Parks Highway Part 2: Anchorage to Cantwell
Anchorage is a great city. We enjoy gorging on favorite places such as the Anchorage Museum, Alaska Native Heritage Center, restaurants, and shopping. As the circled date to leave on a new RV road trip approaches, we get serious about leaving the city. We complete those to-do lists and roll out onto the Parks Highway. The official name is the George Parks Highway, but everyone calls it the Parks Highway. It is also listed as Alaska Route 3.
Routing & Road Conditions
If you want to go north, the Parks Highway is one of two highways. The Parks Highway starts at a junction just 35 miles north of Anchorage, just off from the Glenn Highway. The other highway is the Richardson Highway which starts at the junction from the Glenn Highway about 189 miles north of Anchorage. Either highway will get you to Fairbanks. We like to make a circle route between the two. This blog series will focus on the Parks Highway including the short leg from Anchorage.
The Parks Highway is a two-lane road that includes pullouts and occasional passing lanes. It is paved. The quality of the highway varies. Winters are harsh on the pavement. Add permafrost to the mix, and it seems that the highway is in various stages of repair. Parts of the highway are in great shape. You will appreciate those sections when you drive through other sections where frost heaves create a jarring roller coaster and sudden pavement breaks. Use the posted speed limit should as an absolute maximum. Please slow down and take your time. Your RV will thank you, and so will your treasures rattling around inside their cupboards.
Highway Repair Tips
Our harsh winters prevent any Highway maintenance until the weather warms up. Road crews are busy fixing and upgrading the highway all summer and into the fall. There is an old saying on the road system. Alaska has two seasons: winter and road construction. There will be gravel sections where highway repairs are in progress. Flaggers will be at either end of the sections where road repair is in progress. Plan some extra time for these stops. Pilot vehicles will guide you through the one-lane construction zones. Wait times can be very short, or up to 30-minutes. It all depends on the work being done. Here are some things to keep in mind:
If you want to avoid wait time, travel very early in the morning, on holidays or Sundays when workers tend to be taking a rest.
The latest highway projects are posted online. Check ahead of time for where the project is and its progress. (Insert link here)
Smile and wave to the flaggers. They are there for your safety and the safety of the road crew. Flaggers stand for hours in rain and shine. a friendly smile and a wave will always brighten their day.
Links to highway information:
Alaska Highway Resources
Current Alaska Highway Report
National Scenic Byway
The Parks Highway’s claim to fame is that it is a designated National Scenic Byway. This is, of course, a no-brainer. The mountains are spectacular. Wide open vistas will capture your imagination. Keep an eye out for wildlife such as herds of caribou, moose, and bears. Be bold. Turn off frequently to take photos. A pair of binoculars is worthwhile for viewing wildlife along the way. We like to break-up this drive with overnight stops along the way. The highway may be only 362 miles, but there is plenty to see and do. Parks Highway Part 2 focuses on the southern half of the Parks Highway from Anchorage to Cantwell. Cantwell is just south of the entrance to Denali National Park. It will also include information about the southern part of the Glenn Highway from Anchorage to the Parks Highway junction.
Knik River
Sometimes, just getting out of Anchorage is enough. By the time we finish off the last items on the to-do list and visit the family and friends, we are ready to find a quiet place to get sorted out. We like to camp on the Knik River. Take the turn-off just on the North side of the Knik Bridge. People camp out on the river’s sandbars. There is also an additional spot down the road that we call the swimming hole. Either place will work out fine to finish last minute projects and get into the RV-lifestyle travel mode. This is a boondocking spot, so if you need electricity, you may want to go elsewhere.
The only drawback to camping on the Knik River is the wind. If it is windy, you may want to skip because the sand swirls and blows around, getting into everything. The Knik River is a favorite place for people to get out with their ATVs. Weekends and holidays can be busy, but it usually gets quiet in the evenings. People are respectful in not being noisy at night with motors and generators.
Wasilla
Did you forget something? That’s OK because Wasilla is growing every year. It has about everything available that Anchorage has. If we spend a couple of days on the Knik River, we will top off the fuel and water at Wasilla. Fuel prices will go up from here north until you arrive at Fairbanks.
Wasilla is the junction point to turn onto the Parks Highway. If you are looking for a short side-show, a drive down to Big Lake may be worth it. There are some campgrounds in the Big Lake area. We have not stayed at them so do some research, or just wing it. It won’t take long to be back in Wasilla if it doesn’t pan out as expected.
Wasilla is the home of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race headquarters. You can pop in and see their displays and get information about this iconic race.
The Point MacKenzie Road is another side trip that may be interesting. We have not been down that way yet, so do some research before you go. Perhaps we will get down there later this year or next summer.
Houston
Yup, who would have known that you don’t need to leave Alaska to visit Houston. Just don’t blink because you will miss this small community. The people we have met here are super friendly, so it may be a sweet spot to stretch the legs and meet your new best friends.
Willow
Willow is about 90 miles north of Anchorage. At one point there was a push to make Willow the capital of Alaska. Voters turned down this opportunity a couple of times. Willow does have the distinction of being the official start of the Iditarod. The ceremonial start is in Anchorage, but the official race begins in Willow. The Iditarod is the first Saturday of March. If you decide on a winter stay in Alaska, this is a great time to be in Willow! Speaking of winter, the interior of Alaska is famous for the aurora borealis. Winter weather in the interior is often clear, so viewing the aurora is much more predictable.
Talkeetna
I love visiting Talkeetna. It is a quirky little spot that just can’t be missed. Do take the side trip up the Talkeetna Spur Road. The log cabins are fun to view, and the people are laid back and ready for adventure… or just hanging around with a cold beer. If the weather is clear, and you have some time (and some tourist dollars set aside), flightseeing to Denali and the surrounding area is a must do activity. I used to have property out on one of the remote lakes. The flight is so incredible that it will be one of the best memories that you will treasure and rave about for years.
Talkeetna is one of the main staging locations for mountain climbers that climb Denali. Talkeetna is also a great place to view Denali. In case you are wondering, Denali was called Mt. McKinley for a short time. Alaskans have always referred to it as Denali, the Great One, the Native American name for the mountain. It has now officially been changed back to its original name.
If you are feeling like a side trip, head on up the Petersville Road. I have only been part way up this road, so I have no recent information. Get adventuresome and check it out! This area has numerous homesteads. The people here guard their private, independent lifestyle. Meet some of the people of Trapper Creek and Petersville and learn a bit about the trapping and homesteading lifestyle. Beware, the Talkeetna area is one of those places that people arrive, fall in love, and never leave!
Cantwell
Cantwell is just south of the entrance to Denali National Park. There are a few shops and touristy type activities. To me, it’s a great spot to stretch the legs and then make plans for our stay at the park – which will be in next blog post.
The Alaska Milepost
If you are interested in all the minor details, especially tourist attractions, a copy of the Alaska Milepost is an excellent resource. I used to buy it every time we planned a major Alaska road trip. My only beef with the publication is that seems to cater to its advertisers, so there is little mention of the many free, out of the way adventures that budget minded people are seeking. They also have an app.
Alaska App
Speaking of apps, check out this free Alaska app for fun things to see and do while you are traveling in the Great Land.
The Alaska App
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