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Top Reasons to Go | What’s Where |Getting Oriented | Exploring the Bush | Planning

Updated by Meredyth Richards

Often when an Alaskan talks about going out to the Bush, they mean anywhere off the grid, which is most of Alaska. However, it also refers tothose wild and lonely expanses of territory beyond cities, towns, highways, and railroad corridors, stretching from the Kodiak Archipelago, Alaska Peninsula, and Aleutian Islands in the south through the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta and Seward Peninsula and into the northern High Arctic.

For the sake of this guide, the Bush refers to this territory. The Bush extends over two-thirds of Alaska, where caribou outnumber people and where the summer sun really does shine at midnight; in fact, at the state’s northern edge it remains in the sky for several weeks in June and July, disappearing altogether for weeks in winter. The Bush is a land that knows the soft footsteps of the Eskimos and the Aleuts, the scratchings of those who searched (and still search) for oil and gold, and the ghosts of almost-forgotten battlefields of World War II.

If you visit the Arctic plains in summer, you’ll see an array of bright wildflowers growing from a sponge of rich green tundra dotted with pools of melting snow. Willow trees barely an inch tall might be a hundred years old, and sometimes berry bushes have berries bigger than the bush they grow on. In the long, dark Arctic winter, a painter’s-blue kind of twilight rises from the ice and snowscapes at midday, but the moon can be bright enough to read by, and on a clear night you will have a new appreciation for the depth of the heavens. Spring and fall are fleeting moments when the tundra awakens from its winter slumber or turns briefly brilliant with autumn colors. The Brooks Range, which stretches east–west across the state from nearly the sea to the Canadian border, separates the Arctic from the rest of the state. The Brooks is actually a superchain, including several mountain systems, from pale, softly rounded limestone mountains in the east and west to the towering granite spires of the Arrigetch Peaks in the heart of the range. Large portions of the Brooks Range’s middle and western sections are protected within Gates of the Arctic National Park and the neighboring Noatak National Preserve; its eastern reaches lie within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

North of the Brooks Range a great apron of land called the North Slope tilts gently toward the Beaufort Sea and the Arctic Ocean. The vast sweep of this frozen tundra brightens each summer with yellow Arctic poppies, bright red bearberry, and dozens of other wildflower species that pepper endless stretches of landscape. Beneath the surface, permanently frozen ground known as permafrost has shifted and shaped this land for centuries, fragmenting it into giant polygons that make a fascinating pattern when viewed from the sky. This same permafrost, due to global climate change, is melting rapidly, radically changing not only the lives of humans, but also the annual migrations of numerous different animals, as well as the very composition of the atmosphere.

At the very edge of this wilderness, where land meets sea, Prudhoe Bay, America’s largest oil field, was discovered in 1968. At its peak, more than 2 million barrels a day of North Slope crude from Prudhoe and neighboring basins flowed south via the 800-mile pipeline to the port of Valdez, on Prince William Sound in South Central Alaska. Today the flow has diminished to around 600,000 barrels per day, a number that decreases slightly every year and is the subject of perpetual political and economic controversy.

The rivers that drain the Brooks Range include the Kongakut, Kobuk, and Sheenjek, names that reflect the Native peoples who have lived here for thousands of years, ever since their ancestors crossed the Bering Land Bridge. The great Noatak River defies the Arctic’s north–south drainage pattern and runs east–west, making a right-angle turn before emptying into Kotzebue (kots-eh-bew) Sound. Perched on Kotzebue Sound is the colorful Inupiaq (the term “Eskimo” is falling out of favor, being replaced by local and more specific terms) town of Kotzebue, the largest Native settlement in the state and the jumping-off point for much of the surrounding area. Native ceremonial dances are demonstrated at Kotzebue’s Living Museum of the Arctic, as is the Eskimo blanket toss, a traditional activity dating to prehistoric times, when hunters were bounced high in the air so they could scan the horizon for seals.

