6 Best Sights in The Bush, Alaska

North of Nome, look for the landmark seen by sea, air, or land. Anvil Mountain offers a panoramic view of Nome, the Bering Sea, Cape Nome, and the Kigluaik Mountains. It takes about an hour to hike up the mountain and back down, and promises a chance to see birds, musk oxen, and maybe other animals, as well as wildflowers in bloom during the warmer months. As this is the city's lone peak, anyone in town will be able to direct you there. Be sure to carry mosquito repellent.

Stretching along the southern edge of the Alaska Peninsula, these two refuges encompass nearly 6 million acres of towering mountains, glacial lakes, broad tundra valleys, and coastal fjords. Volcanoes dominate the landscape—14 in all, nine of them active—and the waters are known for their salmon and grayling. The world-record grayling, nearly five pounds (most weigh a pound or less), was caught at Ugashik Narrows in 1981. Remote and rugged, with the peninsula's signature unpredictable weather, the Becharof and Alaska Peninsula Refuges draw mostly anglers and hunters. Backpackers, river runners, and mountain climbers also occasionally visit.

Some people hike the Kanatak Trail in Becharof, a route between the Pacific Ocean and Bristol Bay via Becharof Lake that was used by people residing on the Peninsula for at least 1,900 years. Early Russian and American settlers continued using the trail and developed settlements on either end, and oil exploration in the 20th century brought people who settled in the Pacific Kanatak—they built unpaved roads on top of the old walking routes. The last residents left in the 1950s. If you walk the trail now, you'll see the remnants of the the old roads and trail, along with plenty of animals and no other humans. It's not a long hike—about 5 miles—but the weather, terrain, and other elements can be challenging, so come prepared.

This museum, located in the Richard Foster Building, holds the long-term exhibit Nome: Hub of Cultures and Communities Across the Bering Strait, which centers on five Arctic themes and involves interactive environments, such as an Iñupiat skin boat and miner's tent, along with hands-on technology to help engage the narratives. A second space contains a changing contemporary exhibit that typically features a regional artist or artists.

Stop by the Nome Convention & Visitors Bureau for a historic-walking-tour map, a city map, and information on local activities. The offerings do a good job capturing Nome's historic and current role as a gateway to the vast expanses of western Alaska.

Named after Thomas "Pinky" Sekanoff, who walked across the Bering Strait to escape the Russian Revolution in the early 1900s, the 22-acre Pinky's Park remembers his life in Bethel and constant goodwill toward the kids in the community. Take a stroll on the park's nearly 2 miles of wooden boardwalks, decks, and trails. These structures are engineered to hold up to the often harsh climate while not damaging the tundra underneath. There's also a nice community garden, along with a playground and multiuse sports field that acts as a hub for all of Bethel's July 4 festivities.

The cultural center hosts a range of community and art events, including classes, movie screenings, summer camps, concerts, and summer Saturday markets. It's open only when events are held, but the on-site library and the gift shop run by the Kuskokwim Art Guild are open most days of the week.