Do you want to know the best places for a fall trip? Right here in Alaska? Please don’t ask me — it’s a long list. Let’s just work on the trips that start with a K.
1) Kantishna. This is the old mining community located at the end of the 95-mile road through Denali National Park and Preserve. The only mining going on now is by guests who try their hand at gold panning in the creek. But Kantishna is a great destination if you want to see a side of Denali that few others visit. This is where Wonder Lake is — and where many of those iconic Denali photos are taken. There are several lodges, including Kantishna Roadhouse, Camp Denali, North Face Lodge and the Denali Backcountry Lodge. Each lodge has its own shuttle, so you get a tour of the park road as part of your stay.
Denali Backcountry Lodge is offering 50 percent off the second night’s stay on a couple of dates in September. The special includes all meals and activities, including naturalist walks and lectures at the lodge. The first night costs $509 and the second night is $254.50. Applicable dates: Sept. 3-4 and Sept. 10-12. Refer to discount code 15DBL2ND50.
2) Kenai Fjords National Park. This is a slam dunk. I’ve sailed on both Major Marine Tours and Kenai Fjords Tours in September, and they do a great job. There are two key words to remember: “weather permitting.” But the “national park cruise” to Aialik Bay is stunning. You’re likely to see all sorts of wildlife, including sea otters, puffins, eagles, sea lions, Dall’s porpoise and perhaps a whale or two.
Kenai Fjords Tours offers a 10 percent discount off its “room with a cruise” package in the month of September. The package includes overnight accommodations and the national park cruise. From Sept. 1-15, accommodations are at the Seward Windsong Lodge (on Exit Glacier Road) and the package is $206 per person, double occupancy. From Sept. 16-30, stay at the Hotel Seward downtown. The package price is $178 per person, double occupancy.
Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge, located near Aialik Bay in the heart of Kenai Fjords National Park, is offering a 2-for-1 special from Sept. 1-6 only. Your package price includes all meals and activities, including hiking, kayaking and canoeing. Your price also includes boat transfer to and from the lodge — it’s nearly identical to the “national park cruise” offered from Seward. The regular rate for overnight accommodations is $725 per adult. With this package, you get two nights for this price. Taxes and gratuities are not included.
3) Katmai National Park. There are several packages for bear-viewing and fishing at this national park. But I like the “Land of Katmai”tour, which includes a visit to the “Valley of the 10,000 Smokes.”
Visitors ride a custom-fitted bus up the 25-mile road to the rim of the valley. From there, you can look over a valley still covered in ash from the Novarupta Volcano, which erupted more than a century ago. A park ranger accompanies you on the trip and offers insight on the history of the volcano, its effects on the surrounding communities, the history of the park and the bears.
The tour is available between now and Sept. 18 for $1,198 per person. This includes airfare from Anchorage to Brooks Camp, two nights’ accommodations and the valley tour. There are 16 cabins at the lodge and all meals are eaten at the main building. Plus, there’s a big fireplace in the middle of the lodge, surrounded by comfy chairs. This is a great place to compare notes on fishing and bear viewing, too.
This isn’t prime bear-viewing season, but there are typically bears around — and the rangers know where they are. The fishing is fabulous in September for rainbow trout in the Brooks River.
If you don’t want to stay at the lodge, you can camp at the campground for $12 per night. You can also bring your own food, although there are strict provisions for preparing and eating your food in the campground, which is surrounded by an electric fence. Also, you’re welcome to buy meals and drinks in the lodge. You also can fly out to King Salmon using your Alaska Airlines miles (30,000 miles round trip in September). After that, catch a quick flight on Katmai Air to Brooks Lodge.
4) Kennicott. Deep in the heart of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Kennicott Glacier Lodge sits in the middle of the ghost town of Kennicott. When it was running, the Kennecott Mine was the world’s largest copper mine. The mine is actually spelled “Kennecott” due to a typo on the original paperwork. Don’t let a typo deter you from a wonderful adventure, though. You can hike on a glacier there or go river rafting. Hiking among old mining camps is a favorite activity, because the views from the mountaintops are great. Kennicott Glacier Lodge offers their “mountain view” rooms for just $99 per night Aug. 27 to Sept. 13. Be sure and save time for a tour of the old mine buildings.
5) Ketchikan. Because it’s the first stop on the cruise ship route up the Inside Passage, there’s plenty to see and do in Ketchikan, even if you just walk around town. The historic Creek Street district offers the “Married Man’s Trail” up past the old red light district to the Cape Fox Lodge. In September, thousands of salmon are still swimming up the creek — and bears are chasing them. The first half of the trail is on a boardwalk with shops and restaurants. From there, you can look down on the fish — and maybe see one of the bears. Be sure and check out artist Ray Troll’s shop, Soho Coho. If you don’t want to hike the trail, take the funicular that runs from Creek Street up to the Cape Fox Lodge for some great views of the city.
Go kayaking with Southeast Sea Kayaks. Their office is right on the dock. You can paddle around the creek, or take their water taxi to a more secluded spot for paddling around. Or, go on a Sea Cycle, which is sort of a bicycle on floats. Alaska Sea Cycles offers a couple of tours that depart in the protected area of Ward Cove, just north of downtown.
For a better chance at seeing some bears, drive out to Herring Cove, south of town. Or, you can catch a shuttle with Alaska Canopy Adventures, which operates one of the first ziplines built in Alaska. Since there’s a hatchery at Herring Cove, the bears usually are nearby. We took the zipline and whizzed right by overhead.
Check with the Ketchikan Visitors Bureau for more information.
If you want to fly to Ketchikan, the best deal is to cash in 15,000 Alaska Airlines miles. Or, you can pay $470 round trip. The mileage deal is great.
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