Alaska - wildflowers
Hi,I plan to go to Alaska this year around late May - early June. I plan to visit Denali, Wrangell-St Elias, Kenai Fjords National Parks, plus Anchorage, Seward, Valdez, Chugach National Forest etc. I love wildflowers and have seen beautiful Alaskan wildflower photos
I would like to know :
1. is late May - early June too early to see wildflowers ? is early July better for wildflower viewing ?
2. how do I get to McCarthy & Kennekott ? I think most car rentals do not allow to have their car trevelled on gravel roads ? is there accommodation in Kennekott ?
3. Should I book for the shuttle bus in Denali NP ?
4. does it rain a lot in late May - early June ?
Thank you in advance
1
We were in Alaska in late July this past summer and wildflowers were in full bloom. I think you're planning your trip far too early in the summer if wildflowers are the main attraction.2
1.) A bit early. July is better.2.) There is a road that most rental companies don't want you to drive on. There is a shuttle van that makes the run daily and you can also fly there (usually to/from Chitina). If you have a rental that doesn't preclude driving the road, don't worry about it. It's an easy drive with regular traffic. Do have a spare, though.
3.) Yes.
4.) Depends on where you go, but May and June are often the best months for avoiding rain and snow.
3
Alongside the Seward Highway, you will see fragile-appearing white Goatsbeard, plus Cow Parsley in wetter areas. The lupine are colorful. There are 5 varieties of blueberries, plus salmonberries and blackberries that you may see alongside the highway and in the forest. Stop in Girdwood and drive up Crow Creek Road -- lots of colorful, beautiful wildflowers alongside the dirt road and in sunny spots in the forest. Stop by the Visitors Center in the Federal Building on 4th Avenue and approximately G Street in downtown Anchorage to pick up excellent wildflower ID guidebooks. Otherwise, stop at the Begich-Boggs Visitors Center in Portage Valley, next to Portage Lake, to purchase the guidebooks.It depends on when the snow melts as to when flowers will be blooming. It sounds as though Alaska has been getting plenty of snowfall, if you have read about the 27 feet in Valdez and 15 feet in Cordova.
