Alaska Journey | Alaskan travel, maps, plane tickets, deals, tundra trips, and what to see in Alaska

Alaska Highway - Deadman Lake

A few weeks ago, I brought you an abundance of relatively useless information about a campground that was not actually on the Alaska Highway. Who knew there were two Hidden Lake areas in Alaska? This week, with only slightly more confidence in my knowledge, I present to you another campground on the Alaska Highway: Deadman Lake Campground. Maybe I should have chosen a campground with a more appealing name to truly start off this series. But Deadman Lake seems nice enough, disregarding warnings about bear attacks and whatnot.

Because there seem to be many lakes with the name Deadman, it's somewhat difficult to comment on the beauty of the surroundings. Alaska, in general, seems to be a very naturally beautful place, so there is no reason to worry about that. The turnoff the reach Deadman Lake is approximately 26.6 miles from the Canada-Alaska border, or 42.8 kilometers. If you happened to stop at Hidden Lake, you would have only traveled about 11 miles (18 kilometers) to reach this campground.

Here are some of the necessary nitty-gritty details about the campground. There are 15 available campsites, of which 6 can house large motor homes. There are the usual campground amenities, including picnic tables and toilets. There is not, however, available drinking water. Backcountry camping is available throughout the Refuge (the place where Deadman Lake is), but one must be more careful around the wildlife. There are also Evening Wildlife Programs Monday through Friday at 7:00, where a ranger will educate you about your surroundings.

Alaska Highway - Hidden Lake

If you plan on driving to Alaska, chances are you will be on the Alaska Highway for much of your trip. As such, I am going to begin blogging about stops along the Alaska Highway that look interesting. Hopefully, I will keep in what might be considered a "chronological" (there's probably a word that means exactly what I want to say) order, or a log of locations from the Alaska-Canada border to Fairbanks (and then some!).

Thanks to the Google Maps, I have found a first location: Hidden Lake (I found it). Hidden Lake is about 4.8 kilometers (or 3 miles) off Alaska Highway. The road to reach Hidden Lake, Hidden Lake Trail, is just under 25 kilometers from the Alaska-Canada border. To find it, cross into Alaska and take the first* right.

Hidden Lake has many outdoor funtimes to be had. There are, for your camping convenience, 43 pull-in campsites, 10 self-contained campsites, and 5 bathrooms. For to drink, there are 5 hand operated water pumps for potable water. There is a $10 per night cost per campsite. There is plentiful water fishing, as well as ice fishing during the winter months (once the ice has been deemed safe).

Actually, all that was wrong. As it turns out, Hidden Lake is much more hidden that I previously expected. The place that I just described is located between the towns of Cooper Landing and Sterling, which is (humorously) on the Kenai Peninsula (which is the area I was trying to avoid writing about). Stay tuned for more on the true-to-its-name Hidden Lake.

Coastal Towns: Kalifornsky

In an attempt to tell you about a grouping of towns and locations in Alaska, I came across the simple town of Kalifornsky, Alaska. There are two reasons I chose to tell you about Kalifornsky, Alaska. The first reason has to do with the name; the second reason relates to the location.

Kalifornsky was originally noted as "Kalifonsky" by the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey in 1916. If there were to exist a name more awesome than Kalifornsky, Kalifonsky would be in the running. To further improve the fantastic nature of the name, the root of the city's name "kali" is an Indian word meaning "fishermen." While it might not be relevant to most, Kali is the name of my future wife. I think I might have found a wedding location!

I may jest somewhat about the name Kalifornsky, and I apologize. The true reason I chose Kalifornsky is for its location and its mysterious nature. There doesn't seem to be any information online about the local tourist scene, and the Facebook Places page raves a booming population of zero. A few weeks ago, I wrote about Kenai, Alaska, located on the Kenai Peninsula. Kalifornsky is located just ten miles south of Kenai, and if you take a trip down the coast on the Kalifornsky Beach Road from Kenia, you will pass through Kalifornsky and end up in Kasilof. The summer temperatures on the Kenai Peninsula hover around a comfortable fifty degree Fahrenheit, so I recommend stopping and taking as many nature walks as possible with exploring the small village of Kalifornsky.

To the Extreme!

"Point Barrow, the northernmost point in all U.S. territories, is located nine miles northeast of Barrow, Alaska."

I should actually say, "To the Extremes!" When it comes to most (adjective) geographical points in the United States, Alaska is a goldmine. There are two that stand out as particularly appealing, the northernmost point in all U.S. territories, and the westernmost point of the mainland Americas.

Point Barrow, the northernmost point in all U.S. territories, is located nine miles northeast of Barrow, Alaska. It is located 1,122 nautical miles from the North Pole. The local town of the same name, Barrow, Alaska, is the only U.S. city with an antipode on dry land. An antipode is the geographical point diametrically opposite a location. So it turns out you can't dig to China very easily, but if you want to go to some uninhabited part of Antarctica, head to Barrow!

