Roll Call Alaska 2014
Anyone traveling to Alaska in 2014? We ,my wife and I, are planning a trip and was wondering if anyone is planning on going in 2014 also. Would go this year, except we have two weddings to go to in...
Forum Discussion
borderbrae wrote:
Looking for info about the Denali highway, which goest east to Paxon.
You are correct, the Denali Highway is unpaved with the exception of 3 miles at the west end and 20 miles at the east end. Until the early 1970's when the Parks Highway was completed, this was the only road to Denali Park. Read the "Denali highway" section of your Milepost to get the latest information on the condition of the gravel portion of the road.
I haven't traveled the entire road in decades, but still remember clouds of dust when it was dry, slick mud on very steep grades when it was wet, and clouds of mosquitos in both cases (due to the hundreds of ponds and lakes along the route). Due to those memories, I decided not to try it with my travel trailer last summer.
If you decide to try it, you can experiment by towing your trailer from Denali Park to the BLM's Brushkana Creek Campground at MP C 29 (29 miles east of Cantwell). Then you will at least be able to better decide whether it is worth trying to do the entire 133 miles.
Incidentally, there are great views of Mt. McKinley and the Alaska Range from the road west of the Susitna River and great views of the Wrangells (assuming they aren't hiding behind clouds) near Paxson. So, wait for clear skies before you drive it.
