Lodging Trapper Creek

After our cruise, DH %26amp; I will be spending 6 days in the Willow-Talkeetna-Denali area Aug 19-24 and would like to know if anyone has stayed at the Alaska%26#39;s Northland Inn in Trapper Creek? I really like the idea of having a kitchen.

We will be sightseeing, one day fishing %26amp; one day in the park. Trapper Creek seemed like a good central location.

Any other suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Lodging Trapper Creek

When I go to Denali from Anchorage, Trapper Creek is my almost half-way mark. Trapper Creek is just north of the Talkeetna spur road.

The early morning shuttles in Denali are the best for wildlife viewing %26amp; seeing the mountain before that old mountain stirs up afternoon weather. So being 125 miles from the park entrance would not be good for me.

I like the Trapper Creek area, especially the road out to Petersville to get even closer to the mountain. However, it%26#39;s a rough road, not for rental cars.

Will you be fishing at Montana Creek?

Lodging Trapper Creek

denalicat,

Thanks for the reply. Our other plan was to drive on up to Healy %26amp; stay there 8/19,20 and then drive back down on the 21 to the Willow area and stay there until the morning of the 24. On the 24 we%26#39;ll drive back to Anchorage and kill the day sightseeing there.

I don%26#39;t know where Montana Creek is located.

Hope to do 2 fishing trips on the 22 %26amp; 23 out of the Willow-Talkeetna area. One for trout and one for salmon. I am in the process of getting a guide to take us, as we don%26#39;t want to drag our gear with us and never having fished the area have no idea what lures to use.

I think that Alaskan fish probably would not like the same thing as the trout we fish for in the Smokys and the Ozarks.

If anyone has a good guide they would care to recommend, it would be much appreciated.

Thanks

I just returned yesterday from Alaska and we spent one night at the Northland Inn on our way from Fairbanks to Willow. My niece immediately said, ';I want to come back here.'; It was a really nice place, with super friendly owners. The kitchen normally would have been great for us, but we were only there one night and decided to go out to eat. But it was a full kitchen with fridge, microwave, stove and oven. They had complimentary tea, coffee, hot chocolate and hot cider. They had adequate but limited utensils and silverware.

The two floors were nice too - my niece was upstairs (even though there were two beds upstairs) and I slept on the futon downstairs. The other apartment has a sofabed rather than a futon, but the futon was very comfortable.

It is less than a mile off the Parks Highway so very convenient.

John

One more thing - to stay in Trapper Creek and spend ';one day in the park'; is not the wisest. It is 2-1/2 to 3 hours each way to the park entrance so you would be spending up to 6 hours just getting to the park and back. That severely limits your time in the park. I strongly recommend that you spend a night at Denali. Otherwise you will miss a lot.

Note too that the ';south entrance'; to the park, which now appears inevitable, will apparently be off of Petersville Road.

John

Yes, stay in Healy for that part of your trip! :)

We are looking at staying at Denali View chalets at Trapper Creek - has anyone stayed there that can give me some feedback? They are at mile 2 on Petersville Rd - not being familiar with the milepost system, does this mean 2 miles from the main anchorage/Denali road?

Yes, two miles from the Parks Highway (the main road). Have no personal experience with them. Perhaps check the hotel reviews on TA (but take reviews with a grain of salt - they are highly subjective).

John

I guess that I shoud have titled this ';Lodging %26amp; Fishing';, but I messed that up.

Those of you that have been kind enough to respond this is our now tentative plans:

8/19 disembark Seward train to Anchorage, rent car and drive from Anchorage to Healy. Yes, I know that it is a 5 to 6 hr. drive (including photo opts %26amp; potty breaks, very necessary).

8/20 Denali Park

8/21 Healy to Willow - dwadle for the day - Talkeetna or Willow for the night same next 2 days.

8/22 Trout fish %26amp; brag about the ';one that got away';

8/23 Salmon fish %26amp; same as above.

Catch %26amp; release fishing.

8/24 Anchorage - fritter away the day until time to go to the airport at 6:30 pm and home.

fti, thanks for the info on Alaska%26#39;s Northland Inn.

We may come back to that after our stay in Healy and use that as our base for our trout fishing.

coalminer, yes I said Healy %26amp; DH %26amp; I will try to contribute to the local economy via lodging %26amp; dining. ;-) What do you think about the Motel Nord Haven or the Valley Vista B%26amp;B? I have narrowed our stay in Healy down to these two, unless you can suggest another of comparable price %26amp; quality.

michief0, I had not come across Denali View Chalets in my quest for accommodations in that area. Just looked them up on ';trip advisor'; and found nothing. Maybe just me. If you are tied to Talkeetna ares Alaska%26#39;s Northland Inn seems to be a very nice %26amp; reasonably priced place.

Thanks Again

Linda

Linda,

Yes the Nordland Inn does look good but we have decided to try the chalets - there are no reviews for them on tripadvisor, we will have to be the first to comment so lets hope it is positive! I picked them because it mentions a wonderful view (weather permitting of course!) and we are only spending the night there before driving on the next day.

www.denaliviewchalets.net/

mischief, hopefully you%26#39;ll get a beautiful view of the mountain from the chalet. I love it out Petersville Rd.