Alaska RV trip loop routes/planning resources

This will get you started

They drive up and back but you can skip those parts. He is one fishing machine....heh. Seems to have plenty of money tho for tours and such.

There is a huge amount of info on touring Alaska up on the web and in RV Blogs. Check YouTube too lots of VBlogs

gosh that blog! they really are seeing Alaska!! shame we only have 3 weeks...but lots of info, thanks.

I did a similar trip in 2002 from Anchorage in a Dodge with a truck camper. Lay out a map of the state. There are not that many paved roads. You can easily drive most of them during your trip.

Boon docking is easy everywhere. I liked to stop at the old historic roadhouses and bars and talk with local people. We found Alaskan Natives smoking fish and living in the traditional style. I liked the gold mining country north of Fairbanks up by Fox. Everybody likes the road out to Chena, Chicken and Eagle.

The best way to fish is with a guide in a boat for the day or even a half day. They can put you on the fish. I fell in love with a new river in Alaska every other day.

Look at an Alaska map. There are very few roads. The main, and one of the only roads runs from Kenai to Fairbanks. Past Denali. There are gray line roads but I really doubt you are going to take a rented Class A down one.

Not planing on driving to the Arctic Ocean I assume and I suspect your rental contract will forbid it. Just about all the reports I've seen are disappointed anyway.

There is another road but you have to go into Canada to get to it. The road to Haines.

So your loops are very limited. This isn't like Arizona or Colorado with hundreds of choices.

jukes wrote:
Planning a trip with our 3 boys who will be 17, 14, 8, to Alaska, Mid July 2020 for 3 weeks. We don't have time to drive there with our TT, so will fly, into Anchorage and hire a Motorhome.
Prob spend 2 nights Anchorage, then want to plan a loop route. Perhaps with campground suggestions, or even spots to boondock? or campgrounds with fishing.
Any itinerary ideas, perhaps also including the lesser known but still accessible?
We would also like to be in some areas with fishing (not on a boat), and not where you have to fight for a spot to stand.
We like to spend a few days in each place, and limit driving to just a few long drives, but with mostly shorter drives (perhaps 2-3hrs).
Thanks!

Not a lot of time even for flying up there, I'm going to limit to two places due to your time frame.

1) McCarthly/Kennicott copper mills there's ,fishing along the way and lots of beautiful scenery.

2) Homer Spit

Also check out the trip reports posted in the Truck Camper Forum on Alaska, there's plenty of them with photos and videos.

Any questions just PM me.

Fishing: North of Denali it is pike or Grayling, south is is trout and salmon, and some limited Grayling.

Alaska is a loop. Anchorage to Fairbanks, then Valdez, back to Anchorage, then Seward and Homer and back to Anchorage to depart. You can do this in any order, but that is the trip. Fishing in Valdez can be from the shore for salmon. Grayling is a river fish that will hit small spinners or flies. Om the Kenai bank fishing is available for reds, or sockeye, in your time frame. The Trustworthy store in Soldotna is a good source of equipment if you do not have your own.

Camping is a function of the size of the MoHo you rent, the larger it is, the fewer the choices. State and Federal parks tend toward the smaller size vehicles.

Whittier is a nice side trip, drive thru the railroad tunnel. Camping is available om both sides of the tunnel.

Weather is a potential issue. If it is going to be nice, go to Valdez first.

Have fun

Lots of good advice here, and we just returned so you can DM me also. If your crew likes a harbor, or a day cruise, visit Seward. For scenery, a walkable town, and some glacier history, I'd send you towards Whittier and my friend Eric.

Homer Spit is easy to fish from and spend a day after the beach, and don't forget to eat your fill of fresh Halibut fish n chips too.

I would stick with the Kenai peninsula, and leave Fairbanks, Valdez, etc for other trips. There's enough history and culture in ANC- ulu factory, earthquake park, sunset at Kincaid Park, etc.

You can fish from the park in Soldotna, get advice/ river supplies from Sportsman's. Dump and fill at Fred Meyer, skip the 2 campgrounds in town.

Don't be fooled by the mileage and distances shown on Map apps; calculate at least 2-3x the time Google maps shows. Not because it's wrong but rather due to construction, snagging pics, seeing wildlife, etc. The town of Kenai for example, you could spend an hour watching boats come in and eagles from the high cliffs. Give yourselves time to soak in what Alaska is- something very different than anywhere else. We miss it already

I couldn't make a better post than what TeeJay did above as far as routes, etc.

A few things to add (all personal opinion);

- IMNSHO, Seward and Homer are great destinations in and of themselves: The rest of the Kenai Peninsula locations are good "meanwhile" places if you're going fishing, etc.....and for that reason, my preference would be to prioritize Fairbanks/Valdez/McCarthy over the Kenai Peninsula if you're short on time .....unless you're going to the KP for fishing.
- Granted I live here, but other than a jumping off place and for a small bit of scenery, I can't see where Anchorage competes for RV / Visting days.
- Recommend the 26 Glacier Cruise out of Whittier: Have now taken or sent about 10 sets of visitors on it and no one has been disappointed. It's a big touristy thing with 250 of your closest friends, but the scenery is good ...even if in the rain.
- Nothing wrong with roadside / bankside /creekside fishing: That being said, I'd suggest a saltwater boat trip out of Seward / Valdez / Whittier / Homer (wherever you end up) for fishing as well
- Can't offer this (obviously opinion) enough: The summer of 2019 was an aberration: plan for rain and be prepared to do "stuff" in the rain. If one decides not to do "stuff" in the rain, it really limits the experiences available in Alaska... regardless of route one travels.

There are lots of posts here and other places and figuring out where to go can be daunting based on our experience living there for a year and not seeing half of what we could or wanted to.
We did figure out our way around parts of the state though and I’d be happy to chat with you about it to get the most out of your 3 weeks. You can do a lot in that amount of time.
Fishing, while phenomenal in AK is not just drop a line and the fish fly out of any puddle you see. Salmon runs define when that is good and where. And lake fishing is similar in that you need to know where to go.
We fished a fair amount and my reccomendatoon is bring all your fishing gear both light and heavy rods.
I’d shoot for Kennicot, Denali Highway and the Kenai peninsula and not spend more time than necessary in Anchorage unless you like tweakers and....the city.
If in your budget, imo it’s a great experience to do a halibut trip and possibly a day of guided river fishing.
It’s phenomenal country.

^And what PA12 said.
We were in awe of the ruggedness and tried to take full advantage of taking that in vs most “tourist” activities.