Talkeetna is the quintessential small Alaskan town perfect for anyone wanting to get out into nature and partake of the countless outdoor activities the area affords. Whether its rafting, hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, mountain biking or any combination of the preceding, this place is a must-see. The town itself is just as attractive, with many of the shops operating in much the same way as they did almost a hundred years ago. The core downtown area has been deemed worthy of the National Historic Site status, with many of the original buildings built in the early 1900s still standing and operating in their traditional way.
For those who watched television in the 1980s, you may remember a show called Northern Exposure, with the famous opening credits displaying a moose sauntering down the town’s main thoroughfare. The idyll the show sought to capture was based on Talkeetna, and this laid-back, easygoing spirit still survives today.
Talkeetna is located an easy 2 hours, 30 minutes by road from the capital city of Anchorage, where most international flights arrive; and is situated at the head of three rivers – the Chulitna, the Sustian and the Talkeetna. This is a popular place for mountain climbers wanting to take on Mount McKinley, which has its base camp at 7,200 feet; clearly not for the amateur trekker. For those looking for a more laid-back experience, the summer season sees the ever-popular Moose Dropping Festival attracting artists and artisans from across the state and beyond to converge and set up their booths, hawk their wares and be merry in this convivial place.
Highlights
Mount McKinley: climbers worldwide dream of setting their picks in the flanks of this venerable peak, located within clear sight of town.
Talkeetna walking tours: get the lowdown on the city’s history and its evolution to its present incarnation, taking in plenty of local atmosphere along the way.
Moose Dropping Festival: come see the annual event where local and foreign artists convert this sleepy town into a party.
River boat tours: over 200 miles of scenic waterways are waiting to languidly roll by as you relax on the deck of a river boat.