Getting from Anchorage to Denali

I'm looking at ways to get from Anchorage to Denali. I saw one rail
package that seemed dopey... a train gets me from Anchorage to
Talkeetna, then I have to take a motorcoach the rest of the way. Well,
'motorcoach' can be anything from a wide range of vehicles...

Then on renting a car, it seems like the rental companies prohibit
driving on Denali Highway. I was told there are ways to get to Denali
without going on Denali Highway, but no specifics.

Any suggestions? Thanks

The Alaska Railroad travels from Anchorage to Denali..no reason to get
off in Talkeetna. Denali Nat. Park is on the George Parks Highway. No
need to travel the Denali Highway to get there. There is also a small
bus line that travels that highway but I'm not sure of the name.
Possibly someone else will remember.
If time is not a problem, the train is probably the best trip. But you
should have no problem renting a car to drive to Denali from
Anchorage..about 235 miles and the road is good.
Enjoy your trip.

From: Veggie

I'm looking at ways to get from Anchorage to Denali. I saw one rail
package that seemed dopey... a train gets me from Anchorage to
Talkeetna, then I have to take a motorcoach the rest of the way.

The train goes all the way from Anchorage to Denali every day in the summer,
arriving at the rail station early afternoon. This must be some oddly packaged
tour you came across.

Then on renting a car, it seems like the rental companies prohibit
driving on Denali Highway.

The "Denali Highway" is a dirt/gravel road between Cantwell and Paxson, you
won't be taking this from Anchorage unless you are really lost. The Parks
Highway is the one to take and all rental car companies allow driving on this
one as it's paved the whole way.

I was told there are ways to get to Denali
without going on Denali Highway, but no specifics. Any suggestions?

I suggest looking at a map. You want the George Parks Highway, NOT the Denali
Highway, which is a couple hundred miles out of the way from Anchorage.

In article ,
Veggie wrote:

I'm looking at ways to get from Anchorage to Denali. I saw one rail
package that seemed dopey... a train gets me from Anchorage to
Talkeetna, then I have to take a motorcoach the rest of the way. Well,
'motorcoach' can be anything from a wide range of vehicles...

It's usually a big ol' bus, like it is almost anywhere else. But you're
right, getting off the train in Talkeetna is dopey, esp. since you can
stay on the train and it goes right on into the park. Talkeetna's
certainly worth a stop, too, but you can always spend a day in Talkeetna
and continue north on the next day's train.

Then on renting a car, it seems like the rental companies prohibit
driving on Denali Highway. I was told there are ways to get to Denali
without going on Denali Highway, but no specifics.

Check a map. The Denali highway is a gravel road. The Parks highway goes
right into Denali Park (no, that's not why it's called the Parks highway)
and it's paved all the way. But the train's a wonderful trip, a great way
to see the scenery, and you only live once. So take it.

Any suggestions? Thanks

If you must do a package tour (and nobody's saying you must) you may want
to check out the ones offered by the Alaska RR. I can't vouch for them,
but they own the railroad and they market to Alaskans, so you'll be spared
some degree of tourist-oriented dorkiness. http://www.akrr.com .

The northbound train seems to empty out at Denali Park, which means that a
lot of folks miss out on the Nenana River canyon, the best part of the
trip.
--
---
"I never had to pretend I felt the lyrics. I could always relate to the words."
--Teddy Pendergrass

I agree about that last part. The train continues into Fairbanks and
it's an interesting ride.

Several years ago, I took a CruiseWest tour from Anchorage to
Fairbanks via Denali. We took the tour bus from Anchorage to Talkeetna
because the train is SO SLOW!

DKM

On Tue, 30 Mar 2004 05:14:06 GMT, Veggie wrote:

I'm looking at ways to get from Anchorage to Denali. I saw one rail
package that seemed dopey... a train gets me from Anchorage to
Talkeetna, then I have to take a motorcoach the rest of the way. Well,
'motorcoach' can be anything from a wide range of vehicles...

Then on renting a car, it seems like the rental companies prohibit
driving on Denali Highway. I was told there are ways to get to Denali
without going on Denali Highway, but no specifics.

Any suggestions? Thanks


To contact me directly, send EMAIL to (single letters all)
DEE_KAY_EMM AT EarthLink.net. [For example .]

In article ,
Doug McClure wrote:

Several years ago, I took a CruiseWest tour from Anchorage to
Fairbanks via Denali. We took the tour bus from Anchorage to Talkeetna
because the train is SO SLOW!

What's your hurry? Talkeetna certainly wasn't going anywhere.



--
---
"I never had to pretend I felt the lyrics. I could always relate to the words."
--Teddy Pendergrass

There are also lower-cost shuttle van services running daily from
Anchorage to Denali. These cater to the hostel-backpacking crowd, but
are an option to the other suggestions. A Web search should turn them
up, or contact the Anchorage AYH hostel for a reference (the van
services pick up there).

Brian W.