Another coastal community, this one first settled by prospectors, is the former gold-rush boomtown of Nome, where you can still pan for riches. In early spring Nome celebrates the appearance of the sun with a golf tournament where the “greens” are painted on the ice of the Bering Sea coast. Nome also serves as the end of Alaska’s most popular sporting event: the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. The running starts more than 1,000 miles away in Willow (90 minutes north of Anchorage) the first Sunday in March. (The ceremonial start is in Anchorage the Saturday before.) About 9 grueling days later, the fastest dog teams make their way up Front Street to the cheers of locals and visitors from around the globe alike.

Southwest Alaska includes the biologically productive wetlands of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, where the state’s greatest river meets the wild ocean. Sloughs, ponds, marshes, mud, streams, and puddles in these flat regions near sea level can slow water travel to a standstill. The delta is one of the most important migratory flyways for birds in North America, and the waters teem with life. Farther south, Bristol Bay is the site of some of the largest salmon runs in the world. Nearby Wood-Tikchik State Park (the nation’s largest, at more than 1.6 million acres) encompasses huge lake systems and vast stretches of untouched wilderness where moose with antlers the size of end tables browse their way through the glaciated landscape. And on the upper reaches of the Alaska Peninsula the brown bears of Katmai rule a vast national park dominated by dramatic volcanic scenery. Also in the Southwest, the lower Alaska Peninsula and the Aleutian (pronounced ah-loo-shun) Islands reach well into the Pacific Ocean toward Japan. This chain beckoned Russian explorers to Alaska in the 18th century, as they tried to turn the islands’ sea otter population into furs to trade with China for tea. Along the 1,600-mile long chain of more than 70 islands, weathered onion-dome Russian Orthodox churches in Aleut villages brace themselves against fierce Pacific winds that blow year-round.

Unalaska, home of Dutch Harbor, is the largest town in the Aleutians and a former U.S. Navy base pounded by Japanese bombs in 1942. It is one of America’s busiest commercial fishing ports with annual exports of fish and crab of more than 1 billion pounds. Deep-sea trawlers and factory ships venture from here into the stormy North Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea. The Discovery Channel’s hit TV show Deadliest Catch has brought this brutal, difficult lifestyle and the characters it attracts to living rooms across the Lower 48. Although originally settled as an ancient Aleut village, Russian traders built churches during their time in Unalaska; in the town today you can tour one of the oldest and best-preserved Russian Orthodox churches in Alaska. North of the Aleutian chain, in the Bering Sea, the remote volcanic islands of the Pribilofs support immense populations of birds and sea mammals, as well as two small Aleut communities, St. George and St. Paul.

Alaskans who live in towns use the Bush as an escape valve, a place to get away. And those who’ve made the Bush their home are practically heroes to the rest of the state; they’re the people who are bold enough to do what the majority of urban Alaskans wish they could do. Bush Alaskans have a deep affection for their raw land that is difficult to explain to strangers. They talk of living with complete independence, “close to nature.” A cliché, perhaps, until you realize that these Alaskans reside in the Bush all year long, adapting to brutal winter weather and isolation, preferring to live off the road system. They know a store-bought hamburger will never taste as good as fresh moose meat, and whatever they’re missing by not having a cell phone can’t possibly be as interesting as the view out the cabin window. They have accepted the Bush for what it is: dramatic, unforgiving, and glorious.

Top Reasons to Go

Spend time in the company of bears: The Alaska Peninsula has the world’s largest concentrations of brown bears, which congregate near salmon runs each year.

Learn about Native culture: Native communities celebrate and support their cultural traditions. Come to the Bush for everything from blanket tossing to arts-and-crafts exhibits.

Go fishing: You’ll see 100-pound salmon, 8-pound trout, and be the only one on your block to know what sheefish tastes like.

Experience the Land of the Midnight Sun: Only north of the Arctic Circle is the sun above the horizon 24 hours a day in summer; in Barrow the sun doesn’t set from mid-May to August.

Get outside like never before: Want the world to yourself? Bush Alaska includes millions of acres of remote parklands and wildlife refuges, including the least-visited national park in the United States.

What’s Where

Southwest. This broad area ranges from the northern shores of the Shelikof Strait to the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. It’s Alaska’s least developed region; small Native villages are scattered across a wilderness rich in fish and wildlife.

