Denali National Park & Preserve
The Interior
In our collective consciousness, Alaska represents the concept of the raw wilderness. But that untamed perception can be as much a deterrent as a draw…
Must-see attractions in The Interior
The Interior
Some 18,000 years ago this glacier covered the entire area where the city of Palmer sits today. It must have appeared a supernatural force back then,…
University of Alaska Museum of the North
Fairbanks
In an architecturally abstract, igloo- and aurora-inspired edifice sits one of Alaska’s finest museums, with artifact-rich exhibits on the geology,…
Concentration Mill & Leaching Plant
The Interior
Like a rickety fantasy hatched out of a lunatic's dream, this 14-story building once processed the copper mined out of the surrounding mountains. You can…
The Interior
It's hard to miss Mukluk Land. The entrance, after all, is marked by a giant red boot. But more importantly: you shouldn't miss Mukluk Land. Is it a theme…
Denali National Park & Preserve
What makes 20,310ft Denali (formerly Mt McKinley) one of the world’s great scenic mountains is the sheer independent rise of its bulk. Denali begins at a…
Talkeetna
Though not an official museum, the Fairview Inn might as well be. Founded in 1923 to serve as the overnight stop between Seward and Fairbanks on the newly…
Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge
Fairbanks
Birds have been migrating through this idyllic little stretch of farmland for millennia, and when the local dairy finally shut its doors, the community…
The Interior
‘Oh no, they destroyed this valley!’ If you’re like 99% of visitors, that’s exactly what you’ll think as you reach Kennecott and look across the…
Denali National Park & Preserve
This scenic area, at 3500ft, has views of the Toklat River to the south. The pass, which is a regular stop on Denali tour- and shuttle-bus routes, gets…
Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark
The Interior
Old mill town constitutes pretty much all of present-day Kennecott. Dozens of old wood and log buildings have been restored, stabilized or purposely left…
The Interior
These rustic, privately managed springs can be accessed on a taxing 11-mile overland hike south from Mile 93 on the Elliot Highway. Facilities consist of…
Denali National Park & Preserve
Eielson is the most common turning-around point for day trippers taking the shuttle or tour buses into the park. This remote outpost is built directly…
Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitors Center
Fairbanks
There are a few contenders for 'best visitor center in Alaska' but this one, an ingenious mix of museum, info point and cultural center, has to be in the…
Denali National Park & Preserve
This station, situated at the crossing over the eponymous river, is one of the major stops on both the Denali shuttle route and Denali bus tours. On site,…
Denali National Park & Preserve
This pass – the first major pass you cross on Park Rd – is known as a prime habitat for Toklat brown bears.
Nancy Lake State Recreation Area
The Interior
Located along the Nancy Lake Pkwy, jutting off George Parks Hwy at Mile 67.3, this state recreation area is one of Alaska’s few flat, lake-studded parks,…
Talkeetna
Three rivers – the Talkeetna, Susitna, and Chulitna – come together here like an aquatic Voltron to form the Big Susitna River (which is technically the…
Fairbanks
If you can’t make a trip to the Arctic for a little wildlife observation, consider visiting this research station that tends herds of musk ox, reindeer…
The Interior
Back in 1899, this fort was established as a means of providing some federal law enforcement in the lawless heart of gold-rush territory. The base didn't…
Big Delta State Historical Park
The Interior
This 10-acre historical park on the Tanana River preserves Rika’s Roadhouse and Landing, an important crossroads for travelers, miners and soldiers on the…
Tangle Lakes Archaeological District
The Interior
An enormous swath of land totaling some 226,660 acres, this district sandwiches the Denali Hwy between Mile 15 and Mile 32. Within the protected grounds…
The Interior
At the end of downtown McCarthy, check out this environmental NGO/community center with summer field courses for university students, arts and science…
Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum
Fairbanks
For a state with so few highways, this is a surprisingly comprehensive collection of 70 working antique vehicles, highlighting the evolution of the…
Fairbanks
The severe Arctic and wild interior of Alaska are blessed with rainbows of wildflowers, which are all on display here. The Georgeson Botanical Garden is a…
Talkeetna
This beautiful cemetery is rife with wildflowers, so much so that it feels more like a secret garden than a space for the dead. Among the interred bodies…
The Interior
From a highway pull-off here, you can sigh at the stupendous view of the eponymous lake, plus a long stretch of pure wilderness abutting the snow-capped…
Fairbanks
Gaze out over boreal forest to distant mountains (including Denali on a good day) from this high perch on the University of Alaska campus.
Worthington Glacier State Recreation Site
The Interior
At this gorgeous Richardson Hwy pull-off, you can cop a fantastic view of the creeping, mud-and-ice massif of the Worthington Glacier.
The Interior
The center, which sits in the town's former school, is the launching point for ranger-led activities, lectures and walks around town.
Fairbanks
Like many cities with little surviving history, Fairbanks attempts to recreate the 'old' days in a historical theme park. Suffice to say, it doesn't…
Talkeetna Historical Society Museum
Talkeetna
A block south of Main St, look for this small complex of restored buildings that includes the town’s 1936 schoolhouse, a fully furnished trapper’s cabin…
The Interior
This large, lakeside protected area represents the last phase of an Army Corps of Engineers flood-control project prompted by the Chena River’s flooding…
Talkeetna
A hybrid art gallery, information center and gift shop, the Sustina Salmon Center is dedicated to educating the public about salmon and advocating for…
The Interior
This classic log structure (on the National Register of Historic Places) was built in 1906 to serve travelers along the Fairbanks–Valdez Trail. In 1997…
International Arctic Research Center
Fairbanks
Located on the University of Alaska campus, the center has become a leading authority on climate change. Its work includes investigating the impacts of…
Fairbanks
This square is meant to serve as a natural nexus point for downtown activity in Fairbanks. Within the riverside square, you'll see a clock tower, winter…
The Interior
This park preserves several buildings, including the Chickaloon Bunkhouse, the spirit house of Ahtna Indian John Goodlataw (a spirit house is a blend of…
McCarthy-Kennecott Historical Museum
The Interior
This old railroad depot is worth a quick visit to view the historical photographs, mining artifacts and model of McCarthy in its heyday. The road splits…
The Interior
This little museum was a railroad depot back in the day, and displays railroad memorabilia and local artifacts ranging from ice tongs to animal traps. You…
