We are first time visitors who will be visiting Alaska for two weeks in June 2001. We are seeking suggestions for an itinerary that would maximize opportunities for wildlife viewing and day hiking. Also seeking suggestions for moderately priced lodging. Any and all help will be appreciated.

Hi Frank,
Assuming you're flying in and out of Anchorage (and not just cruising in Southeast Alaska), you can easily fill 2 weeks with trips to Denali NP and the Kenai Peninsula, as well as Prince William Sound and other areas around Anchorage.

If it was me, I'd plan a circle trip lasting 10-12 days or so, going north to Denali, then east and south to Valdez, then across PW Sound to Whittier, then down the Kenai Peninsula to Homer, then back to Anchorage. (Or reverse.) Note that the distances are great and the roads almost all two-lane; this route will be a ton of driving, but you'll likely see a lot of wildlife (not counting the bars at night), especially in Denali Park.

If your budget permits, though, a fly-in trip to a lake for a couple of nights in the bush would be a great experience, too. Trips off the "road system," i.e., into the bush, the arctic, or to rural towns and villages, tend to be costly, but well worth it in discovering a very different Alaska than the Anchorage or Fairbanks strip malls.

We did the same circle mentioned in the first response in '96. We rented a motor home when we flew into Anchorage and I wouldn't go any other way. We did not have to make any advance reservations and could just wing it as we wanted. The cost of campgrounds was small and all had vacancies when we arrived. We did have to make reservations for a tour of Denali. Made that months in advance. That was well worth the time. The motor home also had a state park sticker so we could stay there for free. Best trip we ever took. Made the reservations for the motor home (a small one) online.

On a two trip, how much time should we devote to the Denali area? In addition to visiting the park, we would like to take a raft trip. Are their hiking opportunities originating from the section of the park road that is open to vehicles? Also, how due you make reservations for the school bus trip?

Frank, the Denali Park entrance is a longish drive from Anchorage (most of a day) so if you add days for rafting or day hikes, simply add that to the total schedule.

The interior road in the park (past the rail station, lodge, etc.) is, I recall, closed to private vehicles unless you have a booked camping site in the park interior, and they may have now discontinued allowing any private vehicles in, period. Otherwise the shuttle or tour buses are the only transport available. They run pretty frequently; you can get off and back on if you want to walk or linger. See the Park Service website at http://www.nps.gov/dena/home.html for details on costs and reservations. There are hiking trails near the park entrance, but the real majesty of the park is in the interior. Bear safety is an issue for hikers everywhere in the park.

I noticed that the shuttles don't run to Wonder Lake (a highlight) until the middle of June, due to spring road conditions I suspect, and it led me to note that June can still be springlike in much of interior Alaska - high rivers, muddy trails, etc. What part of the month will you be arriving?

We will arrive in Anchorage on 6/12th and spend a total of two weeks in Alaska. Hope to cover Denali, Seward and Homer. Undecided whether we should travel roundtrip on railroad to Denali and rent car for remainder or go exclusively with the car. What would you recommend? We were thinking on taking a Kenai Fjords cruise. Should we also take ferry from Valdez to Whittier or would it be too similar given the time we have? Any recommendations would be appreciated.

Frank, while the train is a great trip, I honestly think the loop route by car is worth the effort, inasmuch as you’ll be able to cross Prince William Sound (to Whittier, frequent service, or Seward, less frequent,) by State ferry, getting some great marine scenery (and maybe see some killer whales) from the boat. From Seward or Portage (after a transit of the new road tunnel) you can either return to Anchorage or down the Kenai Peninsula to Homer.

From Denali you can drive the Denali Highway over to the Richardson Highway, then south to Valdez. This route covers some wonderful wild country; you get to see the Alaska pipeline, and the transition from the interior to the Prince William Sound landscape is amazing. Get a copy of The Milepost (http://www.themilepost.com/) for help with route and accommodation planning.

By the way, you probably already know you’ll be in Alaska at the summer solstice. If you add Fairbanks to your itinerary (for example, if you do the loop in the reverse order of the above) you can watch the annual baseball game played there starting at midnight. You won’t get “midnight sun” per se south of the Arctic Circle, but it sure doesn’t get dark.