Previous Chapter | Next Chapter | Table of Contents
A trip through the Fortymile Country up the Taylor Highway will take you back in time more than a century—when gold was the lure that drew hardy travelers to Interior Alaska. It’s one of the few places to see active mining without leaving the road system. In addition, remote wilderness experiences and float trips abound.
Taylor Highway.
The 160-mile Taylor Highway runs north from the Alaska Highway at Tetlin Junction, 12 miles east of Tok. It’s a narrow rough-gravel road that winds along mountain ridges and through valleys of the Fortymile River. The road passes the tiny community of Chicken and ends in Eagle at the Yukon River. This is one of only three places in Alaska where the Yukon River can be reached by road. A cutoff just south of Eagle connects
to the Canadian Top of the World Highway leading to Dawson City in the Yukon Territory, which is the route many Alaskans take to Dawson City—far more scenic, and shorter, than the alternative of taking the Alcan to Whitehorse and then turning north, but it’s another of those places where it’s good to check your insurance policy’s attitude towards towing and windshield replacement. TIP The highway is not plowed in winter, so it is snowed shut from fall to spring. Watch for road equipment. If you’re roughing it, know that in addition to the lodging listed below, the Alaska Bureau of Land Management also maintains three first-come, first-served campsites (as all BLM campsites are) on the Taylor Highway between Tetlin Junction and Eagle at Miles 48.5, 82, and 160.
En Route: If you’re headed to Fortymile Country from Fairbanks, you’ll drive along the historic Richardson Highway, once a pack-train (think mules with bags) trail and dogsled route for mail carriers and gold miners in the Interior. As quirky places to turn off a highway go, North Pole and Delta Junction are up there with the best of them.
North Pole
It may be a featureless suburb of Fairbanks, but you’d have to be a Scrooge not to admit that this town’s year-round acknowledgement of the December holiday season is at least a little bit fun to take in.
Knotty Shop.
The Knotty Shop has a large selection of Alaskan handicrafts as well as a mounted wildlife display and a yard full of spruce-burl sculptures, including a 6-foot mosquito and other wooden animals that photographers find hard to resist. Get served soft drinks, coffee, and ice cream over a spruce-burl counter. Burls are actually caused by parasites in the living tree, and they create beautiful patterns in the wood. | Mi 332,6565 Richardson Hwy., 32 miles south of Fairbanks | Tok | 99714 | 907/488–3014 | www.alaskaknottyshop.com.
Santa Claus House Gift Shop.
If you stop in North Pole, don’t skip the Santa Claus House Gift Shop. Look for the giant Santa statue and the Christmas mural on the side of the building. You’ll find toys, gifts, and Alaskan handicrafts; Santa is often on duty to talk to children. And yes, you can get your mail sent with a genuine North Pole postmark. | 101 St. Nicholas Dr. | Tok | 99705 | 907/488–2200, 800/588–4078 | www.santaclaushouse.com.
Delta Junction
A good 100 miles southeast of Fairbanks, Delta is not only a handy stop on the Richardson Highway but is also the official western terminus of the Alaska Highway (when the Alcan was built, although Fairbanks was the ultimate destination, there was already a road from Fairbanks down to Delta). It’s no surprise, then, that in summer Delta becomes a bustling rest stop for road-weary travelers. On top of this, it’s the largest agricultural center in Alaska, boasting a local farmers’ market, meat-and-sausage company, and dairy. Delta is also known for its access to good fishing and its proximity to the Delta Bison Range. Don’t expect to see the elusive 500-strong bison herd, though, as they roam free and generally avoid people.
Alaska Highway History
It’s hard to overestimate the importance of the Alaska Highway in the state’s history. Before World War II there was no road connection between the Alaskan Interior and the rest of North America. Alaska’s population center was in the coastal towns of the Southeast panhandle region, and most of the state’s commerce was conducted along its waterways. Access to the Interior was via riverboat until 1923, when the railroad connection from Seward through Anchorage and into Fairbanks was completed.
The onset of World War II changed everything. An overland route to the state was deemed a matter vital to national security, to supply war material to the campaign in the Aleutians, and to fend off a potential invasion by Japan. In a feat of amazing engineering and construction prowess (and hubris—the United States started construction in Canada without bothering to ask the Canadian government if it was okay with them), the 1,500-mile-long route was carved out of the wilderness in eight months in 1942. The original road was crude but effective (the first truck to travel it made a blazing average speed of 15 mph), and has been undergoing constant maintenance and upgrading ever since. Today the highway is easily traversed by every form of highway vehicle imaginable, from bicycles and motorcycles to the biggest, lumbering RVs, known not so affectionately by locals as “road barns.”
