Only 18 percent of our communities are accessible
and everything on your bucket by the road system. It’s no wonder Alaska has more
list. Package trips are available pilots per capita than any other state — airplanes
at all price ranges, from rugged are our public transit. Regular air service connects
to luxurious and everything large towns and smaller communities, saving you
in between. time, so you can see more.

CRUISES BY WATER

Set sail for Alaska! Our state is Cruises are the most popular way to see Alaska on
a cruiser’s paradise, with a range the water, but it’s not the only option. Travel between
of ships and trips to take you on Alaska communities by ferry or water taxi. Rent
your dream vacation. You can kayaks to explore our waterways or take a day cruise
choose from a small to large ship, to see calving glaciers. Seeing Alaska by water is
a round-trip or one-way itinerary, an unforgettable experience.
an Inside Passage or Gulf of
Alaska route. Customize your BY RAIL
journey with shore excursions at
ports of call along the way. You Enjoy the view without driving yourself. Alaska has
can even build on your vacation two legendary railways: 67.5-mile White Pass & Yukon
with a land-based tour before Route, which leads from Skagway to the historic
or after your cruise. Yukon gold fields; and the Alaska Railroad, whose
iconic cars travel 470 miles of rail from Seward to
DO IT YOURSELF (DIY) Fairbanks and points in between. Rail is a great way
to see the state, as part of a package or day trip.
Alaska is big, but it’s not
intimidating. Create your own BY ROAD
dream itinerary with help from
TravelAlaska.com. On our site, Alaska has 31,000 miles of road. And no matter
you’ll find details and deals, which road you take, it’s sure to be a beautiful trip.
itineraries and ideas, tips and Rent a car, RV, or even a motorcycle, and experience
tricks to get the most out of the state at your leisure. Take a coach between
your Alaska vacation. From Denali National Park and Kenai Fjords National Park.
moose to mountains, Alaska Or take on one of the great road trips on page 25.
is waiting, for you.
© State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung

Learn more at TravelAlaska.com/TravelWithin

9

IS THERE A WAY TO SEE EVERYTHING?

The short answer is no. But you can get a pretty good introduction
to the state with one of these popular trips.

of Alaska/Mark Kelley
f Alaska/Reinhard Pantke
f Alaska/Mark Kelley
© State © State o © State o

CROSS GULF THE GREAT ALASKA WILDLIFE
CRUISE CIRCLE DRIVE ADVENTURE

Sailing through wild nature while Rent a car or RV to explore Alaska From Anchorage, rent a car and head
enjoying the luxuries of a modern at your own pace. Start in Anchorage, south to Seward. Take your time: stop
ship is an unforgettable way to and head north to Talkeetna. This to have lunch in Girdwood, fish in
explore Alaska. quaint town — some say it was the Cooper Landing, or explore the trails
inspiration for Northern Exposure — near Exit Glacier along the way. On a
Most cruises go up the Inside is a starting point for Denali half-day glacier and wildlife viewing
Passage, and some sail across the mountaineers. From here, visit cruise in Kenai Fjords National Park,
Gulf of Alaska to Seward or Whittier. Denali National Park and Preserve look for whales, otters, Steller sea
Along the way, they stop in ports for a guided wilderness tour. lions and puffins.
like Ketchikan, the Salmon Capital
of the World; Sitka, former capital Continue north toward Fairbanks From Seward, drive west and south to
of Russian America; Juneau, the and explore the town before taking Homer, a quirky town that’s called the
historic state capital; Icy Strait, a day trip to the Arctic Circle. On Halibut fishing capital of the world.
neighbor to the largest Tlingit village dark nights, look up: this is prime Make the most of the trip – stop in
in Alaska; and Skagway, a charming aurora-spotting territory. Cooper Landing or Soldotna to fish
waterfront town. Travelers customize the legendary Kenai River, or just to
their trips with excursions that suit Begin your return trip by driving have lunch with a gorgeous water
their styles, from hiking in Tongass toward Delta Junction, Copper view. Take your car on the ferry to
National Forest, sampling fresh Center, and the awe-inspiring Alaska’s garden island of Kodiak and
seafood (or fishing for it!), ziplining Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & explore the Kodiak National Wildlife
above the rainforest, to flying out to Preserve. Here, visit Kennicott and Refuge, or book a flightseeing tour
see wildlife in their habitats. McCarthy. This early 1900s copper to Katmai National Park & Preserve,
mining town has been partially to watch the world-famous coastal
These cruises generally last about restored and is fascinating to explore. brown bears in their natural habitat.
seven days, but many travelers
maximize their vacations with a Wrap up with a trip to Valdez, Book ahead for a return seat on the
land tour before or after. where you can catch the Alaska Alaska Marine Highway ferry, or to
Marine Highway ferry to Whittier save time, fly from Kodiak to
and a quick return to Anchorage. Anchorage instead.

You can find dozens more itineraries at TravelAlaska.com/Trips

10

© State of Alaska/Matt Hage

GLACIERS | MATANUSKA GLACIER

TUNDRA | LAKE CLARK

11

© State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung

RAINFOREST | GIRDWOOD

© State of Alaska/Mark Kelley

RIVER VALLEYS | KOYUKUK RIVER

MOUNTAINS | GLACIER BAY

© State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung

46,600 MILES OF SHORELINE GLACIERS RAINFOREST
3,000,000 LAKES
100,000 GLACIERS These rivers of ice are layers of snow Flourishing with hemlock, spruce and
AND 2,600 ISLANDS compressed into ice over thousands cedar, Alaska is home to the only
of years. temperate rainforest in the U.S.
Alaska has so much to explore.
RIVER VALLEYS TUNDRA
MOUNTAINS
River valleys are as distinct as the Tundra is made up of shrubs, grasses
Alaska is home to 14 mountain ranges. landscapes they carve through: and mosses growing like a rich carpet
mountains, tundra and plains. atop permafrost.

12

WHITE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL RECREATION AREA, FAIRBANKS

13

© Jackie Veats

If you visit Alaska between late August through April, look up
into the clear night sky. You may see a faint green glow above the
horizon. Keep looking. The green light may begin to move and
intensify. Waves of light start dancing, perhaps even turning red.
You’re seeing the greatest natural light show on Earth: the aurora
borealis or northern lights.

Some Alaska Native traditions say the northern lights are dancing
spirits. Scientists say this natural wonder of the world is caused
by particles entering the atmosphere from solar winds (different
colors are caused by particles interacting with different elements
at different altitudes). Either way, they transform Alaska’s
nighttime skies into a magical show.

Remember: the lights are up there year-round, but you need dark
nights to see them.

best months for viewing COLDFOOT

late august TO SEE THEM
through april FOR YOURSELF,
YOU CAN:
best places to watch
Take a Tour: No one can
anywhere in alaska guarantee a sighting, but guides
know the best spots for viewing,
but they’re visible most often in the Interior and Arctic regions and can make the experience
unforgettable.
best dress
DIY it: Ask a few locals for their
layer up for favorite spots to see the lights.
the cold Or, just drive as far as you can
from artificial lights and look up.
Did you know in Alaska we forecast the aurora? Get the details here:
AuroraForecast.gi.alaska.edu. For interior: ExploreFairbanks.com/#tracker Ask for a Wake-up Call: Many
hotels offer guests a northern
lights wake-up call, alerting you
when they make an appearance.

14

HISTORY & TIMELINE

Fort Wrangell, Alaska 1900s

15,000 - 4,000 BCE 1,000 BCE 1872 1912

First people South Bering Sea and Gold discovered near Sitka Alaska became a
arrived in U.S. Territory
Alaska over North Pacific people 1880
Bering 1913
Land Bridge become North Alaska Inuit Pacific Coast Steamship
Company offered first First person
12,000 - 10,000 BCE 1741 passenger voyage stood on
to Alaska Denali’s
Oldest confirmed Russian Navy Officer, Vitus true summit
prehistoric sites in Alaska Bering discovered Alaska 1897
ATHABASCAN, WALTER HARPER
Found in Wrangell, Alaska 1778 Start of the
Klondike 1923
© State of Alaska/Mark Kelley Captain James Cook Gold Rush
sailed Alaska’s coastline, Alaska Railroad is
8,000 BCE including Cook Inlet, while Prospectors completed. 470 miles
looking for the Northwest moving over of track laid from
Alaska Native cultures Passage Chilkoot Pass Seward to Fairbanks
thrive, creating art –
including petroglyphs – 1867
in the southeast region
U.S. purchased Alaska from
Russia for $7.2 million in
gold, later known as
Seward’s Folly

15

1925 1950s
2000s
Dogsledders brought 1973
lifesaving diphtheria
serum to Nome, which First
later inspired the Iditarod Iditarod
Sled Dog
1927 1957 Race © State of Alaska/Matt Hage

