Denali Highway Cabins & Paxson Alpine Tours

Serta Perfect Sleeper Boxsprings & Mattresses on all Queen and Full beds, for the most comfortable sleep you'll enjoy during your trip.
Premier & Deluxe Cabins – Oversized riversound log cabins, with mountain views. They are located as close to the Gulkana River as our septic systems and winter ice/thaw cycles permit, and the wonderful sound of the river is all guests will hear at night. These offer a king or queen bed plus a sofa-bed queen (with optional featherbed). These cabins feature a comfortable couch and chairs and a writing desk, and will sleep a maximum of four persons. Our Premier & Deluxe cabins are slightly closer to the river than our Standard Cabins and have a slightly larger floorplan with expansive decks. They are spaced further apart from each other for maximum privacy. Their bathrooms contain a bathtub as well as a shower. They also have shoe-warming racks...an unusual, and much complimented amenity! Generously spaced cabins ensure privacy; all cabins' large decks overlook Paxson Mountain.		Premier Cabin: The Wickersham: This is our largest, most private cabin, and our only cabin with a king bed and memory foam mattress. Named for Judge James Wickersham, a stateman, author, historian, scholar, and intrepid explorer of interior Alaska throughout his long career as jurist and statesman in the early years of this Territory. Deluxe Cabin: The Argonaut: Named for the early pioneers of the Valdez-Fairbanks Trail (what is now the Richardson Highway), this cabin features a hand-made queen mahogany sleigh bed with a memory-foam mattress topper on a Serta Perfect Sleeper mattress. Please see our Rates page for prices. Please see our Amenities list at the bottom of the page. Winter view of alpenglow on Paxson Mountain, seen from our premier cabin, the Wickersham.
	Hudson Bay blankets, spacious interiors, and local artwork complement the cabins' wilderness setting. The Alvin: Named for Alvin J. Paxson, the eponymous founder of our wilderness outpost over 100 years ago, the Alvin is our standard cabin with the best view and most privacy. Vox Clamantis: This cabin honors the hard-working dogs of the North Country, the Alaskan Malamutes, and is named after one of our prior malamutes. Its rate is slightly less than The Alvin, as it has a view of another cabin and the mountain, whereas The Alvin views only the mountain. Please see our Rates page for prices. Queen bed, plus full bed in alcove with step. Standard cabins' sink vanities are located in the main part of the cabin. Isabel's Cottage - Newly renovated and perfect for groups or large families. A full house, with large living room, fully equipped kitchen, 3 separate bedrooms (one king and two queen beds), spacious bathroom with tub/shower, and an additional bed/futon available in the living room. The kitchen is terrific for those who wish to economize by cooking for themselves. Isabel's Cottage is our most private facility, surrounded by its own copse of woods and a wildflower meadow (in season) in the front. The Cottage has wonderful views of Paxson Mountain; there is no view of the river. Guests in the front bedroom will be able to sleep to the sound of the river. Please note that the Cottage is a standard house, not a traditional log cabin like our other units. This unit is wheelchair ramp accessible. Isabel's Cottage is considered a vacation rental home and is normally reserved for three or more nights. This cottage is named in honor of Isabel Barnette, who in March 1902 became the first white woman known to cross the Alaska Range through the pass which now bears her name and is located 11 miles north of us. Please see our Amenities list at the bottom of the page. click here for cottage rates A comfortable living room allows guests to spread out and relax. The futon may be used as an additional bed, if necessary. We grow all our flowers from seed every year.
Premier & Deluxe cabins' bath vanities are outside the shower/toilet room yet are quite private from the rest of the cabin. Standard Cabins - These log cabins receive the full sound of the river and no highway or other noise; they share the same view of Paxson Mountain and are ample-sized. Their bathrooms contain a shower (no tub); the vanity is in the main room and not in the bathroom. These cabins have a queen bed, and a full bed in a raised alcove with a step. Standard Cabins will sleep a maximum of four persons.These cabins are ideal for families traveling with small children (they love the raised bed!), or for two to three adults. We do recommend that two couples traveling together rent Isabel's Cottage or separate cabins (a full bed is a tight squeeze for most couples.) We have two standard cabins, identical layout inside, with different themes and slightly different views and privacy. Sit on your cabin's deck and enjoy the late afternoon sun, sound of the river, and the view of the mountain. The view of Paxson Mountain and surrounding greenery from the inside of The Alvin, with deck in the foreground. Isabel's Cottage and its wildflower meadow. The cottage's deck is a perfect sunning spot in the afternoon. The fully-equipped and spacious kitchen (not a kitchenette) enables guests to do real cooking. Whip up a feast (or just a fried egg)! All cabins, tents, and the cottage have wonderful views of Paxson Mountain.