Northwest and the Arctic. This region runs from the Seward Peninsula to Alaska’s northernmost mountain chain, the Brooks Range, and the vast plain of the North Slope. Home to the Porcupine caribou herd and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the Arctic is a balancing act of pristine wilderness, oil development, and villages where whale meat is still a vital part of the daily diet.

Aleutian Islands, Alaska Peninsula, and Pribilof Islands. Considered part of Southwest, the Aleutians are closer to Japan than to San Francisco. Even more remote are the Pribilof Islands; they’re the northern edge of Aleut settlement and the seasonal home of hundreds of thousands of seals and breeding birds, some seen nowhere else in North America. It’s a birder’s paradise.

Getting Oriented

As much a lifestyle as a place, “the Bush” generally refers to all of mainland Alaska that lies beyond the road system, plus the western islands. And that really means about 90% of the state. Geographically, though, the Bush encompasses all of western Alaska, from the North Pacific to the Beaufort Sea; that part of Alaska’s mainland lying north of the Arctic Circle; and a good chunk of the Interior. Figure it this way: if your cell phone works, you’re probably not really in the Bush.

Exploring the Bush

Philosophically speaking, the Bush is more a lifestyle than a location. It brings a new definition to “roughing it”; after you experience the Bush, you come to understand that the term “rural” only applies in the Lower 48, where there’s typically a nearby urban hub easily accessible by car to bail you out. But if a village or town store in the Bush runs out of something, it won’t be in stock again until the next delivery—whether it be by boat or by plane—which can take anywhere from a week to a month, maybe even not until the next spring after the ice thaws. People who live in remote Alaska towns and villages know transportation schedules like the backs of their hands, and they know that if they don’t show up at the store within hours of the supply boat or plane’s arrival, the odds of getting any fresh milk or vegetables are about zero.

Best Bets for Different Travelers

For an easy adventure in the wild:

• Take a tour with Nome Discovery Tours. See leftover artifacts from the gold rush, explore the tundra, and maybe even see some musk oxen.

• Get a complete tour of the Aleutian Islands by riding the Alaska Marine Highway from either Kodiak or Homer to Unalaska/Dutch Harbor. Bring your sleeping bag and birding scope. It’s a long trip, but will get you talking with locals better than any cruise can.

For serious animal watching:

• Head to Katmai National Park and watch bears from Brooks Falls or, if you can snag a viewing permit, McNeil River Falls.

• Make your way to the Pribilof Islands for birds and northern fur seals.

To get deep into the middle of nowhere:

• Take a guided trip into the Brooks Range and Gates of the Arctic National Park.

• Travel with Arctic Treks deep into the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

If you want major bragging rights:

• Visit Barrow, the northernmost city on the continent, and probably the only town where you can find whale spears in the hardware store.

Technically, the Bush is more or less any place in mainland Alaska that can’t be reached by road. To outsiders the Bush has three distinct divisions: The Southwest part of the Bush, the Yukon Delta region and Bethel down to the Shelikof Strait, is the preferred territory for sportsmen and those looking to spot big animals. The Aleutian and Pribilof islands and the Alaska Peninsula attract dedicated birders and history buffs. And the northern part of the Bush, from Nome to Point Barrow, is for those who see north as a direction to go. A lot of people may say they’re traveling to the far north for the Native culture, for a chance to see the beauty of tundra or experience the full splendor of the Midnight Sun, but really, most do it for bragging rights.

Of course, venturing to the farthest reaches of the Last Frontier at all is cause enough to boast; each region has its own distinct climates, people, scenery, and activities. Kodiak and Katmai are prime locations for grizzly viewing and birding. Nome is not only the best place for gold-rush history, but is also known for its large and small wildlife, bird-watching in summer, and pristine river systems for paddle adventures. No matter where in the Bush you go, that distinct Alaskan culture—created by the simple fact that the only people who live here are people who genuinely want to live here—is abundant, distinct, and welcoming.

A tour of the Bush’s Southwest region can begin in Bethel, an important outpost on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta (“YK Delta” to locals) surrounded by the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge. Off the mainland coast is the undeveloped wilderness of Nunivak Island.