Wien Air offered first Airlines began using 1974 2007
commercial air service Anchorage International
in Alaska Airport for over the pole Construction began Lance Mackey was the first
traffic, starting with on the Trans Alaska musher to win both the
1932 Copenhagen-Tokyo service Pipeline System Iditarod and Yukon Quest
in the same year
First glacier Alaska State Flag 1980
landing on 2008
Denali © Jack Bonney Signing of the Alaska
National Interest Lands Susan Butcher Day
BUSH PILOT, JOE CROSSON 1959 Conservation Act, Designated the first
protecting Alaska’s Saturday in March to
1942 Alaska admitted as natural resources for celebrate the iconic
the 49th State public interest and musher who won four
Alaska Highway, the first Alaska Native subsistence Iditarods and summited
overland connection to the Denali with Joe Redington
rest of the United States, 1999 and his dog team
was constructed
Whittier Tunnel opened to 2018
Aleutian Islands of Attu vehicular traffic, becoming
and Kiska invaded by the longest rail/vehicle Alaskan skier Kikkan Randall
Japanese during shared tunnel in the won Olympic gold with the
World War II United States U.S. cross-country team

Seward Depot 2019

1964 60th Anniversary of
Alaska Statehood
Good Friday earthquake
(9.2 magnitude)

1968

Oil discovered in
Prudhoe Bay

16

NATIVE CULTURES

Portrait of Alaska Native woman performing traditional Yup’ik dance

The
Real
People

Alaska Natives have inhabited this land for thousands Inupiaq, Athabascan
of years. And if you want to really see the state during St. Lawrence
your visit, you should understand how Alaska Native Island Yupik Eyak, Haida,
people and traditions drive our culture today. Tsimshian, Tlingit
Yup’ik, Cup’ik
Look around you: towns, rivers and mountains are © Wayde Carroll Photography
named using traditional Alaska Native names. Alaska Unangax, Alutiiq (Sugpiaq)
Native arts — from Inupiaq sealskin masks to Tlingit
Chilkat robes — inspire public art and architecture.
And most Alaskans — wherever they’re from —
supplement their store-bought food with what
they hunt, fish or collect from the land.

Ready to learn more? Read on. Courtesy of Alaska Native Heritage Center

17

The Real Stories

Crystal Joe Williams Jacqui Lambert
Drizhuu Frank
Tlingit Inupiaq
Gwich’in Athabascan

“ My family, my ancestors, are from “ I’m Tlingit, when visiting Southeast “ In the Northwest Arctic region,
the Interior of Alaska. I grew up Alaska, you will have a chance to every visitor should experience
here my whole life. I’m Gwich’in. experience our culture as it will some time on the rivers. Our hub
The land is the foundation of our be all around you. While here, you town is Kotzebue, which is a small
culture and language. It is a part will experience how deeply we are gravel spit on the coast. Kotzebue
of our identity. Without it, we will connected to our land (ha aani). is below two major waterways, the
not have our culture and language. Noatak and the Kobuk rivers. These
They are connected. The land holds Part of our culture is harvesting from places are very different from the
our history and survival. It is the our surroundings with great respect flat landscape visitors will see in
strength of our resilience. and gratitude. This is celebrated Kotzebue. To get to Kotzebue, you’ll
in our home; from deer, mountain need to charter a small plane or buy
Visitors to the Interior should goat, brown bear, porcupine, berries a ticket on a local airline.
experience the northern lights. and all that abounds us during the
They will dance for you in the coldest summer months. We hand make Our Inupiaq language comes from
months if you sing to them. The some of our garments, and our the land. It’s a descriptive language
beauty is so vast, it will touch your homes were built from red cedar and is mostly focused on what the
soul. Go to a Gwich’in fiddle dance trees that grow in our rainforest. weather is like, when and where
and dance until the early morning, animals come from, the stories
and experience culture, laughter, When invited to a potlatch, do not about survival out on the land, etc.
fun and traditional foods.” miss it; as it is the celebration of We also perform traditional songs
our way of life. Clan stories, singing, and dances. These all tell stories
dancing, gifts to all, this celebration about the land, animals and people.”
highlights our ties to this great land.”

18

Arts &
Culture

The characteristics and knowledge of a particular group of people,
encompassing language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts.

In a state as diverse as Alaska, work with qiviut and other fibers
it’s not surprising we’re a creative to make amazing wearable art and
bunch of people, drawing inspiration celebrate the written word at
from nature, light and Alaska Native writers’ conferences and theatrical
cultures to paint, compose, craft performances. If you’re interested
and design amazing art. Our in music, theater, the arts or dance,
museums, while sometimes quirky, you’ll want to dive deeply into our
offer rich collections of ancient and vibrant and energetic arts scene
modern art, Alaska history and – and perhaps inspire your own
cultural traditions. We dance at creativity.
festivals and concerts year-round,

19

World Ice Art Cham pionships | Fairbanks Festivals & Events

State of Alaska/Chris McLennan© There’s something going on every month.
So, put on your party hat and bring your
Ham mer Museum | Haines d | AnchorageIditaro dancing [snow]shoes.

© State of Alaska /Matt Hage Check out our calendar for a full list of events
TravelAlaska.com/calendar
Adams
© State of Alaska/Brian JANUARY
Anchorage Folk Festival
Museums & Alcan 200 Snowmachine Race | Haines
Cultural Attractions FEBRUARY - MARCH
Fur Rendezvous (Fur Rondy) | Anchorage
Telling the story of Alaska through history and art. Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race | Anchorage to Nome
World Ice Art Championships | Fairbanks
Anchorage Museum | Anchorage APRIL
Alaska State Museum | Juneau Alaska Folk Festival | Juneau
Alaska Native Heritage Center | Anchorage Slush Cup | Girdwood
Alutiiq Museum | Kodiak MAY
St. Michael’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral | Sitka Copper River Delta Shorebird Festival | Cordova
Totem Bight State Historical Park | Ketchikan Kodiak Crab Festival
Museum of the North | Fairbanks JUNE
Iñupiat Heritage Center | Utqiaġvik Celebration | Juneau
Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum | Nome Chickenstock Music Festival | Chicken
Colony Days | Palmer
Midnight Sun Festival | Fairbanks
Nalukataq (Whaling Festival) | Utqiaġvik
JULY
Girdwood Forest Fair
Seward’s Mount Marathon Race
World Eskimo Indian Olympics | Fairbanks
AUGUST
Blueberry Arts Festival | Ketchikan
Seldovia Chainsaw Carving Competition
State Fairs (various locations around the state)
SEPTEMBER
Rainforest Festival | Petersburg
OCTOBER
Alaska Day Festival | Sitka
Valdez Oktoberfest & Home Brew Competition
NOVEMBER
Alaska Bald Eagle Festival | Haines
DECEMBER
North Pole Winter Festival

20

ALASKA’S WILDLIFE

BROWN BEAR

Alaska is a magical place for wildlife seekers, home to some of the most magnificent
creatures on Earth. On these pages, we’ve ranked the top five dream animals that
visitors tell us they’d like to see, whether on land, in the sea or in the sky.
If you spot one, share the photo and tag us with #TravelAlaska on Instagram.

21

DALL SHEEP BROWN BEAR
MOOSE
Population: 32,000
Loves: salmon, berries • Found: all regions

MOOSE

Population: 175,000-200,000
Loves: willow, birch • Found: all regions

WOLF

Population: 7,000–11,000
Loves: moose, caribou • Found: all regions

DALL SHEEP

Population: 70,000
Loves: lichen • Found: mountains

CARIBOU

Population: 750,000 • Loves: willows
Found: all regions, except Inside Passage

22

ALASKA’S WILDLIFE And don’t forget to look down

23 HUMPBACK WHALE

ORCA

Population: ~1,000 • Loves: halibut, seals
Found: Inside Passage, Southcentral, Southwest

STELLER SEA LION

Population: ~50,000 • Loves: fish
Found: Inside Passage, Southcentral, Southwest

SEA OTTER

Population: 26,000 • Loves: sea urchins
Found: Inside Passage, Southcentral, Southwest

GRAY WHALE

Population: ~20,000 • Loves: amphipods
Found: all regions, except Interior

HUMPBACK WHALE

Population: ~20,000 • Loves: krill, small fish
Found: Inside Passage, Southcentral, Southwest

ALASKA’S SMALL FIVE PORCUPINE GROUND SQUIRREL PIKA ERMINE SNOWSHOE HARE

BALD EAGLE

Time to see: all seasons
Nests: tall trees • Found: all regions

WILLOW PTARMIGAN

Time to see: all seasons
Nests: ground • Found: all regions

SANDHILL CRANE

Time to see: spring, summer, fall
Nests: wetlands • Found: all regions

RAVEN

Time to see: all seasons
Nests: almost anywhere • Found: all regions

HORNED PUFFIN HORNED PUFFIN

Learn more at TravelAlaska.com/Wildlife Time to see: spring, summer, fall • Nests: sea cliffs
Found: Inside Passage, Southcentral, Southwest

24

R ADFOUR AWE-INSPIRING ALASKA

TRIPS

25

HATCHER PASS

In Alaska, roads are more than routes from point A to point B. They’re
opportunities for adventure, chances to drive through jaw-dropping
scenery, and perhaps view wildlife alongside the road.
If your driving ambition is an Alaska road trip, we’ve sketched out four
accessible, but still unforgettable options. Or, if you prefer, leave the
driving to us: many tour operators offer trips that cover these and
other highlights.
For more information on finding your scenic road trip,
go to TravelAlaska.com/ScenicViews.