Tent Cabins - These super-deluxe wall tents are our newest units and have quickly become the favorite amongst those travelers with an adventuresome spirit. "Unique" is a sadly overused word in the hospitality industry, but we guarantee you that you will not find anything in Alaska comparable to these extraordinary units. They are immense - at 14' x 16' almost the size of the cabins - with a 9' center ceiling. They are on permanent platforms, with decks, and are sited DIRECTLY on the riverbank. Each tent has one magnificent king size bed* with a 12" thick memory foam mattress, topped with a down comforter and genuine Hudson Bay blanket, making these beds wonderfully warm even through the coolest nights. Each tent also has its own dedicated bathroom, decorated in a beautiful rustic chic style, with shower, sink, and toilet. These are a short 35 yard walk away, as we cannot have plumbing along this National Wild & Scenic River. Tenters also, of course, have full access to our Great Room, which is a wonderful place to pass the evening prior to repairing to the tent. Tenters can charge cell phones and so forth in their private, lockable bathrooms. Watch sockeye salmon coursing upstream as you sit in your comfortable deck chairs.

* two twins available in lieu of king

Now here's a room with a view!

Other Tent Appointments:

Comfortable sitting bench with pillows
Lanterns
Antique trunk for storing clothes and gear
Rustic furniture, including side tables and coat rack
Water pitcher with glasses
Scattered throw rugs
Spacious deck with deck chairs and cushions
Bookshelves with Alaska-themed reading material
Cabin, trails, and activities guide
Facial tissue

These tents are an outdoor lover's dream come true.

Hudson Bay blankets in wall tents create an authentic North Country experience! But unlike the pioneers of yore, you get a king memory-foam bed.

Rustic furniture and antique trunks add to the ambience.

We have two tents:

O. Nerka:
Named after the river's famous denizens: Oncorhynchus nerka, the legendary Copper River sockeye salmon. We can set this tent up either with two twin beds (perfect for two fishing buddies) or a king bed for a couple.

The Timberline:
This tent's name pays homage to A.J. Paxson's first roadhouse in this area, which also was a tent. This tent has one king bed.

Please see our Rates page for prices.

Privacy, indeed. Nothing but the views and sounds of the Gulkana River.

Cabin Amenities

In your Cabin or Cottage you will find the following (tent amenities are slightly different, please see above):

Morgan Childs hand soap
Plush cotton towels, extra blankets, and extra pillows
All units have custom-made black-out curtains to ensure a restful sleep
Water pitcher with our signature hand-thrown mugs
Wireless internet for guests bringing laptops (available in some cabins and the Great Room)
Alaska-themed books and magazines for your reading enjoyment
No television by design...yes, we believe this is an amenity!
Cabin, trails, and activities guide
Facial tissue
Electrical outlets
Electric kettle with coffee, tea, and cappuccino
Dressers and/or clothes hangers
Heaters and ceiling fans
Spacious decks with deck chairs and cushions
Full plumbing and home-sized water heater, with plenty of hot water
Serta Perfect Sleeper mattresses with traditional Hudson Bay wool blankets
All cabins, tents, and the Cottage are non-smoking. Smoking is allowed on decks only.

You may wonder why we mention electrical outlets and full plumbing as amenities! Many remote Alaskan properties do not offer these in cabins. If the words plumbing and electricity are not mentioned on the website, it most likely is a "dry" cabin with outhouse, often with only a kerosene lamp.

Other Guest Amenities

Free use of mountain bikes for nearby trails
Great Room: A large, beautiful room for conversation, fun and relaxing, with grand piano and guitar, library, foosball table, puzzles and games, comfy sofas and reading nooks, projection screen for movies and slide-show talks, and lots of space and seating for groups to hold meetings. Coffee machine and kettle for tea and cocoa are available here, as well as wireless internet for those bringing laptops.
Kayak rentals, and nature tours. Please see our Tours page for more information.
Guests in our cabins and tents are offered a complimentary muffin basket every morning, with our homemade muffins (Jenny bakes from scratch every day!), honey butter, preserves and fruit, with juice, coffee and tea. Served in lovely style in our Great Room from 7:30 to 9:00.
Gift shop with Alaskan and Northwest artists represented, and snack emporium
Propane grills, with salmon filets, bison and garden burgers available for sale. You cook! A microwave is available in the Great Room, and we can supply you with plates, cups, cutlery, etc.
Rain gear - jackets and boots - available for no extra charge

Guests enjoying use of our complimentary bicycles on the Denali Highway.