We Dare You To Take This Road Trip To Alaska’s Most Abandoned Places
Alaska’s vibrant past combined with the advances in society have inevitably lead to many structures and entire towns becoming part of our abandoned places in Alaska road trip. Add the fluctuating economy filled with the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows, and you essentially have an entire state that has gone through the financial ringer. We can’t forget about Alaska’s gruesome and wildly unpredictable weather patterns. Natural disasters alone have attributed directly to entire communities being abandoned in the Last Frontier, many of which were never able to rebound or rebuild.
Although this road trip only graces the surface on the many abandoned places in Alaska, it’s a great start to ease you into the alarming and positively mind-blowing remnants from the past. This lengthy trip takes about 24 hours and covers roughly 1200 miles of terrain, making it best to break up into a few days period. Better yet, take your time and enjoy all the other incredible sights along the way. To view the map with accompanying driving directions to all of these abandoned places in Alaska, click HERE.
We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life as we all practice social and physical distancing. While we’re continuing to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, we don’t expect or encourage you to go check them out immediately. We believe that supporting local attractions is important now more than ever and we hope our articles inspire your future adventures! And on that note, please nominate your favorite local business that could use some love right now: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nominate/
Because every good road trip is better when it starts on the beach, we're kicking off this awesome abandoned places road trip with a salty air drive along Lowell Point Beach in Seward. Look towards the beach and you're guaranteed to see three things: majestic mountain views, stunningly beautiful ocean views and the occasional abandoned beach house. Whether squatters or homesteaders originally built the houses is still a mystery, but the picturesque panoramic views shining through the abandoned structures are positively undeniable. Learn more about the Lowell Point State Recreation site HERE.
The Jesse Lee Home for Children in Seward was the second of three other child welfare institutions in Alaska with the same name. The first location was built and established in Unalaska (Dutch Harbor). In 1926, the home was moved to the coastal community of Seward on the head of Resurrection Bay. Damage from the 1964 Good Friday earthquake was too severe to rebuild, so the home was then relocated to its present location in Anchorage in 1965. Today the old abandoned building still remains in Seward and is a place where many children, teachers, caretakers and community members alike hold happy, fond memories from the past. To this day, this spot considered one of the haunted places of Alaska, but usually people hear cheerful laughter and skipping ropes. Learn more about this historical property HERE.
If you drive from Anchorage down to the Kenai Peninsula, you'll drive right through Portage and you might not even know it. The community of Portage was abandoned after the 1964 Good Friday earthquake and today isn't much more than an abandoned ghost town. It is however home to incredible places like the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, which definitely makes it worth stopping for.
Known as the 'weirdest city in the United States' where nearly the entire community lives under one roof, the town of Whittier is not for the faint of heart. Partially because of the isolation factor, and partially because of the super-creepy abandoned Buckner Building that is impossible to ignore from just about any vantage point in town. This old, abandoned military facility was abandoned in 1964 after it suffered immense damage in the Good Friday earthquake. Reports have even said that it is apparently very expensive to demolish because it is bomb-proof and full of asbestos.
To get the full scoop on this intriguing place, be sure to watch this tour through an old gold mine in Alaska that will transport you back in time. Independence Mine State Historical Park is located in the Mat-Su Valley, up the scenic mountain pass of Hatcher Pass and deep into the Talkeetna Mountains. Although the old gold mine is abandoned, it's still possible to enjoy very interactive walking tours all around the historic grounds.
These beautiful, rustic cabins sit abandoned and overlook the picturesque Lake Louise. They are said to be U.S. Army cabins and were built when Lake Louise was only accessible via float plane. In fact, rumor has it that President Eisenhower stayed in one of these many, many years ago. A true touch of Alaska's rich history, located on the shores of a spectacular natural landmark. Check out all the fun things you can do in Lake Louise State Recreation Area HERE.
To get the full scoop on this wild place, be sure to check out this eerie abandoned hotel in Alaska that's guaranteed to give you the chills. Located off the George Parks Highway on the way to Fairbanks heading north from Anchorage, you won't be able to miss this massive white structure that mimics an igloo. It was supposed to be a hotel but required permitting delayed the processes which eventually led to the building sitting abandoned for many, many years. In our opinion, this neat place is a 'dreamers paradise' as the possibilities for a completed masterpiece are truly endless.
This abandoned gold mining town has been transformed over the years and used to be a popular tourist spot. Visitors loved experiencing all of the remnants from the past while many chose to stay in old miners barracks have been restored to hotel rooms. Ester Gold Camp closed in 2008, but the grand reopening will be happening July 4th weekend! This remote area truly offers a one-of-a-kind visitors experience. This place probably has one or two good Alaska ghost stories to come out of it! If you want to stay up to date about their reopening, follow them on their Facebook page HERE.
The South Fork of the Fortymile National Wild, Scenic and Recreational River is where Alaskans and visitors alike can go to enjoy a touch of the past. It's the final stop on the road trip that also requires a touch of 'water baby' spirit. Hop on a raft and enjoy a relaxing float trip while experiencing remnants from Alaska's 1886 Gold Rush Era. You won't believe your eyes when you see the abandoned gold-mining dredges, turn-of-the-century trapper cabins and townsites along the way. Read more about the history of the area in this U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin HERE.
Have you visited any of these abandoned places in Alaska? Which one? Will you try the road trip to see them all? Let us know in the comments below!
Alaska has quite an exciting and storied past. In the 1800’s during the Gold Rush, a large number of miners arrived in Alaska to try to strike it rich. They moved into areas that previously didn’t have any occupants and quickly set up towns. These towns were more temporary in nature, because when a strike “played out,” meaning all the gold had been mined, they were quick to pack up and move to the next area where gold was found. This left many small towns abandoned, and you can visit quite a few of them throughout the state. Also large natural disasters that have occurred, most notably the Good Friday Earthquake, which damaged large buildings beyond repair. These buildings now sit unoccupied because it is too dangerous to go into without fixing, and too expensive to fix.
Are any of these abandoned places in Alaska haunted?
Yes, some of them are reputed to be haunted, including the Jesse Lee’s Children Home in Seward. There are also many hotels, bars, and restaurants in Alaska still currently in use that are also said to be haunted. Make sure to check out the Red Onion Saloon in Skagway for a great haunted story!
Living and loving life in Alaska, Courtney enjoys living a happy life based on simple principles; work hard, be kind, stay humble. She is an avid dog lover with hobbies that include running, fly fishing, hiking & snowboarding.
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