AT A
GLANCE

31,000

miles of road

14%

communities
accessible by road

174,000

chances to see a moose

SCENICcountless
VIEWS

26

Hitting © State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung © State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung
the Road,
AK Style Seward & Glenn &
George Parks Richardson
Get ready for miles and miles Highways Highways
of gorgeous scenery, wildlife-
spotting and unforgettable SEWARD TO FAIRBANKS ANCHORAGE TO VALDEZ
stops along the way.
489 MILES 400 MILES
To add Alaska sounds to your
Alaska sights, create a playlist OCEAN, GLACIERS, TUNDRA, TUNDRA, MOUNTAINS,
of local artists: MOUNTAINS, WILDLIFE WILDLIFE, GLACIERS

PAMYUA EXIT GLACIER WRANGELL–ST. ELIAS
NATIONAL PARK
A group who’s created a genre all Easy access to an
its own, “Inuit Soul Music” incredible experience in 13.2 million acres of
Kenai Fjords National Park breathtaking mountains
PORTUGAL. THE MAN and glaciers
TURNAGAIN ARM
The Grammy Award-winning WATERFALLS IN VALDEZ
band from Wasilla Pack a picnic for lunch
with a view at the Pull off in Keystone
BLACKWATER RAILROAD COMPANY Turnagain Arm pullouts — Canyon for photo
the prime spot to watch opportunities of
This folk-rock group, formed in the bore tide glorious cascades
Seward, never fails to get the
crowd dancing DENALI NATIONAL PARK MATANUSKA GLACIER

HANNAH YOTER BAND Of course The largest glacier you
can access by road
A band with a refined sound Stop by the Walter Harper
that sits right in the middle of Talkeetna Ranger Station - Head north from
Americana roots and classic A check-in spot for Denali Glennallen to Fairbanks,
country climbers and a treasure stop in at Rika’s Roadhouse
trove of the mountain’s for 100+ years of Alaska
Icon Key history history and fan-favorite
rhubarb pie
MILEAGE
LANDSCAPES
DON’T MISS
TIPS

27

© State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung © State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung ROADRULES OF THE

Elliott Alaska Marine Don’t let the scenery
& Dalton Highway and wildlife distract
Highways System you from driving safely.

FAIRBANKS TO PRUDHOE BAY BELLINGHAM, WA TO ALASKA’S BE AWARE
499 MILES COASTAL COMMUNITIES
especially for wildlife
3,500 MILES on roadways

TUNDRA, MOUNTAINS, WILDLIFE, RAINFOREST, LOOK BEHIND YOU
WILDLIFE MOUNTAINS, GLACIERS
on two-lane roads you
TRANS ALASKA ANAN WILDLIFE must pull over if you
PIPELINE SYSTEM OBSERVATORY have five or more vehicles
behind you
800-mile pipeline can be Provides world-class
viewed at multiple points brown and black bear PULL OVER
along the Dalton Highway viewing in Wrangell
it’s OK to stop for photos,
ARCTIC CIRCLE WAYSIDE CHILKAT LAKE, HAINES just pull off to the side
of the road first
Pull off here to take it Stop for an idyllic kayak
in — you’re entering the trip amid rain-forested WATCH FOR ICE
Arctic Circle cliffs and rushing
waterfalls drive for road conditions,
ATIGUN PASS not speed, in winter months
GUSTAVUS
The continental divide — 28
and stunning Brooks Gateway to Glacier Bay
Range view National Park & Preserve,
part of a 25-million-acre
Leave extra time for the world heritage site
gravel Haul Road portion
and bring supplies — there’s Bring your car on the
limited gas and cell service ferry — reservations
highly recommended

PUBLIC LANDS

PARKFIND YOUR FAVORITE

When you close your eyes to dream of Alaska, you’re probably picturing a park.
After all, half of the parklands in the entire country are here, adding up to a
whopping 333 million acres of strikingly diverse places.
For visitors, this can pose a challenge. Which parks should you see? When your
choices range from wetlands to mountain peaks, tundra to windswept islands,
glaciers to roaring rivers, it can be hard to narrow the list.
So, we turned to the experts — real Alaskans — to help you get started. Use their
favorite parks as a jumping-off point for planning. Then dive into the details at
TravelAlaska.com/Parks to create your own Alaska parks bucket list.

29

Favorite Park For:

THE GREAT ONE

Denali National Park, Interior

“Denali National Park is over 6 million
acres of Alaska backyard adventure. It is
rough, rugged and wild land while also
gentle, soft and full of untouched pristine
beauty. It is special because it captures
the hearts of everyone who visits, as well
as my own on a daily basis.”
- Tennelle Peterson Wise, lived in AK since: 2004

30

GLEN ALPS

Favorite Park For:

WILD LANDSCAPES
IN EASY REACH

Chugach State Park, Southcentral
Gateway City: Anchorage

“Falls Creek Trail is a trail along
Turnagain Arm that lets you leave the
highway noise behind - within a half mile
you can’t hear the road anymore. It’s an
uphill hike, but within a couple of miles
it gives you access to the alpine zone,
beautiful tarns, rolling meadows and

more challenging peaks and ridges.”
- Haley Johnston, lived in AK since: 2010

Favorite Park For:

FINDING
HIDDEN GEMS

Misty Fjords National Monument,
Inside Passage
Gateway City: Ketchikan

“Misty Fjords has always been the place
I think of when I want to escape the
everyday noise of life. The grandeur of
its glacially carved fjords and waterways,
peppered here and there with whales
or bears traversing by never fails to

rejuvenate me - mind, body and soul.”
- Patti Mackey, lifelong Alaskan

© Visit Anchorage/Teri Hendricks

ANAKTUVUK PASS

Favorite Park For:

EXPERIENCING
THE FAR NORTH

Gates of the Arctic National Park
& Preserve, Arctic

“Canoeing or hiking in the Brooks Range
makes you realize you are a small part
of nature. Flying over the Gates of the
Arctic and looking down at this

beautiful area fills me with awe.”
- Irene Meyer, lived in AK since: 1996

31 © State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung

DOWNTOWN SKAGWAY © State of Alaska/Reinhard Pantke Favorite Park For:

Favorite Park For: GHOSTS OF THE
GOLD RUSH
DIVERSE
LANDSCAPES Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park,
Inside Passage
Lake Clark National Park, Southwest Gateway City: Skagway

“Nowhere in Alaska can you find such a “When I look at the hundreds of
diverse cultural makeup and indigenous artifacts left behind by gold seekers
history, the largest salmon runs on left on the trail, I think of the thousands
the planet, bountiful and healthy of men and women who carried supplies
wildlife populations, all bound within a up the trail multiple times, hoping to
otherworldly and intact landscape full of strike it rich in the Yukon. It’s a place
volcanoes, glaciers, rivers, lakes, and of dreams and hopes.”
spectacular peaks and valleys.” - Cody Jennings, lived in AK since: 1991
- Dan Oberlatz, lived in AK since: 1994
LAKE CLARK
Favorite Park For:
32
FINDING
YOUR TRAIL

Kachemak Bay State Park, Southcentral
Gateway City: Homer

“In Kachemak Bay State Park there
are beautiful forests, streams, rivers,
glaciers and lakes, as well as flowers
and berries. It’s bordered by the ocean,
so there is tidepooling during low tides.
There are enough trails that you can find
one geared to your physical abilities,
from easy to difficult.”
- Paula Riley, lived in AK since: 2008

JUNEAU

FIND YOUR
ADVENTURE

© State of Alaska/Mark Kelley

CHECK OUT THE CHART TO DISCOVER WHICH KETCHIKAN
ACTIVITIES ARE RIGHT FOR YOU

KODIAK © State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung
PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND
© State of Alaska/Blane Harrington III

© State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung FAIRBANKS

© State of Alaska/Matt Hage

SEASONS guide to activities

REGIONS

Here’s a chart to give you FSSAPULRMILNMEGR
a glimpse of some of the WINTER
activities Alaska has to offer. DIFFICULTY
IISSANNOORTSIUUCETTTDRIIEHHCOCPWEREANSSTTSRAAGLE

Hiking I-III
Flightseeing I
I
Jet Boat I-III
XC Skiing II
Ziplining II
Kayaking I-II
Canoeing
I-III
Rafting II
Glacier Trekking
I-II
Dog Mushing I-II
Jeep Tours II
ATVs I-III
I-III
Snowmachining II-III
Biking II
I-II
Heli-Skiing
Rock Climbing EASY I MODERATE II HARD III
Paddleboarding
many activities range in difficulty levels | i.e. hiking I-III

What would you like to do today? America’s tallest mountain, a ziplining tour
Something out of the ordinary? Something above the coastal rainforest, dog mushing
you’ve always dreamed about? Alaska has across a vast ice field or rafting down a scenic
hundreds of opportunities for outdoor river. Be as active as you’d like. Whatever your
adventure, taking you from ordinary to ability or interest, whatever the season, we
extraordinary. Try a flightseeing trip to North have something waiting for you.

