The Northern Lights Road Trip In Alaska That's Downright Magical
By Courtney|Published October 28, 2016
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Courtney
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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.
Quite possibly the most magical thing to observe in the mighty last frontier is the Northern Lights dancing away in the night sky. Even the most seasoned sourdoughs never stop getting wide-eyed at these magnificent displays of mother nature. For your best chances of seeing the Aurora Borealis on this road trip you’ll need crisp weather and clear night skies.
Do it in reverse, camp along the way or spend a night soaking in a natural hot spring to break it up into a multi-day trip. Remember, life is about the journey – not the destination. The total trip takes about 13 hours of drive time and covers nearly 730 miles. We’ve included the Google Map here.
We will preface this article by saying that if you start this full road trip in Tok, you'll likely be traveling up the Alcan into Alaska. Tok is the home to Alaska's official welcoming committee as the first major community across the Canadian border. Welcome back to America - where the Northern Lights are like something straight out of a dream!
To get to Chena Hot Springs you'll need to take a bit of a detour, but once you arrive we promise that every added mile will be worth the time spent. View the aurora dancing outside or check out the museum with ice sculptures inside. Soak in a natural hot spring, spend the night in a comfortable room and hit the road tomorrow morning to continue your road trip.
If you're into winter camping, this place offers some of the most spectacular views that you'll ever experience in your life. Where the confluence of the Nenana River tributary enters the Tanana is quite spectacular!
This charming little community offers year-round accommodations right by Denali National Park. Stop and grab a bite to eat at Rose's Cafe and watch the Northern Lights the entire time you're driving.
Break up the long road trip by camping in the Denali State Park in Trapper Creek. Soak in views of mountains, glaciers and the larger-than-life Aurora Borealis show before hitting the road again the next morning.
Talkeetna is one of the most groovy and charming towns in Alaska, and the Northern Lights certainly add to its beauty during the fall and winter months. Grab a bite to eat the the Talkeetna Roadhouse or a healthy drink from Mountain Juice before getting back on the road.
Another little detour along the way that is worth every second of the drive. Watch the Northern Lights dance atop the Talkeetna Mountains and find your heart exploding with happiness.
Round out your road trip in Alaska's largest city of Anchorage and head up to flat top to soak in the Aurora Borealis dancing over the Chugach Mountains, the inlet and the city lights in the distance. Bonus: do this road trip in reverse and enjoy the same spectacular scenery going north instead of south.
