Talkeetna Road Trip
The Talkeetna Road Trip is a “must-do” adventure if you want to get a taste of an inland region of
Alaska. A 2-1/2 hour drive north from Anchorage, starting on the Glenn Highway, takes you on a tour through a spectacular land half way up the road to Denali (Mt. McKinley), the tallest peak in North America. Just north of Anchorage, the Eagle River Nature Center in the Chugach State Park has nature programs and guided hikes to acquaint you with regional Alaskan wildlife.
You will drive past Willow, the town that was almost the new capital city of Alaska. It was voted in, but then the move was not funded. Nearby is Willow Creek which at one time was Alaska’s leading goldmining region as late as 1954. When you arrive in Talkeetna, you step back in time to the gold rush days of the late 1800s.
The town of Talkeetna rests at the confluence of 3 rivers, the Susitna, the Chulitna, and the Talkeetna. This area was alive with prospectors as the Alaska Gold Rush of 1896 drew them in. A bustling steamboat port, Talkeetna supplied the miners until the Alaska Railroad. The construction of the railroad made Talkeetna its headquarters in 1916 to supply the mining industry.
Today Talkeetna maintains its nature of quaint log cabins and and clapboard store fronts which highlight the work of the local artists and craft community. The town also is the start point for many tour adventures. For example, mountain climbers, sightseeing, fishing, rafting, and more outdoor activities are available.