Explore the journey — one trail, museum, meal, and memory at a time.
Alaska Route 5
I left Fairbanks headed for Dawson City, but a wildfire warning near Tok made me stop and reconsider the route. With the highways still open, I continued through Tok and onto the Taylor Highway, where I discovered that “sections of dirt road” really meant mostly dirt. By evening, a $6 campsite at Walker Fork Campground looked very good. My last day in Alaska.
Creamer’s Waterfowl Refuge
I spent the day exploring Creamer’s Field in Fairbanks, where Sandhill Cranes gathered in the open fields before their fall migration. After photographing the cranes, I followed the trails through the boreal forest to Wander Lake and the Chickadee Loop, eventually circling back to the old white dairy barns.
UofA Museum of the North
I spent most of the day at the University of Alaska Museum of the North in Fairbanks, wandering through Alaska’s history, art and science. From permafrost and Pleistocene animals to Blue Babe and The Place Where You Go to Listen, this was one of those museums where I kept finding reasons to slow down.
Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum
The Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum wasn’t on my original Fairbanks itinerary, but a recommendation from my Dalton Highway driver changed that. Inside I found an extraordinary collection of antique automobiles, Alaska motoring history and vintage clothing—and some unexpectedly interesting photographic subjects.
Dalton Highway to Fairbanks, AK
After visiting Deadhorse and the Arctic Ocean, I headed south to Fairbanks on the Dalton Highway. The long ride crossed the Brooks Range, the Arctic Circle and the Yukon River, following the Alaska Pipeline much of the way. After seeing the road firsthand—and the damage it can do to vehicles—I was very glad my campervan was safely parked in Fairbanks.
A Week Between Denali and Fairbanks
I spent my final days in Denali exploring Cantwell, hiking Horseshoe Lake and trying to master my Garmin 67i before driving north to Fairbanks. That's where the week changed. A noise I'd been hearing from the rear of the van turned out to be a brake pad worn completely to metal, leaving me parked for several days while Ford searched for parts and me wondering how 7 mm of brake pad disappeared so quickly.
Preparing for the Road North
Anchorage was supposed to be a quick stop before heading north. Instead, it became two days of running errands, searching for brake service, learning about Alaska's shortage of mechanics, working from the van, and preparing for the drive toward Talkeetna, Denali, Fairbanks, and eventually the Arctic Circle.