Fellas I'm planning a trip up, just for a look around, this spring. I'm thinking late May or early June. The plan is to fly into Anchorage, rent a car, and go exploring the road system for a week, fishing pole in hand. Is this a good time to come? Any other suggestions or ideas are welcome. I have no real itinerary other than to see what I see, camp mostly, and maybe stay at an inn of some sort if I find something of interest along the way. My 17 yr. old daughter will accompany me.

If you want less crowds and possibly lower prices on hotels, come before Memorial day. The downside is the lakes will mostly still be frozen, and the fish aren't in the rivers yet. You could take a halibut charter in Homer, Deep Creek, Seward, Whittier or Valdez though, and especially Whittier, Valdez and Seward are worth the views alone.

Early June is much better for fishing, but the roads will be clogged and you'll be fleaced for rooms.

We came up for our honeymoon 12 years agon in mid May flew up to Anchorage, drove out to Glennallen, up to Fairbanks, back down the Parks highway to Anchorage again, on down to Homer and back to Anchorage. We camped the whole time except for the last night in Anchorage. 1500 miles in 6 days, and before coming up I said I didn't want to be driving the whole time. Well, the state is beatiful enough to make it worth putting that many miles in.

Camp sites generally don't open until Memorial day, but you can still camp in them, or many spots along the side of the road, if the snow is gone. Typically mid-late May is sunny with occasional rain showers in the afternoon, and most snow at low elevations is gone. Evening temps will be right around freezing. Mosquitos aren't yet bad.

Fire away with questions, and start looking for flights.

September is my favorite month in the Interior. The mosquito's are gone. The rains of August are over. Days are usually sunny and still fairly warm. Leaves have changed colors. It's moose season. You're still able to catch some nice grayling. And.......most of the road whales are fleeing southward!

Brad

There’s a reason why the roads are bumper to bumper in July, it’s the most beautiful that time of year. I say this because that’s what my Mom says. We lived in Wasilla but I was always in the Aleutian Islands fishing during the summer. I can say that the landscape is at its most beautiful in July even out there. All of the flowers are in bloom and the grass is green and lush.
I know fighting crowds is not why you go to Alaska, but I would say don’t go any later than mid August. On the other hand no matter what time of year you go you won’t be disappointed. Have a safe and fun trip.

Shawn

One thin to think about. Mid june is the first hatch of blood sucking insects. It will be really bad anywhere near water or spruce boggs. It will get a hole lot better by mid July.

Another thing to consider is June 21st the solstuce is really greate to experiance in the greateland. Sorry for the irony

Come up about the third week of June and rent a RV. Drive down to the Kenai area and see the crwds and catch a lot of fish!

I've decided to come up the last two weeks in May. Don't particularly want to see the crowds, July cuts into my backpack fishing trips here, September is archery season here, can't miss that. A big part of why I want to move there is to get away from the crowds here! The more I hear the more it sounds like living on the road system there is not where I want to be.

If you can afford to live off the road system, that is definately the way to go. The bulk of the traffic is from the Mat Su on down to Seward, Kenai and Homer. Get out of the that area and you'll have a good deal solitude.

Crowds are relative, I complain about crowds here, but I moved up from the San-Fran Bay Area, something like 10 million people in an area that up in the densest part of Alaska holds maybe 300,000.

Even in Anchorage there are parks I can hike in where I'll see more moose than people.

cobrad,

Take heart guy, you won't be missing the bloodsuckers.....with the warmer temps(40s-50s) last few days and the river breaking up, we've had a few mosquitoes here in the river bottom already.....we certainly don't want you to miss a real bit of Alaskana.....hope you have a great & safe trip.

Joe

quote:

Originally posted by ovis:
...... we've had a few mosquitoes here in the river bottom already.....

The mosquitoes at my house just got buried by 4 or 5" of snow this morning. That should slow them down for at least a few more days.

Thanks for the info fella's. I probably should come when it's busy and the bugs are in full force, just to see it that way. I also appreciate the info on what crowded means to Alaskans, and where the bulk of the traffic is to be found. I was planning on moving up next spring whether I get up to see it first or not. My kids, who have been there, have warned me already that by going up now I may be in danger of giving notice when I get back and going NOW! A risk I'm willing to take.