We had been in Alaska for two months. We had seen the rainforests, glaciers, and rugged coastline of the Kenai Peninsula. Now, with summer over and the days shrinking, me and my family headed north into Interior Alaska to experience the brief autumn of the Far North. First stop? The small town of Talkeetna, AK.

Talkeetna is located 14 miles off of the Parks Highway on a spur road, just outside the Mat-Su Valley. The campground we stayed at was only a 5-minute bike ride away from town, so thats how we explored the area, on our bikes.

The small center of town was a mix of historical structures and more modern buildings, housing guide services and eclectic galleries. There was a market displaying work from local artists, and a favorite, the Conscious Coffee House.

At the end of town the road dead-ended into a trail, which led to the banks of the Susitna & Talkeetna Rivers. They sat in a valley which was very wide and flat, and afforded us a great view of the Alaska Range, crowned by Denali, the highest mountain on the continent (more on that later).

Bikes are often the main form of transportation for us in urban areas or small towns.

Even the little ones love the bike rides!

Later, we drove south to a place just out of town which we had been waiting to go to for months: The Flying Squirrel Bakery & Café. This gem, hidden in the forest just off the Talkeetna Spur Road, did not disappoint. The coffee was good, we tried several yummy treats and they even had wood-fired pizza!

The warm and cozy Flying Squirrel Bakery.

The next day, we hopped onboard the blue-and-yellow Alaska Railroad for the first time! Over the past couple months we had stayed at places near the railroad, in Anchorage, Seward and Girdwood but had never taken a trip on it. After looking at the options, we decided to take the train some 60 miles north to a settlement called Chulitna, only accessible by train. A famous artist and illistrator, Shannon Cartwright, lived there and we planned to stop by and say hi.

We headed north at a leisurely pace, enjoying the brilliant yellows and oranges of the aspen and birch trees that surrounded us. Not long into the ride, we stopped for a bit by the river to look around.

A bit later, the entire train oohed and ahhed as the majestic form of Denali appeared over the hills, far in the distance. It is rare to actually see the peak of the mountain, due to the almost constant cloud cover that forms over the top. Only 30% of visitors to this area ever see the mountain, and we got lucky in seeing it twice in one day!

After that first stop, the conductors opened up the observation car and we sat up in the “bubble car” for the rest of the ride. It was beautiful country, with mountains rising on either side then opening up to bogs and pine forests. We spotted some Trumpeter Swans, still chilling at their nests before the long journey they will undertake in a couple weeks as they migrate to warmer climates. So cool.

These marshy areas are great places to spot wildlife.

The train stopped at Chulitna for a couple minutes, and everyone hopped off to smell the fresh air and say hello to Shannon. After everyone was gone, we stepped into the small freshly built cabin just off the tracks to look around at her art. We struck up some conversation and talked about our respective journeys to this place. She has lived out in Chulitna for over 40 years, growing her own food and making art, with only her dog Lola for company.

The small cabin where Shannon sells her art to tourists who ride the train.

After buying some books and artwork, we still had some time on our hands. Shannon offered to show us her home, which we gladly accepted and followed her friend Gordon down a trail fringed with yellow-leaved bushes towards the homestead.

We saw the greenhouse, which housed many healthy-looking plants, including corn, kale, chard, tomatoes and squash. Even though it was a chilly day, the air in the greenhouse was warm and sultry.

She also had a big woodshed, with wood going back to 2016 still laying there.

Lotta wood for the long and dark winters.

Her house was small, but homey. It was clear this was a home with a lot of history. Just outside there was a pretty little marsh where Shannon said the swans would nest during the summer. You could see the mountains in the distance. Shannon gave us some home-grown tomatoes for the road and we walked back towards the railroad.

An adorable outhouse tucked away in the trees.

Big thanks to Shannon for sharing her way of life with us, even if it was only for a few hours.

This stretch of the Alaska Railroad is the last flag-stop railway in the nation. “Flag-stop” meaning that if someone waves down the train at any point along the tracks, the train has to stop and let them on. It is a great way to get to homesteads or remote hunting camps out where the road doesn’t go. We stopped several times on our trip to let people on the train. They ranged from backpackers to hunters to people just wanting to go into town for groceries. It’s a remnant of the past, still alive in the Far North.

We said goodbye to Shannon and her friends and hopped on the train back toward home. After a bit, the train made a stop by a small river where we could get out again. The fast-flowing river and bridge over made for great photo-ops, and we took advantage.

There were many, many dead salmon floating in the river or washed up on shore. Gray and decomposing, with hooked jaws and dead eyes, they looked so different from the lively, bright fish I had seen in the rivers and ocean. This was after they had spawned, and were ready to fill the last part of their life cycle. After the salmon die, their bodies decompose and enrich the soil around the rivers, creating a nutrient-rich base for plants to grow. In the spring, the baby salmon will grow up and head toward the ocean in the continuation of the cycle that benefits everyone.

We made one more stop, at the town of Curry. Curry was once the site of a bustling hotel and resort, founded in 1923 after the Alaska Railroad was built. It was billed as a “wilderness resort” that drew huge crowds and was growing on the scale of Fairbanks and Anchorage at the time. But fires in 1933 and 1945 damaged its reputation, and in 1957 the Hotel burned down for good. The rebuild never happened, and the town was left to rot.

There were several plaques about Curry’s history, and a couple of old train cars you could walk through. We checked them out, they were pretty cool.

On our way home, Leo pointed out Denali back up north, this time lit up by the golden-hour sun. It was majestic, wonderful, incredible, awe-inspiring, however you wanna describe it, it was super cool.

Denali, the roof of North America, bathed in golden light. I’m not lying when I say this time felt absolutely magical.

The very next day, we packed up and headed back to the highway. We were on our way to Denali National Park, ready to see what amazing secrets it held for us.

Next time around, I will detail our adventures in Denali and Fairbanks. Stay tuned!

Connor

Talkeetna and the Alaska Railroad

fueled by love, peace, and veggie grease™