Unique Alaskan Experiences

Welcome to Beautiful Downtown Talkeetna!

Talkeetna is not one of those places in Alaska that you do not accidentally blunder into. You have to go looking for this gem. Although it can be reached by road from the Parks Highway (about 115 miles north of Anchorage and another 15 miles down the Talkeetna Spur Road), and is a stop on the Alaska Railroad, most tourists have never heard of this place.

Talkeetna is located in the shadow of Denali and at the confluence of three rivers. There are lots of opportunities for fishing in the area and Mahay’s offers a jet boat excursion, which is a lot of fun. Besides "flying" down the river I saw beavers, eagles and wonderful wildflowers in July. The trip also included a short educational walk discussing how the early settlers lived in the area and viewing model shelters, etc. There are also opportunities to take the train north and put in on the Big Su for a fun raft float back to Talkeetna.

If you are in Talkeetna on a day when the Hurricane Turn is running by all means ride along if you want to meet locals, see some great scenery and get some great pictures. These self propelled Budd cars run on the Alaska Railroad tracks as far north as Hurricane Gulch and back. The locals use the train to get back and forth to their homesteads. I met homesteaders, dogs that ride the train like people and got some fabulous pictures the last time I went. It leaves from the station right in town. The Hurricane is one of the last flag-stop runs left in America. I was the only "tourist" on the train the last time I went.

Many climbers stage here for their attempts to ascend Denali.(See the article from the ADN in the previous post.) The view of "The Great One" from Talkeetna, on a clear day, is breathtaking.

Many in town will tell you that Talkeetna was the model for Cicely, Alaska, the town featured in the old TV series, Northern Exposure. Looking around you can believe that that might be so. Slow down and sit a spell on the benches in front of Nagley’s Store, where the dial-up ATM on the second floor has been known to “eat” ATM cards when the power “blips”. Or if you are hankering for the best hand made burger and the most “sinful” ice cream in town head on over to Sparky’s Drive In. Sit under one of the umbrellas with the locals and make yourself to home.

Welcome to beautiful downtown Talkeetna!