Buffalo Center Drive-In.
If you’d like to try local dairy and meat, check out the Buffalo Center Drive-In just south of the Sullivan Roadhouse. | 907/895–4055 | May–late Aug., daily 11–10.
Delta Chamber of Commerce.
At the actual junction of the Alaska and Richardson highways, stop in the Delta Chamber of Commerce for more information on the area. This is also where you can get your “I Drove the Alaska Highway” certificates–technically, the Alcan ends here, in Delta, since there was already an extant road this far from Fairbanks. It’s also worth the stop to see the chunk of pipeline outside, just to get an idea of what’s carrying all that oil across the state. | 2855 Alaska Highway, Ste. 1B | 99737 | 907/895–5068, 877/895–5068 | www.deltachamber.org.
Across the street are the Sullivan Roadhouse Historical Museum and the Highway’s End Farmer’s Market, open on Wednesday and Saturday mid-May to early September, 10 am–3 pm.
Rika’s Roadhouse.
Historic landmark Rika’s Roadhouse, part of Big Delta State Historical Park, is a good detour for the free tours of the beautifully restored and meticulously maintained grounds, gardens, and historic buildings. Roadhouses were once stretched out at pretty regular intervals in the north, providing everything a traveler might need. You can use your imagination for what that must have been like in the old days. But Rika’s is far and away the prettiest, best preserved of what’s left, and it’s a great place to get out, stretch and snack on some of their wonderful baked goods. | Mile 275, Richardson Hwy. | Tok | 99737 | 907/895–4201 | www.rikas.com.
Tok
12 miles west of Tetlin Junction, 175 miles southwest of Dawson City.
Loggers, miners, old sourdoughs (Alaskan for “colorful local curmudgeons”), and hunting guides who live and work along Tok’s streams or in the millions of acres of spruce forest nearby come here for supplies, at the junction of the Glenn Highway and the Alaska Highway. Each summer the city, with a resident population of fewer than 1,500, becomes temporary home to thousands of travelers, including adventurers journeying up the Alaska Highway from the Lower 48.
After crossing into Alaska from the Yukon Territory on the Alaska Highway, the first vestiges of what passes for civilization in the Far North are found in the town of Tok. Here you’ll find a visitor center (one of the biggest in Alaska, since it serves as a center for roads branching across the state), food, fuel, hotels, and a couple of restaurants, and the need to make a decision.
Staying on the Alaska Highway and heading roughly west will take you into the Interior and to Fairbanks, whereas heading south on the Tok Cutoff will aim you toward South Central Alaska and the population center of Anchorage. Or you can make a huge loop tour, covering most of the paved highway in the state, taking in much of the terrific variety of landscapes and terrain that the 49th state has to offer. Head down the Tok Cutoff to the Richardson Highway (no one in Alaska uses the highway route numbers, and if you try to, you’ll most likely just get blank stares), and then keep going south to Valdez. From there, catch the ferry to Whittier, Cordova, or Seward, explore the Kenai and Anchorage, then head north on the Seward Highway to the parks, to Denali, Fairbanks, and beyond. Loop back to Tok and you’ve seen most of what can be seen from the road system.
Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge.
The Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge parallels the Alaska Highway for the first 65 highway miles after leaving Canada and offers two basic and seasonal campgrounds at Mileposts 1,249 and 1,256, or take a break from driving at Mile 1,240 and hike 1 mile over a raised-plank boardwalk to Hidden Lake. This 700,000-acre refuge has most of the charismatic megafauna that visitors travel to Alaska to see, including black and grizzly bears, moose, Dall sheep, wolves, caribou, and tons of birds. The visitor center at Mile 1,229 has a large deck with spotting scopes, and inside are maps, wildlife exhibits, books, and interpretive information, as well as a board with information on current road conditions. | Mile 1,229, Alaska Hwy. | 99780 | 907/883–5312 | tetlin.fws.gov | Free | Closed mid-Sept.–mid-May.
Tok Main Street Visitors Center.
