FAQ and IFAQ
Our most frequently...and infrequently...asked questions

The office: the place to go with questions when staying with us!

* Where are you located? How close are you to the Park?

The minuscule settlement of Paxson is located at the junction of the Richardson and Denali Highways (AK Rtes 4 & 8). We have driveways on both roads; each approximately 250 yards from the junction. From the north along the Richardson, Paxson is approximately 185 miles from Fairbanks and 80 miles from Delta Junction. From the south (Glenn and Richardson Highways), Paxson is approximately 300 miles from Anchorage, 80 miles from Glennallen, and 185 miles from Valdez. From the west, we are 165 miles from the Denali Park entrance via the Parks and Denali Highways. We suggest you allot between 5-6 hours from the Park whether you choose to drive the Denali Highway or the longer route through Fairbanks.

Some online map search engines place us 20 miles in on the Denali: do not trust these maps!

We are located at mile 185.6 on the Richardson Highway and at mile 0.2 on the Denali Highway, very close to the junction of these roads.

The Denali Highway, closed during the winter, re-opens for vehicular traffic around the beginning of May, and closes sometime in mid-October. Please contact us or visit the Alaska Department of Transportation's website to determine current status. The highway is paved for the first 21 miles, starting in Paxson. For those who choose to heed the wishes of certain rental agencies about not driving any of Alaska's unpaved roads, this means it is still possible by traveling the paved portion to enjoy some of the most magnificent vistas Alaska has to offer. Beyond mile 21 the Denali Highway is gravel surfaced. This does not mean a dirt road so in most years navigating it in any automobile presents no problem whatsoever, as long as you drive conscientiously and maintain the posted speed limits. Traffic is light; you will encounter no trucks and there are services at regular intervals.

Denali "Highway" is a misnomer. This wilderness access is legendary for its lack of traffic - a few dozen vehicles at its summer peak. Furthermore, the cabins are located well away from the road - the wonderful sound of the Gulkana River is all you will be hearing. We also have a driveway on the Richardson Highway, but even for it "Highway" is an inappropriate name for such a sleepy route: more apt would be Richardson Country Road Number Four.

Our Evening Scenic Float Trips usually begin the second week of June and continue until sometime mid-September. Why? Our start date is dependent upon when the last ice leaves Paxson Lake, where we end our tour. Because that final ice doesn't melt until usually the first week of June (truly!), we cannot offer our trips before then. In June and July, our float trips usually leave around 7 pm. Starting mid-August we try to leave earlier, before 6 pm. Although this is a non-whitewater trip and we welcome all ages, those with physical limitations should make direct inquiries. More information is available on the tours page.

Dr. Bakewell's Birding Tours have been a highlight for birding enthusiasts along the Denali Highway since the 1990s. He has devoted considerable effort in teaching and assisting both recreational and professional ornithologists in learning about the alpine tundra, boreal forest, and riparian breeders. He has shared some of his extensive knowledge of these wonderful creatures in, among other publications, both editions of the American Birding Association's A Birder's Guide to Alaska. Tours begin in late May and end in the first week of July. By that time, tundra nesters no longer are courting or breeding but concentrating on raising their young in the few remaining weeks of summer, and should not be disturbed. Those birders who choose not to participate in organized tours are welcome to inquire from us of new sightings, local rarities and so on, but for more specific questions should consult the Birder's Guide, newly revised in 2008.

The cabins are fully electrified, however, at a $2.25 per kWh as of April 2008 (the US mean is 9 cents), our electricity costs are not only staggeringly higher than other parts of the USA or Europe, but also far more than Alaskan accommodations closer to towns. We have striven to keep our cabin fares as low as possible, but this is why you will not find microwaves in the cabins and why we urge you to be extremely conscientious about turning off lights and so forth.

At Denali Highway Cabins & Tours, ALL of our cabins DO have fully plumbed, fully functional bathrooms - the kind you're used to.

The reason we mention this is that it's different in Alaska. With our tough weather and equally tough soils, many features that you take for granted are either luxuries here or non-existent. For example, in this part of Alaska most permanent homes and virtually all guest accommodations do not have flush toilets or any indoor plumbing. In fact, if a lodging does NOT prominently state that it has such facilities, we guarantee you they do not. It's a fact of Alaskan life.

We provide access to propane or charcoal grills, which are provided to our guests free of charge. The Guest House is the only accommodation with a full kitchen. For the majority of guests' food items, refrigerators are not necessary. Our nighttime temps are always quite cool, even in mid-summer, so leaving food in your car is more than sufficient. We have styrofoam coolers available for any who desire. For those who absolutely need refrigeration for some items, such as medicine, we are more than happy to provide space in the office refrigerator.