The westernmost point of the mainland Americas is Cape Prince of Wales. It is located near the small settlement of Wales, which happens to be the westernmost settlement of mainland Americas. Once upon a time, I crossed the Great Continental Divide in Yellowstone National Park; as it turns out, I was only a few thousand miles from the terminus of the Great Continental Divide, located at Cape Prince of Wales.

If you are looking for especially amazing places to add to your scrapbook at home, Point Barrow and Cape Prince of Wales should make nice additions. Or, if nothing else, such a feat would make interesting converstation babble. And that's only a few of Alaska's most extreme locations--check out some others!

Coastal Towns: Kenai

Resting just south of Anchorage, Alaska, the Kenai Peninsula is home to one of Alaska's many coastal towns: Kenai. Kenai has many historical and natural attractions to whet the appetite of a Alaskan coast explorer.

The town of Kenai was official established in 1791, thirteen years after Captain James Cook explored the region. Russian fur traders were the ones who bestowed the name, and to the Russians many thanks are given for building the Holy Assumption of the Virgin Mary Russian Orthodox Church. Having been built in the late 1800s, and having suffered no major fire damage, this church contains some of the oldest traditional architecture. In 1867, the US bought Alaska from the Russians. A fort was built at Kenai, in what is now the Old Town district.

Walking tours are available to the public, as are maps to assist with self-guided tours. If you're looking for a place to start your Kenai adventure, the Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center is it. Maps are available for tours, and information about the local natural attractions are abundant.

If you're looking to get a little sand between your toes (although I imagine keeping your shoes on is advisable), the beaches of Kenai offer great wildlife watching opportunities, including bald eagles and seals. If you'd rather be by the water with your rod and reel, the Kenai River can be fished from Cunningham Park.

If you're floating along the coast of Alaska or in Anchorage, take the time to visit Kenai or one of its neighboring cities on Kenai Peninsula!

Road Trippin' to Alaska

My roommate and I have vowed to visit all fifty United States before we turn twenty-five. We only have two summers left, one of which will be a road-trip to Alaska. If the thought of driving a few thousand miles already has your stomach upside down, don't worry; mine is, too.

A site about travelling Alaska warns the trip "requires a little forethought" at times. Uh-oh. There were more than a few nights on my last road-trip where a comfortable bed was replaced with a slightly-less-than-comfortable carseat, and sleeping in the car at Death Valley Park or in San Francisco sounds infinitely better than sleeping in the car on the Alaska Highway (no offense, Alaska; I'm sure your Highway is wonderful). With that in mind, here are a few tips to enhance your car-sleeping.

Bring a light cover, too. Even if it is freezing outside, being crammed in a small space with two or three other people with very little ventilation makes it stuffy. If no one opts to crack a window, you won't want to be inside a zero degree bag all night.

Have plenty of food and water. No one wants to be stuck on the side of a road all night, hungry and thirsty.

It might get moist. If you are camping in a high-humidity area or it's been raining, water will build up on the inside of your windshield. Be prepared to wipe it off with a towel or rag, especially if you have to leave in a hurry.

Places to See Before You Die: Alaska

Seeing the Northern Lights has been on my Bucket List since I was a teenager. I’ve always been fascinated with the idea of seeing those blazing bursts of color; that said, I’m not sure my sensitive bronchial issues could handle that cold!

But there are so many other things to see in Alaska, too. Here are a few places and things you might want to include on your own Bucket List when you visit Alaska.

Denali Park. Mount McKinley can be found here, as can plenty of wildlife. It’s open year round and you can even stay in lodging at the park. If you want, you can make a checklist of the “Denali Big Five” to be sure to see, which includes moose, Dall sheep, grizzly bears, caribou, and wolves. If you book a tour, it may include lunch, hot chocolate, and other pleasantries.

See a Glacier. I hate to add “while they’re here,” but that just might be applicable. Portage Glacier in Anchorage is a popular choice. A short, affordable cruise is recommended for this day trip.

Go Alaskan wildlife viewing. This might include a trip with a guide or even an Alaskan cruise. Some animals that you might want to get a glimpse of include polar bears, gray wolves, humpback whales, moose, and bald eagles. Of course, you probably don’t want to see most of these animals very close up! You can even take a flight specifically for animal viewing that will ensure your safety while you spot bears and other wildlife.

Fish in Alaska. Alaska is a very popular vacation spot for avid fisherman, and there are plenty of places to get your fishing on during your vacation. Buskin beach is one of these favorite locations.

Iditarod. Dog races are not my thing, but every year people line up in huge numbers just to watch this Alaskan tradition. Many people might remember the story (and partially true cartoon film) Balto when they think of this, too.

Wetlands. These are a popular thing of beauty to see in whatever location they are in. In Alaska, Potters Marsh is a top pick of visitors. Bird lovers in particular may be able to spot many different species when walking across the marsh—which can be easily done by use of the wooden bridge constructed there.

Alaska Native Heritage Center. If history is your thing, or you simply want to know more about natives in Alaska, this is the place to visit in Anchorage.

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