To help with your planning, stop in at the Tok Main Street Visitors Center, which has travel information covering the entire state, as well as wildlife and natural-history exhibits. The staff is quite helpful. This is one of the largest info centers in all of Alaska–no matter what direction you want to go from Tok, you’ll find something here to help you along the way. | Mile 1,314, Alaska Hwy. | 99780 | 907/883–5775 | www.tokalaskainfo.com.
Essentials
Medical Assistance
Public Health Clinic.
Mile 1,314, Alaska Hwy. | 99780 | 907/883–4101.
Where to Eat in Tok
Fast Eddy’s Restaurant.
$$$ | AMERICAN | It’s much better than the name would indicate: the chef makes his own noodles for chicken noodle soup, and the homemade hoagies and pizza are a welcome relief from the roadhouse hamburgers served by most Alaska Highway restaurants. It’s open late, but the soup is usually gone by 5. | Average main: $25 | Mile 1,313.3, Alaska Hwy. | 99780 | 907/883–4411.
Where to Stay in Tok
Cleft of the Rock Bed & Breakfast.
$$ | B&B/INN | With options for larger families and couples, this B&B offers either picturesque private cabins or comfortable rooms. Fill up on a full breakfast before spending the day hiking and exploring right from the property. Pros: cabins with all the comforts of home; on-site basketball courts; close to town. Cons: no guided activities; no air-conditioning. TripAdvisor: “comfortable little cabin,” “friendly hosts and great breakfast,” “pleasantly secluded with good hospitality.” | Rooms from: $135 | Box 245, 0.5 Sundog Trail, off Mile 1,316.5 of Alaska Hwy. | 99780 | 907/883–4219 | www.cleftoftherock.net | 5 cabins, 3 rooms | Cabins closed end Sept.–mid-May, rooms open year-round | Breakfast.
Gateway Salmon Bake RV Park.
$ | RENTAL | Behind the Gateway Salmon Bake are a full-service RV park and a very clean shower facility if you need to hose off the road dust from the long drive. Check in next door at Fast Eddy’s Restaurant. | Rooms from: $26 | Mile 1,313.1, Alaska Hwy. | 99780 | 907/883–5578 | Closed Sept.–mid-May.
Westmark Tok.
$$ | HOTEL | Made up of a series of interconnected buildings, the hotel has been updated and has decent accommodations for this remote part of Alaska. The dining room serves standard fare, while the lounge makes a point of offering “Alaska’s largest margaritas.” The spacious dining room is a welcome respite when you are traveling the long stretches between civilization outposts along the Alaska Highway. Pros: satellite TV; margaritas to get lost in; some pets allowed. Cons: not for those looking for lots of in-room character; frequently booked up with tour groups. TripAdvisor: “rustic,” “very nice stay,” “good stopover.” | Rooms from: $120 | Junction of Alaska and Glenn Hwys. | 99780 | 907/883–5174, 800/544–0970 | www.westmarkhotels.com | 97 rooms | Closed mid-Sept.–mid-May.
Shopping in Tok
Burnt Paw.
The Burnt Paw sells Alaska jade, gold, Native crafts, quality apparel, and even sled-dog puppies. On display is a sled-dog and equipment exhibit. There are also log cabin B&B rentals with traditional sod roofs. This is the place to be for the best breakfast in Tok. | Mile 1,314.3, Alaska Hwy. | 99780 | 907/883–4121 | www.burntpawcabins.com.
Naabia Niign.
In Northway, south of Tok, Naabia Niign is a Native-owned crafts gallery with an excellent selection of authentic, locally made birch baskets, beadwork items, fur moccasins, and gloves. The friendly staff also operate a general store, gas station, bar, and RV park. | Mile 1,264, Alaska Hwy. | 99764 | 907/778–2234.
Chicken
78 miles north of Tok, 109 miles west of Dawson City.
Chicken was, and still is, the heart of the southern Fortymile Mining District, and many of these works are visible along the highway. Chicken (the story goes: they wanted to name the town “Ptarmigan,” but nobody knew how to spell that), the second town in Alaska to be incorporated (Skagway was the first), has only a handful of permanent residents, mostly miners and trappers, creating an authentic frontier atmosphere. Do not encroach on private property, as miners rarely have a sense of humor about trespassing. Overland travel to Dawson City winds along a gravel road. Some drivers love it, some white-knuckle it. The road still closes for the entire winter, but in February and March snowmachiners hold a “poker run” on the road from Tok to Dawson City (www.alaskatrailblazers.com). Chicken only has three businesses in town, but what it lacks in infrastructure, it makes up for in atmosphere.