The Alaska Peninsula juts out between the Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea; here are the Becharof and Alaska Peninsula National Wildlife refuges, as well as the prime bear-viewing area of Katmai National Park and Preserve. To the northeast of the Alaska Peninsula is the Kodiak Archipelago, where you’ll find Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge and Shuyak Island State Park.

The Aleutian Islands start where the peninsula ends, and sweep southwest toward Japan. The Pribilof Islands—windswept, grassy, with whale bones scattered on the beaches—lie north of the Aleutians, 200 miles off Alaska’s west coast. Head north along the Bering Sea coast and you come to Nome, just below the Arctic Circle and the Bering Land Bridge National Preserve. Kotzebue, just above the circle, is a coastal Inupiaq town surrounded by sea and tundra and a jumping-off place for several parklands: Kobuk Valley, Noatak, Cape Krusenstern, and Gates of the Arctic (though the last is more easily reached from the inland village of Bettles). Barrow, another Inupiaq community, sits at the very top of the state and is the northernmost town in the United States. Follow the Arctic coastline eastward and you reach Deadhorse, on Prudhoe Bay, the custodian to the region’s important oil and gas reserves. East of Prudhoe Bay is the embattled Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, a vast expanse of unexplored, roadless tundra spanning nearly 20 million acres.

Planning

When to Go

The best time to visit is June through August, when the weather is mildest (though you should still anticipate cool, wet, windy, and sometimes stormy weather), daylight hours are longest, and the wildlife is most abundant. Because summer is so short, though, things happen fast, and seasonal activities may need to be crammed into just a couple of weeks.

May and August are best for birding. The peak wildflower season is usually short, particularly in the Arctic, when most flowers may not blossom until mid-June and then go to seed by late July.

Salmon runs vary from region to region, so it’s best to do your homework before choosing dates. For the most part, though, you’re looking at July and August, which is also when the tundra starts turning from its summer hues to autumnal colors. The best times for bear viewing coincide with salmon runs. Note that fishing, bear viewing, and other wildlife exploration often involve licenses and permits that must be secured ahead of time, sometimes many months in advance. Few things about Alaska, especially during the too-short summer season, can be arranged on the fly. Plan ahead for best results.

Festivals

Just because this is a remote area, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing going on, and some of the festivals and events in the Bush could well sway your decision about when to visit. These are among the highlights.

Cama-i Dance Festival.
Each year on the last weekend in March, Bethel hosts a regional celebration called the Cama-i Dance Festival (in Yup’ik, cama-i means “hello”), a great time to experience Native culture. Held in the local high school’s gym, this three-day festival of Native food, dance, music, and crafts draws hoards of visitors from Bethel, surrounding villages, and beyond. Not to be missed if you’re around town! | Bethel High School | Bethel | www.camai.org.

Heart of the Aleutians Festival.
If you are lucky enough to visit Unalaska in August and able to catch the Heart of the Aleutians Festival, you’ll get to experience a beloved local tradition. The free, two-day festival hosted by the Department of Parks, Culture and Recreation brings residents of all ages together for Alaska Native art and crafts, specialty food, a Kids Tot Trot (fun run) and a 5k for adults, a bounce house, an egg-toss competition, and a variety of concerts by local musicians. It’s a much-anticipated celebration of summer, friends, family, and the community. | Kelty Field | Unalaska | 907/581–1297 | www.ci.unalaska.ak.us/parksrec/page/heart-aleutians-festival.

Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
This Olympics of dogsled racing is famous enough, and fun enough, to persuade spectators from all around the world to brave the Alaska winter to witness this massive feat of endurance for mushers and their dogs, and join in the celebrations at the finish point. The race, run in March, covers 1,049 snowy miles between Willow, 90 miles north of Anchorage, and Nome. | 907/376–5155 | www.iditarod.com.

