Scenic place to stay between Talkeetna and Denali Entrance

[jim_doty]

Four of us (photographer husbands and non-photographer wives) are on

our first trip to Alaska in late August. Day One we drive from

Anchorage to "somewhere." Day Two we drive to the park entrance to

catch the bus to Camp Denali.

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We are looking for "somewhere," a scenic location to stay overnight

at the end of our drive on Day One.

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Preferences: We would like to stay at some scenic location where the

husbands can wander around at the end of the day and take photos. We

want to do most of our driving on Day One so we don't have far to

drive before the long bus trip on Day Two.

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I have been told by one non-photographer couple that they wished they

had avoided staying with the crowds at the park entrance. Is this

good advice?

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What "somewhere" places would you recommend? If you have a favorite

motel, B&B, or place to eat to recommend also, that would be helpful

too.

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If my search missed the answer somewhere in the existing threads,

send me to the right place.

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Thanks.

[cwphoto]

Jim, I have been to Denali twice in the past three years. I would recommend staying at one of the motel or campgrounds south of the Park entrance. You can't miss them, about 10 miles south of the entrance on the Parks Highway. If you have clear skies, there are wonderful opportunities to photograph Denali long before you reach the park. Good photos can be had from highway pull-offs. God speed.

[ron_niebrugge]

I have stayed at the McKinley Princess on my way to Denali. The rooms are ok, the common areas very nice. It will give you a nice view of the South side of the mountain, and leave you with about a 100 miles to the Park entrance. The Park entrance area will not give you a view of the mountain, but you can drive the first 15 miles of the Park road in the evening, and may have some animal success. The McKinley Princess is about your only option, besides the entrance area, if you are not camping. As often as not, I usually sleep in my truck at one of the nice viewpoints, waiting for the light (this won't fly with non-photographic wives!)

 

If you stay in the entrance - eat at Lynx Pizza. The entrance area does begin to slow towards the end of August. Many people arrive at the Park without reservations and end up spending a couple of days at the entrance waiting to get in. You won't be in that situation. Enjoy!

[mark_haflich]

Weather--impossible to predict in advance will dictate what would have been your optimum choice. The last time we went to Denali we took a van ride from Anchorage at the crack of dawn and it rained the whole way. However, the weather at the park gate was great, a quick lunch at the park hotel, and the highlight of the whole Denali trip--the Camp Denali/North Face Lodge Mercedes bus ride in. A long, thankfully slow trip in, stopping to see everything and stopping for a smoked salmon picnic supper. This is nothing like the Park buses. The Camp Denali/North Face operation only fills each bus about 1/3 full so there is lots of room to spead out, everybody has a window seat etc. The ride back to the gate is a race to get there for the train back to Anchorage (the bus stops for only something really special and the stops are quick)--an awful train ride to be avoided at all costs. I would stay near the Park gate (a 100 miles away is way too far considering the many hours you will be on the Camp Denali bus). The whole area is scenic and you will have lots of photographic opportunities when driving in on the bus. The first day down the Park paved road may indeed yield some wildlife shots. When you get to Camp Denali you can ask them to take you back into the Park (they are grandfathered with rights of bringing their clients back into the Park) The other operators only can transport their clients to their lodge and back to the gate. The Camp Denali people will provide you with a lunch and a pick up spot and time. If the weather is good a trip back to Wonder Lake can yield some spectacular scenic shots. Have a great trip.

[fred_scholtz]

Try Steve Gilroy's new Denali Overlook Inn in Talkeetna. Steve is one of the finest Alaska photographers and the Inn overlooks the mountain from the South. Great evening and morning shots. Plenty of time to get to McKinley Village.

[charles_keller]

Highly recommend LesLee and Norm Solberg's Denali View B&B in Talkeetna. Contact them at denaliviewbb@worldnet.att.net Most gracious hosts, know the area and have leverage w/various Denali services. Beautiful Denali views from their deck. Charlie Keller

[leslee_solberg]

There are many wonderful B&B's at the Denali National Park in a small town north of the park about 12 miles. We have viewed most all of them and find them wonderful and gracious. If you would like references and more information just let me know I would be happy to refer you. We have many guests that choose Talkeetna, Alaska as an alternate to the congestion at the Park. It is the best place to see Mt. McKinley. But if you want to see animals while you are visiting Alaska.........go to Denali National Park, they have the most. One too must always remember that there are billions of acres of land in Alaska......why would WILD animals want to be where humans are? So if you do get to see them...count yourself not only lucky, but blest. Check out our state B&B web site for information. http://www.bbaa.alaska.com Hope to see you sharing in our bit of heaven on earth. LesLee/Denali View B&B, Talkeetna, Alaska. Thanks for the opportunity to share.

[joseph_a_worrall_md_rdms__]

By all means stay away from the entrance settlement: it is an absolute horror of over development! Of course if you want to photograph something like that, then you would be happy there.

 

North of the entrance is the town of Healy, referred to above. It is a nice place. And I agree that the area a few miles south of the Park entrance (I forget the name of it,?McKinley Village. I drove by it a few days ago) is nice. From the photographic point of view, I think it is better than Healy.

 

If the weather is clear, you can get a nice view of Mount McKinley at

Mary Carey's Mountain View Lodge, south of the entrance. And there are nice scenics all along the highway, depending on the weather and time of day.

 

Talkeetna is not very close to the Park entrance, and I have never been there.

 

I live in Fairbanks, and am presently visiting my son in Anchorage.

[jim_doty]

Looking for a nice place to stay near the park entrance?

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To answer my own question, we stayed at the Denali Lakeview Inn on Otto Lake near Healy, AK. This is only their second year in operation (2000).

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If you are looking for a place to stay near the park entrance (about 10 miles north) with beautiful rooms at good rates, I give this place a very high recommendation. The view across Otto Lake at the north side of Mt. Healy is very nice. The food nearby at the golf course is good too.

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Here is their web site and contact information:

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http://www.alaska-online.com/lakeview/index.htm

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Denali Lakeview Inn<br>

Mile 1.2 Otto Lake Road<br>

PO Box 14, Healy Alaska 99743<br>

Phone: (907)683-4035<br>

E-mail: LakeviewInn@BigFoot.com

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Thanks to everyone who gave us suggestions via this thread and by email.

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Jim