34

ACTIVITIES guide to fishing

KODIAK

© State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung TOP FIVE SPORT FISH

FISHING FISH ON! That’s what we want to hear.
Whatever the season, we’ll get you
Whether you have a few hours to get your line wet near hooked on fishing in Alaska.
town, or you’re planning a bucket list trip to a remote
fishing lodge, you’ll soon discover that angling in Alaska Salmon
is second to none.
Seasons:
And there are so many fishing options: fly-fish for King | May - July
rainbow trout in a clear mountain stream, charter a Sockeye | June - August
half- or whole-day saltwater salmon/halibut combo, Coho | July - September
or take a drift boat down a glacier-fed river for salmon. Humpy | July - August
Alaska is a fishing paradise. Chum | July - August
Best Way: DIY, Charters
When to fish? It depends on the species, but summer is
typically the best time for river and ocean-going charters. Halibut
Salmon return late spring and summer. Fly-fishing for
trout is best in spring or early winter, northern pike put Season:
up a fight in spring and fall, and ice fishing (what we like May - September
to call “hard water fishing”) for burbot and Arctic grayling Best Way: Charters
can’t be beat in the winter.
Rockfish
BE PREPARED
Season:
You will need an Alaska sport fishing license. Ask your All Seasons
charter operator or purchase directly from the Alaska 1 per person daily
Department of Fish and Game. Best Way:
Ocean Charters
Be sure to have your license on you while you’re fishing.
adfg.alaska.gov Rainbow Trout

35 Season:
June - September
Best Way:
DIY, guide services

Dolly Varden

Season:
April - Late May
Best Way:
DIY, guide services

HARBOR MOUNTAIN TRAIL, SITKA guide to hiking

TRAIL SAMPLER

Alaska is all about the outdoors! No matter
what your ability, we have a trail for you.

© State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung Portage Pass Trail

© State of Alaska/Mark Kelley Southcentral
Difficulty: Easy
HIKING & CAMPING What you’ll see:
Stunning views of Portage
You can walk under old growth trees, scan the horizon Glacier and Whittier
Gateway City: Anchorage
from mountain peaks, stand atop a glacier, or feel the
Anan Creek Trail
soft, spongy tundra under your feet.
Inside Passage
You’ll find a full range of trails, from ADA*-accessible © State of Alaska/Mark Kelley
walkways and gravel pathways to wilderness hiking with © State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung Difficulty: Easy
no trail at all. Seeing Alaska on foot also increases your © State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung What you’ll see:
chance of seeing birds and wildlife! Beautiful views of cascading
waterfalls and wildlife
If you want to get a little further off the beaten path, Gateway City: Wrangell
consider a multi-day backpacking or camping trip into
Alaska’s backcountry. You can leave the heavy gear at Angel Rocks Trail
home and rent it here, or let a local outfitter guide you
on a small, fully supported trip. The trails are beautiful Interior
in winter, too. Head out on snowshoes, cross-country Difficulty: Moderate
skis, or snowmachines to a cabin. Alaska has more than What you’ll see:
60 public use cabins available, but you’ll need to reserve Dozens of granite outcrops
them in advance. and spectacular views of
the valley
BE PREPARED Gateway City: Fairbanks

Be sure to bring water, sunscreen, bug repellent, and Anton Larsen
an extra layer of clothing, even on a short hike. Alaska’s Pass Loop
weather can turn quickly, and you don’t want to be
caught unprepared. Southwest
Difficulty: Moderate
Reserve a state park cabin for overnight stays at: What you’ll see:
dnr.alaska.gov/parks/cabins Scenic ridges and lush
meadows
*Americans with Disabilities Act Gateway City: Kodiak

36

ACTIVITIES guide to flightseeing

DENALI

THE PLACES YOU’LL GO

Anytime of year, flightseeing brings you
up close and personal to places that are

otherwise out of reach.

Glacier Adventures

Landing Gear:
Skis

Land atop a glacier
to explore an icy
wonderland on foot —
or by dogsled!

© State of Alaska/Talkeetna Air Taxi

© State of Alaska/Talkeetna Air Taxi Wildlife Viewing

TAKING FLIGHT Landing Gear:
Floats, Tundra Tires
Come fly with me and see Alaska from a pilot’s-eye view! © State of Alaska/Chris McLennan Fly to where the bears
One big reason to go flightseeing – and we do mean BIG – © State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung are for an unforgettable
is the sheer size of Alaska’s landscapes. You’ll really get a chance to see them in
sense of scale when you see our mountains, glaciers and their natural habitat.
ice fields from the air.
Off The Grid
Alaskans have been flying since 1913, when the first
biplane took off over Fairbanks. Aviation legends like Landing Gear:
Noel Wien, Ben Eielson and Joe Crosson were our first Floats, Tundra Tires
bush pilots, flying to and from rural communities to Experience true, last
deliver mail and cargo. Today, modern day bush pilots frontier wilderness by
land helicopters and fix-winged planes on glaciers, flying to where there
beaches and waterways, providing some of the most are no roads.
amazing flightseeing experiences imaginable.

37

PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND guide to water activities

GO WITH THE FLOW

Float to your favorite sites on
a water adventure.

© Visit Anchorage/David Kasser Day Cruises

© State of Alaska/Mark Kelley Adventure Level:
Mild
MAKE A SPLASH What you’ll see:
These fjord, river
From its glacier-topped mountains to its streams, lakes, © Mahay’s Jet Boat Adventures and ocean-bound vessels
rivers, ponds and oceans, Alaska is a water-filled world. In © State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung bring you near epic
fact, one of the best vantage points for seeing the state is © State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung views and animals.
from the water. Luckily, you don’t have to be an expert to
experience it — just take your pick. Jet Boats

Want to kick back and watch the world go by? You have so Adventure Level:
many options: take a guided day cruise to get up close and Mild
personal with glaciers, while on the lookout for wildlife; What you’ll see:
board a riverboat that takes you on a historical tour of life Relax while you speed
on the river; or a gentle river float for wilderness views you up the river watching
can’t get from the trail. for wildlife.

If you’d rather raise your heart rate, you have plenty of Kayaking
choices here too. Do it with thrills — like the speed of a
jet boat tour, or the challenge of whitewater rapids. Rent Adventure Level:
a canoe or kayak to paddle yourself through panoramic Mild to Wild
scenery on a lake, river or in the ocean. What you’ll see:
Paddlers are spoiled
Whichever way you choose to experience them, Alaska’s for choice here. You can
waters are an amazing place to create hold-onto-them- choose ocean, fjords,
forever memories. lakes or rivers.

Whitewater Rafting

Adventure Level:
Wild
What you’ll see:
Out-of-the-world
adventures abound at a
pace for every rafting
skill level.

38

ACTIVITIES guide to shopping

SHOPPING TAKE IT
WITH YOU
FASHION CAPITAL OF THE NORTH
Food
Have you checked out what
Alaskans are wearing? We tend to Fish
keep it pretty casual, but we do it Have your catch filleted and
with style. Locals typically choose frozen for travel – then carry
items that’ll look great through it on your flight.
any adventure, whether that
means flashy rubber boots, Birch or Spruce Tip Syrup
the perfect flannel shirt or a Harvested from trees just like
down-filled skirt that’s cute maple syrup, though not as
and waterproof. sweet. Use them for cooking.

If you need something specific to Fireweed Honey
wear for your Alaska adventures, Steeped with fresh fireweed
don’t worry — many retailers blooms, this honey has rich
rent gear. flavor and smooth texture.

