The Denali Star
We rode the Denali Star train, flagship train of the Alaskan Railways, and it offers service between Anchorage and Fairbanks with three stops along the way, Wasilla, Talkeetna, and Denali. The entire route takes 12 hours to complete. Once the train reaches either Anchorage or Fairbanks, it turns around and heads back the next day. Our story is about going from Fairbanks to Denali and back again.
Boarding the train in Fairbanks
Adventure Class
The train to Denali from Fairbanks is a one-stop, four-hour, 123-mile leg of the Denali Star route. There are two classes of service, Goldstar and Adventure. Goldstar travel is more than twice the price of Adventure. We opted for Adventure class, and we were not in the least bit disappointed. The seating is very comfortable with ample leg room. We didn’t see how the upgrade was worth the expense.
The seats are configured in pairs on either side of the middle aisle. There are no bad seats because each seat has large picture windows. Wednesday, on the way to Denali from Fairbanks, we had an 8:10am boarding. Thursday, on the way back, we boarded at 4:00pm. We purchased breakfast in the Wilderness Café, the car directly in front of our car. We sat in café car for a while, sipping our coffees, Terri eating her reindeer hot dog (there is nothing like reindeer for breakfast). It’s early in the season, so the train capacity was around 20%. Since nobody was vying for tables in the dining car, we stayed for half of our journey.
Vista Dome
All the seats in Goldstar service have full-length dome windows that offer unimpeded 360-degree views. Adventure class has access to open seating in the Vista Dome car. Open seating means people are to take turns if others are wanting a seat in the dome car. Because the train had a light passenger load, there were a few open seats in the Vista Dome. We spent the remainder of our time in the Vista Dome. On our way back from Denali to Fairbanks, we spent our entire trip in the dome. Only one other passenger took advantage of riding in the dome. It was quite the treat.
On the way to Denali and back, we kept an eye out the expansive windows hoping to see wildlife along the way. We were rewarded with seeing two Dall sheep high on the mountainside, and two moose about 50 yards from the train. Sometimes people see bear, but we didn’t see any.
Enjoying the Vista Dome - best seat on the train!
Places along the way
The train travels through a few notable towns that are between Fairbanks and Denali. There is Clear, home to Clear Space Force Station, a radar station with the primary purpose of detecting incoming hostile missiles. At Clear Space Force Station, the personnel count is about 150 and includes a blend of active-duty members of the United States Space Force, Royal Canadian Air Force, civilian, and contractor personnel.
The town of Nenana, AK is about halfway between Fairbanks and Denali. It is located at the meeting of the Nenana and Tanana Rivers. It became a critical hub during the construction of the railroad, serving as the northern headquarters for the construction. Nenana holds a significant place in Alaska’s railroad history. It is where President Warren G. Harding drove the golden spike on July 15, 1923, to commemorate the completion of the Alaska Railroad. We should never underestimate the importance of the railway in the development of Alaska’s infrastructure and economy.
Nenana Train Depot
A curious town just north of Denali is Ferry, Alaska. It is a town of 17 people. It is located along the Nenana River. There’s a quirky tradition in Ferry, Alaska, where residents have been known to “moon” the train. This unusual practice started as a form of protest. The story goes that after a vehicle collision on the railroad bridge, the Alaska Railroad banned crossings, leading to spikes being installed on the bridge. The residents responded by placing wooden planks over the spikes to continue crossing. When the government threatened fines, the crossings stopped, but the frustration didn’t. As a form of protest, the entire town gathered by the railroad bridge on the Fourth of July and mooned the passing Midnight Sun Express train.
This act of rebellion turned into an annual tradition, where every Fourth of July, passengers on the trains between Fairbanks and Anchorage could expect to see the “Ferry Moon.” Although state troopers were eventually called in to put an end to the mooning, the story has become a part of the local lore.
Amazing Scenery
The entire trip provided stunning views. On the northern section of the trip, the train goes through the Tanana Flats. The area is characterized by its wide expanses of relatively flat terrain. The Flats are recognized as a valuable waterfowl habitat of which we saw many. It provides a stark contrast to the rugged mountains of Denali.
Nenana River
Nenana Flats
We followed along the Nenana River for a significant portion of the journey. As the train nears the Denali National Park, the mountains lift from the flats and the river and train passes through Nenana River canyon gorge. The views are breathtaking. The train travels at a very slow pace as it hugs the side of the cliff snaking its way through the canyon.
Nenana Canyon southbound view
Nenana Canyon northbound view
The end of our journey found us at the Denali train depot which is located within the Denali National Park. From there we took a 10-minute shuttle bus to our hotel in nearby Healy, AK.
Approaching Denali
The train ride to Denali and back was fantastic. We highly recommend it. The scenery is beautiful. The train ride is quite comfortable. In looking out the windows we can get an appreciation for the expansive untouched wilderness of the final frontier.
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