Talkeetna: the Starting Point For Mt. Denali

Photo by L J Ribar on Unsplash

Alaska is full of incredible nature, quirky places, and extreme weather. Talkeetna is no different, and this small town of adrenaline hikers is famous for electing a cat as their mayor to show how self-governed they are!

Although it is famous for being the starting point for hikers trying to reach the peak of Mt. Denali, the tallest mountain in North America, there is plenty to do here even if you are not an avid climber. Talkeetna is famous for its small flight companies who will fly you over Mt. Denali, glaciers, or even Denali National Park.

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First of July summer of 2019

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Other activities include ziplining, river tours, and hiking, and on a clear day, you can see the incredible sight of snow-peaked Denali in the distance. Some of the more famous pictures of the mountain are taken from the town with the Talkeetna River adding an extra backdrop.

On summer evenings head downtown for some great restaurants and bars. In June and July, the sun will be out until 1 or 2 AM and most nights will have live music coming from the lively bars. You can hear stories over a cold beer from the tired hikers who came back from their multi-week hike up Denali, as the small town of 800 comes alive on long summer nights.