Kuskokwim 300 Dog Sled Race.
Each January, the Kuskokwim 300 dogsled race (“K300” to locals) brings mushers and fans from afar to Bethel, where the 300-mile race both starts and ends. Similar to the Iditarod’s rooting in Alaska history, the K300 course commemorates one of the earliest mail routes used in the Bush. Weather conditions at this time of year are notoriously harsh and the trail is difficult, but the $100,000 purse for the winner—the largest of any mid-distance dogsled race—is a nice reward for such grueling work. Smaller, shorter races happen later in the winter in Bethel as well. All are a sight to see! | Downtown | Bethel | 907/545–3300 | www.k300.org.

Getting Here and Around

Direct flights on major carriers are possible to Barrow, Bethel, Dutch Harbor, Kotzebue, and Nome. But once you reach these hubs, it’s nearly impossible to travel around the Bush without taking an air taxi or private air charter. A few areas are accessible by boat, even fewer are accessible by car.

Air Travel

Alaska Airlines flies within the state to most major communities. Pen Air, Ravn Alaska, Yute Air, Wright Air Service, and Grant Aviation serve the smaller communities on the Alaskan Peninsula, the Aleutian and Pribilof islands, and parts of the Arctic, Interior, and northwest.

Bush-based carriers such as Bering Air also offer flightseeing tours and, weather and politics permitting, specially arranged charter flights to the Provideniya Airport in the Chukotka Region, on the Siberian coast across the Bering Strait. Currently, it is mandatory for Americans to obtain a visa, migration card, and permission to go to Russia in advance of travel—this can take time, so plan ahead. Applications for visas are available up to 90 days before travel. The process starts at $140 with an additional per-visa cost of $30 and can take 20 business days. The Consulate General of the Russian Federation recommends working through a Russia-sponsored travel agent to secure a travel visa.

Information about certified air-taxi operations is available from the Federal Aviation Administration. Individual parks and Alaska Public Lands Information centers can also supply lists of reputable air-taxi services. Make your reservations in advance, and always plan for the unexpected; weather often delays a scheduled pickup for days.

Air Contacts
Alaska Airlines. | 800/252–7522 | www.alaskaair.com.
Bering Air. | 907/443–5464 in Alaska, 800/478–5422, 907/443–8988 for Russian desk | www.beringair.com.
Grant Aviation. | 888/359–4726 for general reservations | www.flygrant.com.
Federal Aviation Administration. | 907/271–5438 | www.faa.gov/airports/alaskan/about_airports.
Pen Air. | 907/771–2640, 800/448–4226, 907/771–2599 for charter-flight reservations | www.penair.com.
Ravn Alaska. | 907/266–8394 in Anchorage, 800/866–8394 outside Anchorage | www.flyravn.com.
Wright Air Service. | 907/474–0502 for general reservations, 907/474–0542 for charter-flight reservations | www.wrightairservice.com.
Yute Air. | 907/543–3003 from Bethel, 800/416–4198 outside Alaska, 907/342–3010 from Anchorage, 907/543–3030 for Bethel charters | www.yuteair.net.

Boat Travel

In the Aleutians, the Alaska Marine Highway, the state’s amazing ferry system, makes one trip a month between Kodiak and Dutch Harbor/Unalaska from April through October. It’s not for the hurried traveler, however; expect four to five days of travel each way and minimal on-boat luxuries. With many stops in far-flung towns, the ferry is a truly memorable way to get a full taste of Alaska’s massive geography, unparalleled natural scenery, and medley of local cultures.

Boat Contacts
Alaska Marine Highway. | 800/642–0066 outside Alaska, 907/465–3941 in Alaska | www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs.

Car Travel

The unpaved Dalton Highway connects with the state’s paved highway system and traverses the Arctic, but it only leads to the oil fields of Prudhoe Bay. For those looking to tackle the journey north by road, prepare for flat tires, cracked windshields, and a slow-going drive. Check with your rental car company to confirm you are permitted to take the vehicle on the Dalton Highway. If so, consider investing in additional auto insurance as well as a basic roadside repair kit and a satellite phone. Pack extra food, gear, gas, and supplies in case of an accident or breakdown.

