Home Destinations USA Alaska Itinerary: Anchorage to the Interior

Itinerary: Anchorage to the Interior

1 day: Talkeetna

Mountaineers congregate at this rural community before flying into the Alaska Range. Denali National Park's entrance area is another 140 mi up the highway; if you can't get a bus reservation in the park, you can book a flightseeing trip here and land on a glacier. Talkeetna is a two-hour drive north on the Parks Highway from Anchorage. Even if you don't stay at the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge, stop by to take in the view from the patio. Try your fishing luck on one of the three rivers that converge here.

1-2 Days: Little Denali

Denali State Park has some of South Central's best tundra hikes, along the Curry-Kesugi Ridge. The park's spectacular views of Mt. McKinley are among the finest anywhere. Logistics: At Byers Lake you can camp or stay in public-use cabins. For more details, go to www.dnr.state.ak.us/parks/units/denali1.htm.

2-5 Days: Denali National Park & Preserve

Larger than the state of Massachusetts, Alaska's most famous parkland is a wilderness of high mountains, glacial rivers, forest, and tundra plains. Mt. McKinley rises 20,320 feet into the heavens, while grizzly bears roam alpine meadows and wolves hunt caribou, moose, and Dall sheep. Logistics: We highly recommend making shuttle-bus reservations in advance, getting out on the first bus in the morning, and going as far as Fish Creek for the best wildlife viewing. Check out www.nps.gov/dena.

1-2 Days: Fairbanks

Born as a gold-mining camp, the Golden Heart of Alaska is the starting point for trips into much of northern Bush Alaska. Near town, you can hike the trails in Creamer's Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge; enjoy exhibits at the Museum of the North; visit Pioneer Park, a theme park with native and gold-rush exhibits; and take a riverboat tour. Logistics: Consider taking the scenic Alaska Railroad ride back to Anchorage to catch your flight home. For more information check out www.akrr.com.