© Visit Anchorage/Ashley Heimbigner HOMETOWN FAVORITES Accessories

We also love to shop local, Gorgeous jewelry options
and we hope you will too: include silver jewelry with
look for locally designed Tlingit and Haida carvings,
t-shirts, salmon-skin wallets, and Athabascan porcupine
and qiviut hats made with musk quill jewelry.
ox wool (it’s one of the softest,
warmest fibers available). Art

These labels help you know Alaska inspires artists, as
exactly where your purchase you’ll see in galleries around
comes from. the state. Alaska Native art,
such as masks, woven
Means an item was made baskets, handcarved baleen
by an Alaska resident or and (walrus or mastodon)
company ivory, and Yupik dolls,
make souvenirs with a
Shows you’re buying an story — the very best kind.
authentic Alaska Native
Handicraft Note: Harvesting ivory is legal
for Alaska Natives, who use the
Qiviut entire animal as part of their
subsistence lifestyle. Look for
39 the Silver Hand symbol.

FOOD & DRINK guide to food & drink

ON THE MENU TASTE OF THE
STATE
Want an Alaska meal to
remember? Look for dishes There’s no better way to get to
with locally caught seafood. know a place than by sampling
Some of our favorite options are its foods and beverages.
alder-grilled salmon, cod tacos,
halibut chowder and Alaska AGRICULTURE TOURS
king crab legs (learn more at
wildalaskaseafood.com). A chance to see a local farm and
to follow your food from the field
You can pair your choice with to the table.
Alaska grown side dishes, like
potato gnocchi and steamed BREWERY, WINERY &
veggies. Then go for a sweet DISTILLERY TOURS
finish with an Alaska-flavored
ice cream, like moose tracks, See how your favorite drinks are
wild Alaska blueberry or birch- made, sample a few local drinks
walnut. It’s a locavore feast! and pick up a few souvenirs to
remember your trip.
© State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung
CULINARY CRUISES
AND TO DRINK
Hop aboard and learn where your
Raise a glass to Alaska’s booming seafood comes from and savor
local beverage scene! We have your favorite dishes on the water.
world-class craft breweries, and
local gin and vodka distilleries FARMERS MARKETS
using distinctive local ingredients
like Delta barley and spruce tips Meet the people who grow our
to create one-of-a-kind flavors. fresh and fabulous produce.
Alaskans even make mead from
fireweed honey, and wine with Then look for the Alaska
local blueberries or elderberries. Grown logo in stores &
restaurants!
Or toast your trip with the
ultimate Alaska cocktail: FOOD TOURS &
a Bloody Mary featuring COOKING CLASSES
Alaska smoked salmon vodka
(seriously!) — the smoky flavor Get a behind-the-scenes view of
gives the tomato juice an extra a gourmet spot and learn a few
depth and amazing zing. skills you can take home with you.

SALMON BAKES

Experience a festive all-you-can-
eat dinner featuring wild Alaska
salmon, cod, chicken and beef
cooked in wood-fired grills.

40

er Bettles
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U.S.A. ALASKA N.W. TERRITO
CANADA YUKON
Nulato Stevens
Village
S OU T H C E N T R A Lakleet
Beaver Fort Yukon

Rampart

TravelAlaska.com/SouRtuhbcyentral Tanana Central Circle
Chena Hot Springs
Galena Manley 3
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Denali TEMPERATURES & DAYLIGHT

Dawson City

Paxson Tok SEASON H L

Trapper Creek Talkeetna Spring 43° 30° 14 hrs

Willow Summer 63° 50° 17 hrs
Lake Louise Fiavellr 41° 28° 11 hrs
Houston Gakona Jct.
Big Lake Wasilla Sutton
Glennallen Winter 23° 11° 7 hrs
ANCHORAGE Copper Center
Palmer
Kenai Soldotna Kenny Lake Carmacks
Girdwood Valdez
Chitina Kennicott Ross Rive
Whittier
PARKS
Cooper Tatitlek McCarthy
Landing Prince
Ninilchik Chenaga William Chugach National Forest
Sound
Homer Anchor Pt. Seward Cordova WrangeWllr-Satn.gEellila-Sst. Elias Destruction Bay
Nat’l PaNrakt’&l PParrekse&rvPereserve
mon Chugach State Park

Seldovia Kenai Fjords Denali State Park WHITEHORSE

at’l Nat’l Park KachemakHaBinaeys SJctta.te Park
erve
GULF OF ALASKA
Kenai Fjords National Park
GULF OF ALASKA
Port Lions YakuKtaetnai National Wildlife RCearfucrgoess BRITIS
Ouzinkie Wrangell-St. Elias National COLUM
k Nat’l
e Refuge Kodiak Park & PreHsaeirnvees Skagway
LAY OF THE LAND
Glacier Bay Nat’l Auke

Old HSaorbuotrhcentral Alaska is a vast, mostly wild place. Its modern road 4 ParHk I&STPrOesReIrCvGeAuLstaSvuITs EBSay JUNEAU
KODIAK system and rail lines, however, make it a favorite with visitors and
ISLAND Alaskans alike: in fact, more than half the state’s population lives here. Anchorage Museum Tracy Arm Fjord

PACIFIC OCEANThe region is sometimes called “Alaska in miniature,” because its AlEalsfiknaCPNoelviaectainve HeritHaogoneahC/eIcnytSetrrait Point
AlaskTeanAakveieatSiporninMgsuseum

landscapes are so diverse. There are sandy beaches and deep blue Crow Creek Mine Angoon

fjords, icy-white glaciers and crystal-clear rivers, expanses of farmland Eklutna HSisittokraical Park

(and some of the worlCdh’sebcikggoeustt tvheegsgeiesro!)a, vdatsrtipwsetolannpdas,gaenXdXno fewer Holy Transfiguration RusKsaikaen

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Hollis
leisurely ride past all t4hatAbleaasuktyaoMn aargilnaessF-edorrmyeHd itgrahiwn.aWyhile you’re
SCENIC BYWAYS Ketchikan
here, you’ll likely see folks stopped beside the road, watching bears, Alaska Railroad
moose, caribou, the occasional wolf — and sometimes even surfers Metlakatla
riding Cook Inlet’s bore tide.
Copper River Highway Prince Rupert
Glenn Highway

Kachemak Bay Route

Seward Highway

Sterling Highway

41

F I V EORIES SIGHTSEEING
UNFORGETTABLE PLACES SOUTHCENTRAL

with real travelers’ photos

@acartin

ANCHORAGE

One of the world’s most northern cities, Anchorage
blends urban fun and natural wonders with unique
Alaska style. You’ll find great shops, restaurants and
museums here. You’ll also discover dozens of parks,
100+ miles of bike paths and even salmon fishing —
all within city limits.

© Visit Anchorage/Frank Flavin

er SEWARD GIRDWOOD

SH Framed by jagged mountains and Resurrection Bay, @bec_perdrix
MBIA Seward is the gateway to Kenai Fjords National
Park. It’s a picture-perfect spot for exploring: VALDEZ @jenniferaungelique
der/ take a day cruise or kayak trip, hike to the
ewart Harding Icefield, or stay in town for the Alaska @brad_1976 PALMER
SeaLife Center and seafood.
sty Fjords
Monument © State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung

HOMER

Eclectic Homer is famous for halibut fishing and
the Spit — a strip of land jutting into Kachemak Bay
and bustling with galleries, shops and restaurants.
Adventure options abound, or take a water taxi to
waterfront communities like Halibut Cove and
Seldovia to watch the world go by.

© State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung

PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND WRANGELL—ST. ELIAS NATIONAL PARK

The protected 10,000 square miles of the Prince
William Sound area are easily accessed from
Whittier, Valdez and Cordova. Water cruises of the
Sound are famous for their coastal Alaska views,
including tidewater glaciers and fjords flowing into
the ocean, and for first-rate animal sightings.

© State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung

TALKEETNA

Experience artsy charm in Talkeetna. This

pretty town is a launch point for sightseers and

mountain climbers heading to the Great One

(aka Denali). But it wins travelers’ hearts with

its turn-of-the-century Alaska style — log cabins, @victoriavox

western storefronts and only one paved

street around. SELDOVIA

© State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung

Point Hope

Prudhoe Bay

Deadhorse BEAUFORT SEA

I N T E R I O RShishmaref Umiat Kaktovik

Noatak Arctic Nat’l
Wildlife Refuge
Diomede Gates of The Arctic 3
ales Nat’l Park & Preserve Arctic Village

Teller TravelAlasKkao.tczoemb/uIneterior
Pilgrim Noorvik
Springs Anaktuvuk Pass

Nome Taylor Selawik

nak KNOWN FOR: Northern lights, Gold RWuissemhanlore, the mighty Yukon River
t. Mary’s
Coldfoot
thel
Council

White Mountain

Nulato Stevens Beaver Fort Yukon U.S.A. ALASKA N.W. TERRITORIES
Village CANADA
Average temperatures in F°
Yukon River Ruby Rampart
Tanana TEMPERATURES & DAYLIGHT

