Places to stay in Talkeetna

Visitors to this tiny, funky enclave are greeted by a “Welcome to beautiful downtown Talkeetna” sign casually painted on a collection of rough-hewn boards — a fitting introduction to a town that has hung onto its Gold Rush spirit. The downtown in question is about a block of shops, galleries, and restaurants housed in characterful buildings, many dating back to the early 20th century. The Talkeetna Roadhouse has grown up around a log cabin built in 1917, and serves sourdough pancakes made from a starter that reportedly dates back to 1902. Nestled in the shadow of North America’s tallest peak, Denali, the hamlet has become a base for rugged mountaineers and year-rounder residents with an iconoclastic spirit. The unincorporated village is famous for having appointed an orange cat named Stubbs as its honorary mayor from 1998 until his death in 2017. Located two hours north from Anchorage, the state’s largest city, Talkeetna is an ideal place to get a taste of small-town frontier life.

Deciding when to visit Talkeetna has a lot to do with your tolerance for cold weather, as both warm and chilly months have plenty to offer. Summers in Talkeetna are mild and even occasionally hot, and an ideal time to book a rafting trip on the Talkeetna or Susitna rivers, which flow right through town. In the winter, snowy sports like snowshoeing, skiing, and dog sledding take over. The entire month of December is devoted to Winterfest, an entertaining blend of the cozy — a tree lighting ceremony and light parade — and irreverent: a bachelor auction, and a Wilderness Woman competition in which participants haul water and chop wood.

Denali National Park and Preserve

You don’t have to be a seasoned outdoors person to experience Denali, the 20,310-foot-high peak that towers over Talkeetna. You can book a flightseeing tour year round with one of the local air taxi businesses, and take in breathtaking views of the mountain from above, as well as views of dramatic gorges and ice walls. You’ll have an unforgettable experience of wild Alaska, with plenty of time left over to grab dinner in town.

Talkeetna Cemetery

This small cemetery is inextricably linked to Denali. A whitewashed cedar telephone pole appointed with chainsaw-carved climbers memorializes those who lost their lives on the mountain. Don Sheldon, a legendary bush pilot known for rescuing mountaineers in trouble, is buried here.

Hurricane Turn Train

Traveling 55 scenic miles between Talkeetna and Hurricane Gulch — a verdant valley spanned by a trestle bridge — this train stops, well, anywhere. Lauded as the last “flag stop” train in the United States, locals rely on it for transportation to remote locales, and hail a ride by standing along the route and flagging it down — with an actual flag, a white T-shirt, or even their hands. Once aboard, passengers tell the conductor where they wish to stop. Make sure to grab food for the journey in Talkeetna — this rugged train doesn’t have a dining car.