Health and Safety

When traveling in the Bush, you should never head out without a decent first-aid kit; you can be a very long way from help out here. The main concern, though, is hypothermia. Always carry more layers than you anticipate needing. Watch out for each other. Encounters with wild animals—bears, moose, caribou, and eagles—are common, if not expected. Stay aware, keep your distance, and remember that these animals are not domesticated pets; they are wild and, in some cases, predatory. However, a much more consistent nuisance than Alaska’s mammals and birds are Alaska’s insects—until you’ve experienced it, it’s hard to understand just how thick the mosquitoes and other things that bite can get in summer. Bring plenty of DEET.

Money Matters

Many small villages don’t have bank offices, so visitors should bring cash. Most places within the larger Bush communities accept major credit cards, but don’t take that for granted. Always be sure to confirm in advance what sort of payment tour companies, hotels, and restaurants accept. Hub communities that do have bank services are Nome, Bethel, Kotzebue, Barrow, and Unalaska.

Tours

Package tours are the most common way of traveling to Bush communities, where making your flight connections and having a room to sleep in at the end of the line are no small feats. During peak season (late May through Labor Day) planes, state ferries, hotels, and sportfishing lodges are often crowded with travelers on organized tours; to create a trip on your own can sometimes mean making reservations a year in advance for the really popular destinations. But the Bush is also large enough that there’s always somewhere to go, and wherever you end up the odds are it will be amazing and like nothing you’ve ever seen before.

The type of tour you choose will determine how you get there. In most cases this will be by air, since flying is the only way to access the vast majority of Bush communities. By flying to and from your destination, you get there relatively quickly and enjoy an aerial perspective of the Arctic en route. Tours to Arctic towns and villages are usually short—one, two, or three days—so it’s easy to combine them with visits to other regions. Road tours up the Dalton Highway are not common, but also not impossible. Northern Alaska Tour Company and Arctic Outfitters offer overland tours on the Dalton Highway, with the latter even renting road-ready vehicles for self-guided land tours. Even more so than usual driving in Alaska, taking to the Dalton Highway on your own can be risky; the road is unpaved, mostly un-maintained, and completely lacks the modern roadside convenience stores and gas stations. Do research first and be prepared for a long, bumpy, and potentially hazardous ride (flat tires and cracked windshields are the norm). Before departing in a rented car, check with your rental car company about any provisions, exclusions, and extra insurance you might need to make the rough drive.

The Bush is home to many Alaska Native groups, quite a few of which are active in tourism. Often, Native corporations and local village corporations act as your hosts—running the tours, hotels, and attractions. Nome Tours and Marketing (book through Alaska Airlines Vacations) provides ground transportation from the airport and accommodations, as well as guided tours around town and other services for visitors to Nome. (It is not Native-run/owned though.) The NANA Regional Corporation provides ground transportation and accommodations in Kotzebue as well as at Prudhoe Bay, in conjunction with bus tours. If you visit Barrow and stay at the Top of the World Hotel, Tundra Tours (book through the hotel), owned by the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, will be your host.

The Northern Alaska Tour Company conducts highly regarded eco-tours to the Arctic Circle, the Brooks Range, and Prudhoe Bay that emphasize natural and cultural history, wildlife, and geology. Groups are limited to 25 people on Arctic day tours and to 10 people on Prudhoe Bay overnight trips. Some tours are completely ground-based; others include a mix of ground and air travel. Another eco-tourism company, Fairbanks-based Arctic Treks, leads small groups on hiking, rafting, and backpacking adventures through the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Gates of the Arctic National Park, Noatak National Preserve, Kobuk Valley National Park, Cape Krusenstern National Monument, and Bering Land Bridge National Preserve.

Alaska Airlines Vacations.
Operated in partnership with Explore Tours, Alaska Airlines Vacations offers a wide range of tours and experiences, from rustic backcountry itineraries with camping, fishing, and hiking to all-inclusive, guided siteseeing tours on buses, the Alaska Railroad, small cruise ships, and by air. Alaska is made accessible to travelers of all interests and ages. Their “add on” adventures are also available to those on independently planned vacations. | 866/500–5511 for general reservations, 907/786–0192 from Alaska | www.alaskavacationsalaska.com | Overnight packages from $700; “add on” adventures from $75.

