stillhouse

We have 10 full days in Alaska (June 17-27). Arriving around 8:30pm, we will spend our first night in Anchorage (either downtown or near the airport). My dilemna: whether to spend the second night in Anchorage, somewhere around between Wasili and Healy/Glitter Gulch, or in Healy/Glitter Gulch.

I want to do the following things on the way to Denali: visit Eagle Nest recreation area, Independence Mine, hike in Hatcher Pass, flightseeing from Talkeetna, few other scenic stops (e.g. Denali state park). We are very energetic and won't eat in restaurants so we can easily enjoy a 12-13 hour day of activites.

In Anchorage I want to hike/walk on the Coastal Trail for 2 hours or so, hike to Flattop Mountain, and possibly visit the Art and History Museum, the Native Heritage Museum and possibly a Historic Properties walking tour.

I would appreciate recommendations on the following options:

a. We could head out towards Denali the morning after we get in and potentially spend another night in Anchorage on the way towards Seward or on the last day of our trip. If we head out towards Denali, where would be the best area to stay, given what we want to see on the way to Denali?

b. We could spend a second night and then head out the following am. Questions would still be where to spend the following night-near Denali or somewhere short of there?

c. We could spend the day in Anchorage, begin our sightseeing towards Denali and spend the night (where)?

Any suggestions re: specific areas and or specific places to stay would be appreciated.

dfrostnh

I think the best thing is for you to write down some criteria. Here is information about Independence Mine
"Visitor Center Hours and Guided Tours

The visitor center will open on June 9th from 10 am to 7 pm daily. Guided tours will start on June 14th at 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm daily on weekdays. On weekends and holidays an additional tour is offered at 4:30 pm. There is a day use parking fee and a separate tour fee. The visitor center is closed during the winter."

Hence, if you want to take a guided tour, maybe spend the morning in Anchorage (and visit the Farmers Market on Sat and Sundays) with a hike before heading off to Independence Mine. You will have plenty of daylight so you might want to hike around Hatcher's Pass after the tour. We did not take a tour but found it very interesting just by reading a lot of small signs and looking at the displays. Wildflowers are beautiful at that time of year and there are a lot around the mine area. It sounds like you plan to pack our own lunches etc so be aware that you will need to grocery shop before leaving Anchorage or Wasilla, whichever fits your schedule. We routinely carried a lot of bottled water in the car.
Talkeetna might be a good place for an overnight but then, again, it depends on when you can schedule the flightseeing. We had not made reservations in Talkeetna and everything was booked. The visitors center found us a vacancy at some Gate Creek cabins near Trappers Creek. Great kitchen facilities and a distant view of Denali which my husband videotaped at 1AM.
I'm guessing that you will have a full day in Anchorage and an evening flight on your last day. Anchorage to Seward is about 3 hours but you will want to make a lot of stops. Great photo ops. Anchorage is 237 miles from Denali but I don't think you will make a lot of stops on the way back. Seward has a decent size grocery store and some good sandwich shops. Talkeetna's grocery is very small. There is also a small natural foods store which has great sandwiches and sweet potato fries.
Also check the visitor guides for events and times to help you plan. If you need reading material, the Title Wave in Anchorage is a great bookstore with a lot of books about Alaska, both fiction and non-fiction. Get a copy of the Milepost because there aren't a lot of places to stay between Wasilla and Denali.
Hope you have a great trip!

BudgetQueen

With your priority for hiking, I would stay in Talkeetna, then head to Healy. Overnighting in Talkeetna, will give you 2 opportunities for flights, a visit at the Eagle RIVER nature center, Independence Mine perhaps in one day. \

Next day- do some Denali STATE park activites/hiking. Then continue to Healy for overnight. Little Coal Creek Hike is popular, so perhaps consider it? http://www.dnr.state.ak.us/parks/aktrails/index.htm

http://www.dnr.state.ak.us/parks/units/denali2.htm

jtrandolph

I would also suggest staying in Talkeetna the second night. We did this so that we could have a flight before we arrived in Denali. (We did the flight with a company called "Two Babes and a Bird". Owned and flown by two women.)

stillhouse

Thanks for your reply. This is my still evolving itinerary:

Night 1: Anchorage (bid on priceline or find other inexpensive lodging.

Day/night 2: Spend morning in Anchorage, drive to Hatcher Pass/Independence Mine, stopping for walks/hikes. Possible 7pm flightseeing. Overnight Talkeetna or thereabouts.

Day/night 3: Possible am flightseeing if missed night before. Hike in Denali State Park. Possible walks near entrance of Denali National Park, depending on what time we arrive. Overnight Healy-Denali Lakeview Lodge.

Day/night 4: Denali National Park. Overnight Denali Lakeview Lodge.

Day/night 5. Same

Day/night 6: Drive to Anchorage or Girdwood. Do things in area and overnight.

Day/night 7/8: Seward or Cooper Landing area: Exit Glacier, Whittier Glacier Tour, Kenai Fjords tour

Day/night 9/10: Homer

What do you think?

AKGardenGate

I'm a big fan of flying in the afternoon and evening from Talkeetna. Mornings have a tendency to be moist and a higher dewpoint can mean less visibility. I'd urge you to go your first evening in Talkeetna, if you can. The company jtrandolf recommended is unfortunately out of business. Either Talkeetna AirTaxi or Talkeetna Aero can give you a fantastic tour.

BudgetQueen

This looks like a good plan, but unless you are into fishing, make Cooper Landing only a stop and stay in Seward.

You really don't have enough time for both a PWS boat tour and Kenai Fjords boat tour if you only allow 2 days, either cut back on Denali Park or allow for long days with early mornings and later nights.
If you have an overnight flight home, perhaps do the PWS boat tour your last day with an early departure from Homer.