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The Facts

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RV'ers take note: Road conditions vary widely in Alaska, and the going can be rough on unpaved routes in remote areas. We were on the road three to four hours on the days we were driving, sometimes covering 180 miles, other times barely 60.

An RV Itinerary Through South-Central Alaska

DAY 1 (135 miles)
Anchorage to Talkeetna (via Glenn Highway, Hatcher Pass Road, George Parks Highway, Talkeetna Spur Road).

Talkeetna Camper Park
NIGHTLY FEE $18. MILE 13.5, TALKEETNA SPUR RD. 907/733-2693; www.talkeetnacamper.com

DAY 2 (180 miles)
Talkeetna to Teklanika Campground, Denali National Park (via Talkeetna Spur Road, George Parks Highway, Denali Park Road).

Teklanika Campground
NIGHTLY FEE $18. MILE 29, DENALI PARK RD. 800/622-7275 OR 907/272-7275; www.aramarkparks.com

Contact Doyon/Aramark, Denali's concessionaire, well in advance to make reservations for summer. Before booking, visit www.nps.gov/dena to learn about campsites and park rules and facilities. Because services in the park are limited, RV'ers must dump waste tanks, fill water tanks, and stock up on essentials before entering. Do this at Lynx Creek Store & Deli (Mile 238.6, George Parks Hwy.; 907/683-2548), just north of Denali's entrance in the Nenana Canyon area. On arrival at the park, stop by the Visitors Center (Mile 1, Denali Park Rd.; 907/683-2294) to check in, find out bus schedules, and sign up for tours and evening programs.

DAYS 3-5
At Teklanika Campground, Denali National Park.

DAY 6 (116 miles)
Teklanika Campground to Mile 60 on Denali Highway, a good place to pull over for the night (via Denali Park Road, George Parks Highway).

DAY 7 (178 miles)
To Chitina, at the entrance to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Spend the night beachside on the Copper River (via Denali Highway, Richardson Highway, Edgerton Highway).

Wrangell-St. Elias Visitor Center
MILE 106.8, RICHARDSON HWY. 907/822-5234; www.nps.gov/wrst

DAY 8 (60 miles)
Chitina to McCarthy (via McCarthy Road).

West McCarthy Wayside Park
NIGHTLY FEE $20. MILE 60, MCCARTHY RD. 907/746-0606

St. Elias Alpine Guides
Tours of Kennecott mine. $25 PER PERSON. 888/933-5427 OR 907/345-9048; www.steliasguides.com

DAY 9 (90 miles)
Backtrack to Kenny Lake (via McCarthy Road, Edgerton Highway).

Wrangell Mountain Air
Glacier flightseeing, $70-$170 PER PERSON. MAIN ST., MCCARTHY; 800/478-1160 OR 907/554-4411; www.wrangellmountainair.com

Kenny Lake Mercantile & RV Park
NIGHTLY FEE $15. MILE 7.2, EDGERTON HWY. 907/822-3313

DAY 10 (90 miles)
Kenny Lake to Valdez (via Edgerton Highway, Richardson Highway).

Sea Otter RV Park
NIGHTLY FEE $25. 2787 S. HARBOR DR., VALDEZ; 907/835-2787

Alaska Marine Highway System
For reservations on the ferry from Valdez to Whittier. 800/642-0066 OR 907/465-3941; www.alaska.gov/ferry

DAY 11 (100 miles)
Valdez to Bird Creek Campground (via ferry on Prince William Sound to Whittier, Alaska Railroad Tunnel to Portage Glacier Road, Seward Highway).

Bird Creek Campground
NIGHTLY FEE $10. MILE 101, SEWARD HWY.; NO PHONE

DAY 12 (37 miles)
Bird Creek Campground to Anchorage. Return RV, explore Anchorage, and fly home.

Alaska Native Heritage Center
Run by Aleuts, Athabascans, and other indigenous peoples, with storytelling, music and dance performances, traditional crafts, and re-created dwellings. ADMISSION $9 PER PERSON. 8800 HERITAGE CENTER DR., ANCHORAGE; 800/315-6608; www.alaskanative.net

Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau
907/276-4118; www.anchorage.net

Renting an RV

We got our 21-foot Dutchmen Express from ABC Motorhome & Car Rentals (3875 W. International Airport Rd., Anchorage; 800/421-7456 or 907/279-2000; www.abcmotorhome.com), which is right at the airport. Equipped with kitchenware, bedding, and towels, it was $2,600 for 11 days, including taxes and insurance.

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