Take to the Skies

Roads in the Bush are few, so airplanes—from jetliners to helicopters to small Bush planes—are the lifelines. Alaska has six times more pilots and sixteen times more planes per capita than anywhere else in the country. Flying is truly a way of life here. Throughout Alaska you’ll hear about the legendary pilots of the far north—Noel and Sig Wien, Bob Reeve, Ben Eielson, Harold Gillam, Joe Crosson, Jack Jefford, and others—who won their wings in the early years. They are Alaska’s counterparts to the cowboy heroes of the Wild West. And just as in the Wild West, the adventure came with risk: the Bush is where America’s favorite humorist, Will Rogers, died in a crash with famed aviator Wiley Post in 1935.

Arctic Outfitters.
Year-round tours of the Dalton Highway and Arctic Ocean, by land or air, can be arranged. Day trips, overnight trips, and four-day tours (all out of Fairbanks) are among the options, with add-ons such as dogsledding in winter. Car rentals for Dalton Highway driving are also provided. | 907/474–3530 | www.arctic-outfitters.com | Day trips from $189; 3-day tours from $1,089.

Fodor’s Choice | Arctic Treks.
Operating exclusively in Alaska’s Arctic region, Arctic Treks’ experienced guides make exploring a vast and ordinarily inaccessible wilderness possible. Rafting, backpacking, fishing, and camping trips range from four to 10 days and take guests to some of the most remote locations in the Brooks Range. | 907/455–6502 | www.arctictreksadventures.com | Packages start at $3,500.

Northern Alaska Tour Company.
All-season land and air adventures into Alaska’s Arctic can be arranged with this company. Their day or overnight trips operate out of Fairbanks and include polar-bear expeditions, tours of Alaska Native villages and the Prudhoe Bay oil fields, and winter views of the Northern Lights. | 907/474–8600, 800/474–1986 | www.northernalaska.com | Day tours from $189; overnight packages $470–$2,300.

Tundra Tours.
This company will ensure you make the most of your trip to the top of the world. Their five-hour guided day tour gives you a chance to see wildlife such as polar bears, caribou, and Arctic Fox; walk on the Tundra and dip your toe in the Arctic Ocean; learn about Barrow’s historical sites and memorials; and sometimes even join in the Alaska Native song and dance at an Eskimo celebration. | 907/852–3900 | www.tundratoursinc.com | Individual day tour $300; group packages available.

Wilderness Birding Adventures.
This Homer-based outfitter runs intermittent small-group bird-watching and wilderness trips across Alaska, including the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge, Barrow, Dutch Harbor, Nome, and the Pribilofs. Bringing travelers passionate about the outdoors to some of the most remote locations in the state (plus Bhutan) is their specialty, so you’re in very good hands. Private trips combining birding, hiking, and river rafting are also available. | 40208 Alpenglow Circle | Homer | 907/299–3937 | www.wildernessbirding.com | From $1,500.

Restaurants

Dining options are few when traveling around Alaska’s Bush; smaller communities may have one or two eateries, if any at all. On the bright side, you won’t need to worry about reservations. If they’re open, they’ll let you in, and you’ll likely be surprised at the variety available: in addition to Alaskan seafood, game, and locally grown vegetables, Mexican and Asian fare are standard, even in the state’s remotest corners. Usually Bush restaurants will feature two or three different cuisines. All food prices, including at grocery shops, will reflect large transportation charges, so be prepared to pay. Prices in the reviews are the average cost of a main course at dinner or, if dinner is not served, at lunch.

Hotels

Lodging choices in the Bush are also limited. Some communities have a single hotel; the smallest have none. Others have a mix of hotels and bed-and-breakfasts. As a rule, rooms are very simply furnished and not always updated. You may have to share bathroom or kitchen facilities. Rooms go fast during the summer season, so book as far ahead as possible. And it never hurts to carry a tent as backup so you’ll never be without a place to stay. Prices in the reviews are the lowest cost of a standard double room in high season.

Visitor Information

Getting Outside

The Bush presents some of the world’s best opportunities to participate in backcountry adventures, from canoeing to wildlife viewing. The following organizations can help you get in touch with your inner explorer and make sure you have all necessary permits and gear.

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