Galena Manley Central Circle
Hot Springs Chena Hot Springs
Fox SEASON H L

FAIRBANKS Yukon-Charley Rivers 19°
Nat’l Preserve 49°
Denali Nat’l North Pole SpringYUKO4N2° 17°
Nenana T -16°
15 hrs
Park & Preserve Salcha aRan Eagle 19 hrs
Kantishna an 10 hrs
Summer 70° 6 hrs
McGrath Healy Delta Jicvte. r Chicken Boundary Fall 33°

Denali Cantwell Winter 3°

Paxson Tok

Trapper Creek Talkeetna

agak Willow Lake Louise Northway
Houston Nabesna

Togiak Nat’l

Wildlife Refuge ANCHORAGE Palmer PARKSCarmacks
Ross River
Port Alsworth Girdwood Valdez 2
DillinghLamAY OF THIliaEmnLa AND Kenai Soldotna Chitna Big Delta State Historical Park
Whittier Kennicott

NAalkaneskka’s InteriorH,NotirnmialcedhrikitiAoncnhaoCLrloaPnohtdp. ieonrSgme1weCahorednfaAgathWPSaroilibulninacadmescaTantiCtlpoekredoovaple, McCarthy DestruCctihoneBnaya River State Recreational Area
dKainzgzSlailmnogn extremes. Seldovia Denali NatiWonHaIlTPEHaOrkR&SEPreserve
Kenai Fjords isWarapnlgaelcl-eSt.oEflias
Haines Jct.
Nat’l Park & Preserve

Katmai Nat’l Nat’l Park Kluane

hak Nat’l ParIkt’&s Phreosmervee to some of the highest mountains and longest rivers, in NoNrtaht’l Park Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge
t & Preserve
America. There’s tundra, massive herds of caribou and endless forest. InYakutat Carcross
Port
Lions Koyukuk National Wildlife Refuge
iKsoOmduziiaenkkaiesured in single-digit hours and temperatures drop
wiKnotdeiark, dNaaty’llight During summeGr,UthLeF sOuFn nAeLvAerSsKeAems to set and locals Glacier Bay YuHakinoens -CShkaagwralyey BRITISH Preserve
toWcildhliifleliRnegfugleows. Nat’l
RiveCrOs LNUaMtioBnIAal

4 Auke
use the phraOlsdeHa“rbiotr’s a dry heat” unironically. 4 Park & Preserve Bay
KODIAK
Gustavus JUNEAU

ISLAND Elfin CoveHISTORICATrLacySAIrTm EFjoSrd
Pelican Hoonah/Icy Strait Point
DTaisntaannaceRsivheerrteoaDreelmtaaJsusnivcPeti.oATnh,CeofsfIceeFrninIicgCRgliicmOhaprCsdessEoonAfHthiNgeh8w0a0y-mfoillleo-wlosntghe TenakeEeaSpgrilnegsHistoric District National

Trans Alaska Pipeline System, and the 1,387-mile-long Alaska Highway Historic ALnagonondmark
Sitka
that was constructed in an astoCnheischk ionugt t6hemseornotahdstrdipusroinngpaWgeoXrXld War II.
George C. TKhakoe mas Memorial Library

Highway Petersburg
Gold Dredge 8
PipelinTehe riches earned here during t1heSeGwoalrddR&uGsehoragreePsatrikllslHeiggehnwdaaysry. Wrangell

2 Glenn & Richardson Highways PRRINiCkEaO’sF RWoAaLEdShISoLuAsNeD Hyder/
Stewart
make a place of glorious beauty
FerrSyomehow, it all combines to & Dalton Highways with a SS Nenana NHaotlliios nal HNisaMtto’ilsrMtyiocFnjouLrmadesnndt mark
Railroafdreewheeling 3 Elliott
sense of fun. warm hot springs dot the Ketchikan
Luxuriously
Limited Acceslas ndscape. 4 bAeltateskrafoMrarsieneeiFnegrrtyhHeignhowrathy ern
Nowhere on earth lights.
is Metlakatla

At Nenana, fortunes are won by those who can guess the precise moment SCENIC BYWAPrYincSe Rupert
the river will thaw each spring. And Christmas? That’s a 365-day-a-year Richardson Highway
holiday in North Pole. Steese Highway

The Great One, Denali, presides over it all from a continent-topping 20,310 Taylor & Top of the World Highways
feet. No visit is complete without a stop at the park, where you can enter
12 months a year. Take a guided tour 90-miles into the wilderness on the
park’s only road for perspective-shifting views of Far North landscapes
and wildlife.

43

FIVE SIGHTSEEING
THE INTERIOR
UNFORGETTABLE PLACES
with real travelers’ photos

@wanderingalaskan

FAIRBANKS PAXSON @c.a.photo.co

Home to 100,000 Alaskans, the de facto capital of the @sixonenorth DENALI NAT’L PARK
Far North thrives with restaurants, museums and
shops. Discover Gold Rush history (and pan for gold), TOK
explore the Museum of the North, and learn about
Athabascan culture at the Morris Thompson Cultural @majumdarsrija
and Visitors Center.
FAIRBANKS
© State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung

HOT SPRINGS

At Chena Hot Springs, fight winter’s cold with
a soak in a rock-lined pool warmed by natural
hot springs, then chill out with a cocktail at the
Aurora Ice Museum. Or drive the Elliott Highway
to Manley Hot Springs, and soak amid the grapes
in a greenhouse.

© State of Alaska/Matt Hage

DENALI NATIONAL PARK

Visitors come here for mountains, so high that their
peaks are often lost in the clouds. But there’s so
much more than summits to experience here: see
boreal forest and arctic tundra, rich glacial valleys
and a world of animals large and small.

© State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung

YUKON RIVER

The 2,000+ mile-long Yukon River is the third
longest river in North America, and it’s always been
a highway. Miners used it to seek their fortunes
during the Gold Rush and the continent’s first
people likely traveled along it. Today, it’s still the
route traveled by salmon, who support wild
and human life.

© State of Alaska/Chris McLennan

NORTH POLE @kaitlyn_elizaabeth

Ever wanted to see where your letters to Santa CHENA RIVER STATE RECREATIONAL AREA
go, or stroll down a real Santa Claus Lane?
North Pole is Christmas every day of the year.
Come meet the big guy, or do a little holiday
shopping.

© State of Alaska/Brian Adams

ARCTIC

TravelAlaska.com/Arctic

KNOWN FOR: Polar bears, whaling, tundra, mountains, the Arctic Circle, permafrost

CHUKCHI SEA Utqiaġvik (Barrow) TAvEerMagPe tEAemRARpAeCRrTaCTUturIRTeCsEIiCnSOF&°OCCEDAAEYANLNIGHT
CHUKCHI SEA
Wainwright

Point HPooinpteHope BEBAEUAFUOFROTRSTESAEA

ArcAticrcCtiicrcCleircle Prudhoe Bay SEASON H L
Kaktovik
Deadhorse Spring 6° -5° 17 hrs
Umiat ArcAtricctiNc Natat’l’l Summer 41° 32° 23 hrs
WildWliilfdelifRe eRfeufuggee 18° 10° 9 hrs
Little Diomede Noatak Gates of the Arctic Fall -8° -19° 4 hrs
Wales Shishmaref Arctic Village Winter
KotzebueNat’NlGaPat’talerPskaorfk&T&hPePrrAeerssceetrirvcvee
Kotzebue
Noorvik
Anaktuvuk Pass
Teller Taylor U.S.A. ALASKA
Gambell Selawik CANADA

Savoonga Pilgrim er er Wiseman Coldfoot
Hot Springs
KoyuKkouyukk u kHuslia Bettles
Council Hughes

NoNmomee White Mountain
K uskokwim
ST. LAWRENCE R iv N.WN..WTE.RTREIRTROITROIERSIES
R iv
ISLAND Fort Yukon U.S.A. ALASKA
CANADA
TETWHEW Emmonak Unalakleet Galena Rampart PARKS
D St. Michael Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Tanana
Chena Hot Springs
Manley
Hot Springs

FAIFRABIARNBAKNS KS

St. Mary’s North Pole YUKYOUKNON

T Eagle Bering Land Bridge National Preserve
an

Delta Jct. ivCerhicken
Mekoryuk Holy Cross River Kantishna Healy Yukon R
McGrath Cantwell Yukon R
DenDaelinali
NUNNIVUANKIVAK aR Boundary CityCape Krusenstern National Monument
LAY OF THE LANDISLAISNLDAND 11 an Dawson

Bethel Aniak

Paxson Tok Gates of the Arctic National

When you picture the Arctic, do you imagineTrapper Creek vaTaslketetnsawaths of tundra and open Park & Preserve
Willow Northway
iver iver
Quinhagak LPPaaokrrektLPAaC&aklrlseaPkwIrlroCi&kaermltsNaPhenrraraketv’seNleartv’Ael NACKNHenCOaiHRBOSAiHgoolGRLduaoAsEkttenoGan E2WaGPs2WaiiWrllmladGPhasiwateiiStrlliromueldatrotweodnroLVoaakd2eldVLoea2uzlidsee2CzhGCit2olnKGepaeGpnankennloryeanCnLalealnJenkceatnte.KlrleeNnnanbiceostnta
Kobuk Valley National Park
TogiTaokgNiaakt’Nl at’l
WildWlifieldRliefefuRgeefuge Carmacks

