Moon Anchorage, Denali & the Kenai Peninsula: National Parks Road Trips, Outdoor Adventures, Wildlife Excursions

by Don Pitcher

Overview

Adventure awaits on the Last Frontier: make your way through Alaska's mountains, glaciers, and rivers with Moon Anchorage, Denali & the Kenai Peninsula. Inside you'll find:

• Flexible itineraries including four days in Anchorage, four days in Denali National Park, day cruises, and a 10-day adventure covering the best of the Kenai Peninsula
• Strategic advice for hikers, adventure sports lovers, wildlife enthusiasts, budget travelers, and more
• Must-see highlights and outdoor experiences: Embark on a cruise to admire stunning fjords and watch brown bears catch wild salmon from a river. Go skiing at a mountain resort or hike through alpine forests. Dine on fresh king crab at the best restaurants in Anchorage or catch your own halibut on a fishing expedition. Take an intrepid "flightseeing" tour to secluded glacier landings in Denali National Park and discover the best spots to watch the northern lights dance across the sky
• Expert advice from Homer local Don Pitcher on when to go, where to stay, and how to get around
• Full-color photos and detailed maps throughout
• Thorough background on the landscape, wildlife, history, and local culture, plus up-to-date information about health and safety, transportation, and recreation

Find your adventure in Anchorage, Denali and the Kenai Peninsula with Moon's expert advice and local insight.

Expanding your trip? Check out Moon Alaska.
 

About Moon Travel Guides: Moon was founded in 1973 to empower independent, active, and conscious travel. We prioritize local businesses, outdoor recreation, and traveling strategically and sustainably. Moon Travel Guides are written by local, expert authors with great stories to tell—and they can't wait to share their favorite places with you. 

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Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781640496699
Publisher:	Avalon Publishing
Publication date:	11/22/2022
Series:	Travel Guide
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
File size:	31 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Perhaps Don Pitcher's love of travel came about because he moved so much as a child; by age 15 he had lived in six states and two dozen East Coast and Midwestern towns. He moved west for college, receiving a master's degree from the University of California, Berkeley, where his thesis examined wildfires in high elevation forests of Sequoia National Park.

Don landed what seemed the coolest job on the planet shortly after grad school: being flown around Alaska's massive Wrangell-St. Elias National Park in a helicopter while conducting fire research. Wild places continued to beckon, and over the next fifteen years Don built backcountry trails, worked as a wilderness ranger, mapped grizzly habitat, and operated salmon weirs: anything to avoid an office job. After that first season in Alaska, he spent three months in the South Pacific, and quickly found himself addicted to travel. His explorations eventually took him to thirty-five countries and all fifty states.

Don is also the author of Moon San Juan Islands. He served as editor for Best Places Alaska and is a contributor to Triporati.com and other websites. Don's photos have appeared in a multitude of publications and advertisements, and his fine art prints are sold in many Alaska and Washington galleries.

Don lives in Homer, Alaska with his wife, Karen Shemet, and their children, Aziza and Rio. When not busy on other projects, he also works as a wedding photographer and volunteer radio DJ. Visit donpitcherphotography.com to read his blog and learn more about his writing and photography projects.

Table of Contents

Discover Anchorage, Denali & the Kenai Peninsula 8

10 Top Experiences 12

Planning Your Trip 20

Affordable Alaska 23

The Best of Anchorage 24

Top Day Hikes 25

Destination: Denali 26

Understanding the Denali Maze 27

Bear-Viewing 29

The Best of the Kenai Peninsula 30

Day Cruises 32

Anchorage and Vicinity 35

Sights 43

Entertainment and Events 50

Shopping 54

Recreation 58

Food 66

Accommodations 78

Information and Services 83

Getting There and Around 84

Vicinity of Anchorage 88

Matanuska-Susitna Valley 112

Denali National Park 134

Talkeetna 137

North from Talkeetna 151

Denali National Park and Preserve 161

The Kenal Peninsula 201

Eastern Kenai Peninsula 205

Seward 213

Kenai Fjords National Park 234

Northwestern Kenai Peninsula 237

Homer 261

Across Kachemak Bay 288

Background 300

The Landscape 300

Plants 306

Animals 308

History 319

Government and Economy 327

People and Culture 332

Essentials 335

Transportation 335

Recreation 342

Travel Tips 346

Information and Services 354

Resources 358

Suggested Reading 358

Internet Resources 359

Index 361

List of Maps 369

Editorial Reviews

"Moon handbooks are always a pleasure to read. The writing is crisp, the research impressive, and the recommendations practical and down to earth."—Chicago Tribune

“The books are more easily readable than other guides. The main attractions are also marked with a special icon and sidebars and boxes highlight special information, making the Moon handbooks one of the most user-friendly guides in terms of visual appeal and organization…the quality is uniformly excellent."—Transitions Abroad

"Far from narrow minded, each Moon travel guide gives itinerary options for a variety of travelers’ budgets—from frugal to lavish. They make books catering to those who love the outdoors, those who have limited time, those staying exclusively in cities and those who’ve fully committed to living abroad. In all, they have hundreds of titles, ranging Bermuda to Budapest, that’ll teach you to embrace a new culture."—Gear Patrol, “The Best Travel Guidebooks for Every Journey”

"Moon handbooks have become known as well-written and exceptionally informative guides."—The New York Times

"Moon guides are perfect for the relaxed road tripper or outdoor explorer."—No Small Plan

"Moon handbooks are known for cannily combining logistical information with cultural background of a country or state."—Los Angeles Times

From the Publisher