Q: Where is the best place in Alaska to view the Northern Lights?
A: Generally speaking, the further north you can get – the better. One of the easiest to get to, and best cities to see the northern lights from is definitely Fairbanks. You can take the Alaska Railroad straight to Fairbanks from Anchorage, or make the drive up along the George Parks Highway. For lodging, check out Pike’s Waterfront Lodge, or the Alpine Lodge. Continue reading →
Q: Is the Denali Backcountry Lodge open year round? Can we take the Denali Backcountry Adventure in December?
A: The entire towns of Denali and Kantishna shut completely down from around September 15- May 15th. The traffic lights even shut off. There is no lodging in or around the Park Entrance during this hiatus. The Denali Park Road goes unmaintained after the first snow, and the wildlife in the park get a well deserved reprieve from human visitors. There are plenty of other activities you can partake in while you are staying in this winter wonderland though. One of the most treasured is seeing the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) in Fairbanks. There are also plenty of winter sports to enjoy including snowmachining, dog mushing, and skiing!
Q: Will my family be able to see the northern lights when we visit this summer?
A: Probably not. All of the pictures that you see of the Aurora Borealis (northern lights) are taken in the dark winter months. In summer, Alaska experiences a drastic change in the amount of light we get. Fairbanks and Denali can see upwards of 20 hours of sunlight, and the twilight hours, before sunrise and after sunset, can last the remaining 4 hours of the day. Because of how much sun is out, seeing the aurora is nearly impossible. Don’t worry though, there are plenty of tributes to the northern lights around the cities. You can see the beaded version at the Egan Center in Anchorage, and the ice re-creation at the Ice Museum in Fairbanks.