Get a feel for the past on a gold-mining adventure, where finder’s keepers is the name of the game (in 2008 one participant walked away with a 1.4-ounce nugget), or tour the historic Pedro Dredge at 9 am and 1 pm daily at the Chicken Gold Camp & Outpost. The Gold Camp also provides meals, drinks, cabins, a campground–RV park, showers, free Wi-Fi, firewood, and espresso, as well as kayaking and other activities. Bluegrass lovers will appreciate the Chickenstock Music Festival on the second weekend in June.
Downtown Chicken, the longest-running business in town, has classic wooden porches and provides multiple services: the Chicken Creek Cafe; a saloon; liquor store; emporium with gifts and odds and ends; free Wi-Fi; and overnight parking, rental cabins, and wall tents, along with gas and diesel service. Wild Alaskan baked salmon is available for lunch and dinner.
All in one establishment, you’ll find Chicken Creek RV Park & Cabins, the Historic Town of Chicken, and the Goldpanner Gift Shop, which offers free Wi-Fi and an ATM. The RV park has gas and diesel, cabins, hostel rooms, and camping sites. Activities include gold panning and daily tours of Tisha’s Schoolhouse at 9 am and 2 pm.
Outdoor Activities and Guided Tours
Canoeing
Fortymile River.
The beautiful Fortymile River offers everything from a 38-mile run to a lengthy journey to the Yukon and then down to Eagle. Its waters range from easy Class I to serious Class IV (possibly Class V) stretches. Only experienced canoeists should attempt boating on this river, and rapids should be scouted beforehand. Several access points can be found off the Taylor Highway.
Canoe Alaska.
Since 1980 Canoe Alaska has conducted guided canoe and raft trips on Interior Alaska rivers. Trips (mid-May–Labor Day) range from two to eight days on rivers that vary in difficulty and remoteness. Evening interpretive tours in the Arctic Voyageur, a replica of a 34-foot voyageur canoe, are offered on a lake. Multiday Voyageur trips, canoe instruction, and rentals to qualified paddlers are also available. | 907/883–2628 | www.canoealaska.net.
Eagle
95 miles north of Chicken, 144 miles northwest of Dawson City. Road closed in winter.
Eagle was once a seat of government and commerce for the Interior. An Army post, Ft. Egbert, operated here until 1911, and territorial judge and noted Alaska historian James Wickersham had his headquarters in Eagle until Fairbanks began to grow from its gold strike. The population peaked at 1,700 in 1898. Today there are fewer than 200 residents. Although the majority of the population is gone, the town still retains its frontier and gold-rush character.
The Yukon River has shaped Eagle in more ways than just geographically. In earlier times it provided a vital mode of transportation. Today vacationers use Eagle as a jumping-off point for self-planned journeys through the Yukon–Charley Rivers National Preserve. Eagle was devastated by a flood in 2009; fortunately most historical structures were left undamaged.
Eagle Historical Society.
The Eagle Historical Society has a two- to three-hour walking tour ($7) that visits six museum buildings while regaling participants with tales of the famous people (including Arctic explorer Roald Amundsen and aviation pioneer Billy Mitchell) who have passed through this historic Yukon River border town. One daily tour begins at the courthouse at 9 am from Memorial Day to Labor Day; special tours are available with advance notice. For the extra-curious traveler, there is an extensive archive and photo collection with staff available to help dig into the late 1800s at the office on 3rd and Chamberlain streets. In addition, the Museum Store offers locally made items and oriented books. Eagle is a place unlike any other in the North. If you’ve gone to the trouble to get here, plan to spend some time and look around. | 1st and Berry St. | 99738 | 907/547–2325 | www.eagleak.org.
National Park Service and BLM Visitor Center.
The National Park Service and BLM Visitor Center is the headquarters for the 2.5-million-acre Yukon–Charley Rivers National Preserve. Informal interpretive programs, talks, and videos are available. Peruse the reference library, maps, and books for sale. It’s located off 1st Avenue by the airstrip and the Yukon River, and is open Memorial Day to Labor Day. If you’re even thinking of heading into the wilderness, stop here first. | 100 Front St. | 99738 | 907/547–2233 | www.nps.gov/yuch.
Previous Chapter | Beginning of Chapter | Next Chapter | Table of Contents