Dillingham Noatak NatioRnosasRRolisvsePrRivreer serve
pAfillralcectdiecwtShietahan?ctuhYloatuut.’rrIaenl rfoaipgcpht,ot,trhotuef ncAiotruicertsisc,ewi.sBilodunltieftehoeafrnAedl’asdserkavaem’snammticoosrlaetndidnivsetchraisspeebrsee.aguiotinfusl,Goodnews Bay Beaver Creek

nd

Ninilchik Cooper 1 1 PrincPerinceTatitlek McCMacrCthayrthy
Landing Chenaga
WilliaWmilliam WraWngrealnl-gSet.ll-ESlita.sElias SelawikDestruction Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Anchor Pt. SounSdound Cordova Nat’Nl Paat’rlkP&arPkr&esPerrevseerve
In the North, huge coastal plains and frozen wetlands rise to the 9,000-footNaknek WHWITHEIHTOEHROSERSE
King Salmon
HomHeormer SewSaerwdard
Seldovia
KenaKieFnjaoirdFjsords
KatmKaitmNati ’Nl at’l
WillHaines Jct. Rogers and Wiley Post Monument
peaks of the Brooks Range. To the south, immense boreal forests dominate,AniaAknchiaakkchNaakt’Nl at’l ParkP&arPkr&esPerrevseerve
Nat’Nl Paat’rlkPark KluaKnleuane
Nat’Nl Paat’rlkPark

and rivers spring toMonMumoneunmt &enPtr&esPerrevseerve life in frantic abundance for the fleeting summer Carcross
Port Lions
Yakutat

season. In theChignik idlleu4emp4indWaKailodtrWdliiiKkfainelokdndRlgNiiefaeaefkutRs’gNsleeaeOfsutl’dgeleHomarfKbooiOwrnduziigiannkklietyeer,nmdlaGegsUGnsLUiFnfLiOicFgeFOhnAtFttLiAdAmLiSsAeKpSAslKakAyiesso.f northern Haines Skagway
lights appear,
GlacGielarcBieayr BNaayt’Nl at’l AukeAuke

HISTORICAL SITES4 4 ParkP&arPkr&esPerrevseerve Bay Bay
e Pass Cold Bay BRIBTRISITHISH
King Cove COCLUOMLUBMIABIA

Sand Point KODKIOAKDIAK Gustavus JUNJUEANUEAU
ISLAISNLDAND
Elfin Cove Birnirk NationalTracyTrAarcmy AFjromrdFjord Historic Landmark
The Arctic is remote — there are only twPoAPrCAoaCIdFsIIFC(tIhCeONOCoCEmAEe-ANTeNller and
Pelican Hoonah/Icy Strait Point
Dalton Highways), so most travel requires a plane. It’s also wild — home Tenakee CapeSprings Nome Mining District
Angoon

to massive whales, enormous herds of carCihbeCcohkueocukttorthuaet svtheeersoreasdroitnardipgtsriompnspoialnglpeiaoXgXne XsX of acres, SitkDSaitiksacovery Sites

as well as moosHeig,Hhrwigeahydwayfoxes, arctic foxes, m1 aSr1 etweSaenrwd,a&rmdG&eionGrkegoesrPgaearPnkasdrHkisbgHhewigaahyrwssay.s Kake
PipePliipneeline
IñupiaPetterHsbuerg ritage Center
Wrangell

2 G2 leGnnle&nnR&ichRaicrhdasordnsHonigHhwigahywsays PRINPCRIENOCFE WOAF LWEAS LISELSAISNLDAND Hyder/
Stewart
(form3 eE3rllliyoEtltlkio&nttDo&alwDtoannltHoanigsHhwigBahywasaryrsow)
In the Inupiat coRmaiFlRrmeaoriaFrlrduyeornardyity of Utqiaġvik and Hollis MistMy iFsjtoyrdFjsords
Nat’Nl Mato’lnMumoneunmt ent

the surrounLdimiLnitimegditAevcdiclAelcsacsegses s on the coastal pla4inA4,lapsAeklaaosMkpaalrMeinaerciFnoeernFryetriHrniyguHhwiegahyawalyargely SCENIC BYWAYSKetKcheitkcahnikan
elorw4e8rc4o8mcpoamripsoanrison subsistence way of life, hunting and gathering traditional foods from the Metlakatla

land and sea. Dalton HighwayPrince Rupert

45

FIVE SIGHTSEEING
THE ARCTIC
UNFORGETTABLE PLACES
with real travelers’ photos

@amyjacqjohnson

NOME

Nome, on the Norton Sound, is famous for gold
mining, dog mushing (it’s the end of the Iditarod
Trail Sled Dog Race) and is the headquarters for
the Bering Land Bridge National Preserve. Stop
by the Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum to
learn about all three.

© State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung

KOTZEBUE NOME

Head to Kotzebue to explore remote parks such @darshanhs

as Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Kobuk

Valley National Park, Noatak National Preserve

and the world-class rafting rivers leading from

the Brooks Range to the Chukchi Sea. Learn more

about Alaska Native history at the Northwest Arctic

Heritage Center. © State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung

UTQIAĠVIK (Barrow) @maryellenchiles DALTON HIGHWAY

Come and dip your toe in the Arctic Ocean, if you KOBUK VALLEY NAT’L PARK
dare. The Inupiat community of Utqiaġvik is the
northernmost settlement in America and the
largest city in the Arctic. This far north, the
summer sun doesn’t set for 82 days.

© State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung

COLDFOOT

Legend says that Coldfoot was named for would-

be gold-rushers who got this far and turned

back. Today, it’s one of the few road-accessible

communities north of the Arctic Circle, and a

stopping point for drivers touring the Dalton

Highway and truckers heading to the oil fields

of Prudhoe Bay. © State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung

BETTLES @tundratravels

Bettles/Evansville consists of two villages with about ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDIFE REFUGE
30 residents each. Though small in size, it’s the
major departure point to many great adventures in
the Gates of the Arctic National Park, Kobuk Valley
National Park and Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge.

© State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung

Utqiaġvik (Barrow)

S OU T H W E STArcticCircle Wainwright

CHUKCHI SEA ARCTIC OCEAN

Point Hope Prudhoe Bay

Noatak Deadhorse BEAUFORT SEA

Umiat Kaktovik

Little Diomede Gates of The Arctic 3
Nat’l Park & Preserve
TravelAlaska.com/Southwest Shishmaref
Wales
Kotzebue Arctic Nat’l
Noorvik Wildlife Refuge
N Selawik Anaktuvuk Pass
ST. LAWRENCE Arctic Village
Taylor

ISLAND Gambell Teller Wiseman
Savoonga Pilgrim
Springs

fleets, windswept shores, Coldfoot
KNOWN FOR: Fishing wingedCouncil migrations, merarine mammalsBettles
Nome Yukon RiWhite Mountain Koyuk u k Huslia 3
K uskokwim Hughes

R iv N.W. TERRITO

U.S.A. ALASKAStevensBeaver Fort Yukon
CANADAVillage

Rampart

Tanana Central Circle

Emmonak 3
St. Mary’s
ST. MATTHEW Scammon Bay ver AFAveIRrBaAgNeKSteFomx peraCthuenraeHost in F°Springs
ISLAND Hooper Bay Yukon-Charley Rivers
Nat’l Preserve
TEMPERATURES & DAYLIGHTNorth PoleT YUKON
Nenana

River 1 Salcha Yukon RanEagle
McGrath
Mekoryuk Holy Cross Healy aRDelta Jicvte. r ChickenBoundary
Aniak an
BERING SEA NUNIVAK S E A S O NCantwell H L Dawson City
ISLAND
Bethel
1 Paxson Tok

Talkeetna Spring 34° 19°Northway 15 hrs

PRIBILOF ISLANDS Quinhagak Summer 61°Lake Louise Beaver Creek iver
St. Paul Island
Wasilla Sutton 2 46° 17 hrs
St. George Island 2 Palmer
Lake Clark Nat’l Gakona Jct. Nabesna
Park & Preserve
Togiak Nat’l Glennallen
Wildlife Refuge Copper Center
Goodnews Bay

Port Alsworth 2 Kenny Lake Carmacks
Fall 33°Girdwood Valdez Ross Rive
Dillingham Whittier Chitna 11 hrs
Iliamna Kennicott 25°

1 Prince Tatitlek McCarthy

WinterChenaga William Destruction Bay
Naknek Sound Cordova 13° 1° 8 hrsWrangell-St. Elias
Seward
BRISTOL BAY King Salmon Nat’l Park & Preserve
WHITEHORSE
Katmai Nat’l Kluane Haines Jct.