Weather is a great variable here in Alaska. We could get six inches of snow on June 23 (as we did in 2006), or it could be sunny and inching towards 80 degrees. Rain is always a possibility. Be mentally prepared for whatever the weather may bring. We suggest you pack a warm sweater, a rain jacket (rain pants too, if you plan on lots of hiking), but also bring shorts and a sun hat. Alaska is always beautiful: whether the sun is warming the wildflowers and berries, or the mountains are shrouded in a cloudy mist.

There is a restaurant next door to us, as well as a number of other restaurants to recommend depending on what direction you will be driving to reach us. Please inquire when you are making your reservation. For those guests who plan to join us on our Evening Scenic Float Trip, we recommend that you eat your dinner before the tour. There are supermarkets in the Anchorage area and Fairbanks; there are grocery stores in Glennallen and Delta Junction. We have a small food emporium with sundry food items, like our homemade chocolate treats and baked goods, organic sodas, milk, juices, fresh eggs from our chickens, and other delectables.

Cancellations must be made before two weeks prior to scheduled arrival date. For individuals (two cabins or fewer), we will refund your deposit minus a $25 per cabin charge. For groups (three cabins or more), one cabin's fare will be deducted from the refund. We strongly recommend travelers consider trip insurance when making travel plans.

There is a gas station in Paxson. Gas also is available in Delta Junction, Glennallen, and Cantwell. Inquire about availability along the Denali Highway.

You may check in anytime after 3 pm. Please call and let us know if you will be arriving after 10 pm. We need our sleep to be ready for breakfast in the morning, and will leave you a note on the office door as to where to find your cabin. Cell phone service is widely available in Alaska. Check-out is before 10 am, please.

Solar outgassing, which throw off the particles that cause the ionization of the upper atmosphere bringing upon the aurora, can occur at any time of the year. In order for us to see this display, however, our skies must be reasonably dark. We have seen northern lights displays as early as the second week of August and as late as the last week of April. In the intervening months you should plan to enjoy our wonderful long days - interminable in the weeks surrounding summer solstice, June 20-21.

We do not have RV dump sites or electrical hook-ups, but cabin guests may have accompanying RVs camp for a $20 fee. There is a dump station 11 miles to our south.

We try not to badmouth the mosquitoes too much. Without the abundant mosquito population, we wouldn't have our fantastic migratory birds visiting us in the summer months. The tundra and boreal forest would be a much quieter place without all the birdsong. Migratory birds nest here in Alaska primarily because of this insect smorgasbord. Also, we have very few bees in Alaska; virtually all our wildflowers are pollinated by mosquitoes. They are a fact of life here, and you must be prepared for them. Bring some DEET repellant. Some mosquito repellant clothing (such as Buzz-Off), and a head net, can be useful if you rank as Extra-Tasty to them and plan to spend a lot of time outdoors. The mosquito hatch times vary, and it is impossible to time your visit to not coincide with it. You may see not a single mosquito on your trip, or you may see many. Just be prepared.

It is considered ill-mannered to ask to use a gas station's or roadhouse's restroom here in Alaska if you are not a paying customer. There are a number of public facilities located along the Richardson and Denali Highways. The one closest to this junction is four miles north on the Richardson; please see The Milepost for exact locations of others.

Super-expensive electricity in rural Alaska means we always have been sensitive to the consumption of resources. But we're not just REactive, we're PROactive. Although living in this part of the world does necessitate a greater use of natural resources than other more temperate locales, we believe we can continue to decrease our "footprint." We have been doing this for years - we're no Johnny-Come-Lately. Many guests ask if we can make use of solar power with Alaska's extended summer daylight? Yes, and we do, but solar electricity at this latitude and environment cannot provide the total energy needs of a full-service lodge. Small hunting cabins may benefit from their use, but not sophisticated operations. For years we have incorporated passive solar energy in many facets of our operation and would be happy to share these procedures with you when you visit us.

Our tour business also emphasizes self-powered explorations of the surrounding area: kayaking, rafting, hiking, bicycling.

We are especially proud of our locally produced food in this extremely difficult environment. Food transportation to Alaska, and from Paxson to Fairbanks or Anchorage to purchase this food, has a very high monetary and carbon cost. We also have instituted a recycling program, although the nearest municipality with recycling facilities is almost 100 miles away.

For those who are quite interested in this subject, we would be happy to give a full tour of our compound and the ways we are utilizing alternative energy and preserving this beautiful land we live in.