Aniakchak Nat’l Park & Preserve Nat’l Park

Monument & Preserve Carcross

ALEUTIAN ISLANDS Port Lions Yakutat

False Pass Cold Bay Chignik Kodiak Nat’l Ouzinkie Haines Skagway BRITIS
King Cove Wildlife Refuge
Dutch Harbor Kodiak COLUM
Sand Point
Akutan Old Harbor Glacier Bay Nat’l Auke
KODIAK ISLAND
PARKS 4 Park & Preserve Bay

Unalaska Gustavus JUNEAU

Elfin Cove Tracy Arm Fjord

Alaska Maritime National Wildlife RefugeGULF OF ALASKA
Pelican Hoonah/Icy Strait Point
Tenakee Springs

Angoon

LAY OF THE LAND Izembek National Wildlife ReSfitukage
PACIFIC OCEAN Kake
Southwest Alaska is known as a water world, a place that stretches from Petersburg
the Cook Inlet and Alaska Peninsula’s windswept coastline to more than Katmai National Park and Preserve
1,000 miles into the Bering Sea. Life here revolves around the ocean — Wrangell
Bristol Bay is responsible for about half the world’s wild-caught salmon,
and legendary crab fishing thrives in the Bering Sea. PRINCE OF WALES ISLAND Hy
Ste

Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge Hollis Mis
Nat’l

Ketchikan

Lake Clark National Park & Preserve Metlakatla

Prince Rupert

McNeil River State Game

Sanctuary & Refuge

But this pristine place is larger than California and encompasses more Togiak National Wildlife Refuge
than seashore: it’s also home to mountains and volcanoes, broad deltas Wood-Tikchik State Park
and verdant highlands, sparkling lakes and rivers, and breathtaking
boreal forests. Outdoor lovers come here to hike, fly-fish, boat, and fat-tire HISTORICAL SITES
bike. Birders converge at the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta to see thousands of Aleutian World War II National
birds, ducks and geese, or trek to the Pribilof Islands to see rare seabirds Historic Area
perching on the steep cliffs. But the summer’s biggest stars? The coastal Attu Battlefield & U.S. Army & Navy
brown bears — the largest land predators in the world. Airfields National Historic Landmark
Dutch Harbor Naval Operating Base
This region has been home to four Alaska Native cultures for thousands Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park
of years: the Unangax, Alutiiq (Sugpiaq), Yup’ik and Cup’ik people, all of Russian-American Co. Magazin
whom developed lifestyles focused on harvesting natural bounty. The National Historic Landmark
Unangax and Alutiiq were the first to encounter Russian explorers in
the 18th century, and today, their culture seamlessly incorporates that
Russian influence.

Travel here rarely involves driving. Some visitors arrive on cruise ships. SCENIC BYWAYS
Others charter a plane or take regularly scheduled flights, and some Alaska Marine Highway
arrive via the Alaska Marine Highway, which has year-round service to
Kodiak, Ouzinkie and Port Lions (weather permitting).

47

FIVE SIGHTSEEING
SOUTHWEST
UNFORGETTABLE PLACES
with real travelers’ photos
ORIES
@bri_j_dwyer

er KODIAK DUTCH HARBOR

SH A great area to fish. But stay alert, because where @jordennmichelle
MBIA there are fish, there are sure to be bears. You can
also explore several threads of Alaska’s history at
yder/ the Baranov Museum, Alutiiq Museum and the
ewart historic WWII ruins at Fort Abercrombie State
sty Fjords Historical Park.
l Monument
© State of Alaska/Michael DeYoung

KATMAI NATIONAL PARK @jen_wags
& PRESERVE

Spend the day bear-watching at the renowned

Brooks Falls, where you can photograph bears

fishing during salmon season (June, July, August).

Or hit the trails in the Valley of Ten Thousand

Smokes, a surreal landscape shaped by a 1912

volcanic eruption. © State of Alaska/Chris McLennan

LAKE CLARK NATIONAL DILLINGHAM KODIAK
PARK & PRESERVE

Fewer than 5,000 visitors a year explore this

wildlife-filled park, winding around 42-mile-long

Lake Clark. Come here to spend time on the

turquoise water, to hike tundra-covered hills,

or to explore the historic sites scattered across

its 5,625 square miles. © State of Alaska/James Minton

UNALASKA/
DUTCH HARBOR

This amazing place is set between the North Pacific
and the Bering Sea, and has evolved into a busy
fishing town of 4,000 people. You can explore
the rich local history of Alaska Native cultures,
Russian explorers and WWII soldiers while taking
in wonderful ocean views.

PRIBILOF ISLANDS @jedstorie

This four-island archipelago, in the Bering Sea, LAKE CLARK NATIONAL PARK
is a birder’s wonderland, attracting such a diverse
array of species (230) that it’s come to be known
as the “Galapagos of the North.” It’s also home to
the largest gathering of marine mammals in the
world, featuring northern fur seals, Steller sea
lions and walruses.

© State of Alaska/Roy Neese

reserve T Nat’l Preserve
Kantishna an Eagle
1 Salcha Yukon R
ali Healy Delta Jicvte. r Chicken Boundary
Cantwell aR Dawson City
an
Creek 1 Paxson Tok
Talkeetna
INSIDE PASSAGEWillow
Northway

uston Wasilla SuTtrtoanvLealkA2elaLosukisae.coGmlGe/InanknsoanidalelJePcnta. sNsaabgeesna Beaver Creek iver
ake
2 Palmer Copper Center
GE
GiWrdhiwttioeroKdNVOaldWezN2CFhiOtnKaeRnn:y Lake Carmacks
dotna Ross River
VeKrednnaicnottt
per McCarthy rainforests, totem poles, Alaska’s state capital, cruises
ding
1 Prince Tatitlek

Chenaga William Cordova Destruction Bay
Sound
Seward

enai Fjords WHITEHORSE Average temperatures in F°
Nat’l Park
Carcross TEMPERATURES & DAYLIGHT
4

Kluane
Nat’l Park Yakutat

Haines Skagway BRITISH SEASON H L

Glacier Bay Nat’l Auke COLUMBIA Spring 47° 33° 14 hrs
Park & Preserve Bay Summer 63° 47° 17 hrs
47° 36° 10 hrs
Gustavus JUNEAU Fall

Elfin Cove Tracy Arm Fjord

Pelican Hoonah/Icy Strait Point
Tenakee Springs

Angoon Winter 31° 22° 7 hrs

Sitka

PACIFIC Kake Wrangell PARKS
OCEAN Petersburg Hyder/ Admiralty Island National Monument
Stewart Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve
PRINCE OF WALES ISLAND Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve

Hollis Misty Fjords
Nat’l Monument

Ketchikan Metlakatla

ANNETTE ISLAND

LAY OF THE LAND Prince Rupert Klondike Gold Rush National
Historical Park
The Inside Passage stretches along 500 miles of Pacific Ocean and Gulf of Mendenhall Glacier
Alaska coast. Life and landscape here are shaped by water, as protected Misty Fjords National Monument
shores wind past snowcapped mountains, massive glaciers and wooded Tongass National Forest
islands. The changing mists of the Tongass National Forest, North America’s
northernmost temperate rainforest, evoke magic and wonder where ancient HISTORICAL SITES
trees cling to steep mountainsides that suddenly disappear into the ocean.

Wildlife abounds. Orcas, humpback whales, sea lions, and seals feed through Alaska Native Brotherhood Hall
the summer in the area’s nutrient-rich waters, while five species of Pacific National Historic Landmark
salmon nourish brown and black bears fishing in dark, rushing streams. American Flag Raising Site
Eagles converge in world-record numbers. National Historic Landmark
Fort William H. Seward National
The natural bounty has drawn diverse people too. The first evidence of Historic Landmark
humans was discovered in the 8,000-year-old carvings scattered across Sitka National Historical Park
Petroglyph Beach. Alaska Native cultures, including the Tsimshian, Haida, St. Michael’s Russian Cathedral
and Tlingit, have flourished here for generations. The Inside Passage was National Historic Landmark
the location of the last Russian America capital, a departure point for Gold Totem Bight State Historical Park
Rush–era miners, a home for Norwegian fishermen and a magnet for
lumberjacks from across North America. SCENIC BYWAYS
Alaska Marine Highway
It all combines to create an unforgettable destination. Many visitors arrive Haines Highway
by cruise ship. There are few roads here, so people commute on boats and Prince of Wales Island Road System
planes, which only adds to an otherworldly feel. Your itinerary can focus on Walden Point Road (Annette Island)
whatever you love most — adventure, history, wildlife, fishing, food — or a
mix of all those things and more.

49