Alaska Trip

[TreeDog]

Looking at doing a exploring/fishing/sightseeing trip to Alaska. I would have 9 days total with the flights being a part of that. This would be my first trip to AK and will be going solo. My initial thought is to fly into either Anchorage or Fairbanks, rent a car, and then slowly work my around and fly out of the other. Also considering picking one area and exploring around it. My brother lives in Fairbanks so I would like to see him for a bit while I'm in the state.

Fishing wise, more interested in rainbows, grayling, dolly varden, etc. than salmon, but wouldn't turn down the opportunity.

Any thoughts on car camping? Easy enough to find spots?

Is mid to late June too early?

Any recommendations or must see's are appreciated. Not looking for a trip planner, just suggestions. Thanks.

 

[handwerk]

I've been up a bunch of times and my wife and I are going again this summer, like in the past we'll go the first couple weeks of August, good fishing, less bugs less people.
Years ago we took our 3 kids up there for 18 days and much of the time we camped, lots of places to go.

 

[peaceman]

Tangle Lakes on the Denali Highway in late June is great. Grayling, lake trout, char are all in there and the ice is just leaving the lake and therefore the fish are very active. lots of bugs so bring a headnet if they bother you. there is a nice campground there that's free. Its an easy drive from Fairbanks the Paxson and then west to Tangle Lakes and the Delta River. easier with a canoe or packraft.

 

[Blind Squirrel]

Flew to anchorage and spent two weeks on the Kenai peninsula in an rv last summer. Fished about everyday, but it was mostly for salmon. There are lots of vehicle rental places in or around anchorage with everything from 40’ RV’s to old tacomas with rooftop tents. The only hang up may be renting one of those in one city and returning in another. It’s very easy to find places to car camp. There are campgrounds or places to park and sleep everywhere on the Kenai, I imagine the rest of the state is similar.

 

[DapperDan]

You can’t go to Alaska without going down the Kenai!

We’ve been to Alaska twice hunting and both times we’ve fished the Kenai River. Once upper and once lower. The upper river float is amazing and Mike who is holding the fish with my wife is a hell of a guide!

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[LongWayAround]

I took my lady a couple years ago. We flew into Anchorage, rented an RV, and spent a week poking around the Kenai peninsula.

It was a great trip and very easy.

You could rent in Anchorage and return in Fairbanks with the right rental, but they would kill you on mileage.

 

[kwackkillncrew]

Could spend 3 days on the denali hwy hiking and fishing. Grayling every where. If you bring a small tent you can camp just about any where up there also. There are a few improved campgrounds you can stay at also. alpine creek lodge on the denali hwy has alot of differnt atv tours and things like that if you are into it.

 

[DapperDan]

Could spend 3 days on the denali hwy hiking and fishing. Grayling every where. If you bring a small tent you can camp just about any where up there also. There are a few improved campgrounds you can stay at also. alpine creek lodge on the denali hwy has alot of differnt atv tours and things like that if you are into it.

A big greyling on a 4wt is a heck of a good time! We got into them on our moose hunt last year and I was swapping flies because fly float wouldn’t keep the used fly above water. Totally awesome watching them come out of the water hitting flies.


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[peaceman]

Could spend 3 days on the denali hwy hiking and fishing. Grayling every where. If you bring a small tent you can camp just about any where up there also. There are a few improved campgrounds you can stay at also. alpine creek lodge on the denali hwy has alot of differnt atv tours and things like that if you are into it.

Second on the Alpine Creek Lodge. Great people and staying there gets you dinner, breakfast and they'll pack you a lunch. cost is very reasonable. There is a good trail behind the lodge to the top for a good hike.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

You can’t go to Alaska without going down the Kenai!

We’ve been to Alaska twice hunting and both times we’ve fished the Kenai River. Once upper and once lower. The upper river float is amazing and Mike who is holding the fish with my wife is a hell of a guide!

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Sweet, I love me a big meat eating rainbow. I could do without the char though.

 

[rookieforever33]

Ride the train from fairbanks to anchorage. Day trips out of Denali and Talkeetna along the way. Overnight at either for a day or 2 or 3 if you would like. Lots of flexibility and cheaper than car rental.

 

[DapperDan]

Sweet, I love me a big meat eating rainbow. I could do without the char though.

Had to toss that rainbow back. Catch and release on that trip on the Kenai. But there may have been an 18” my wife caught while moose hunting that made it over hot coals. That was the first wild rainbow I had eaten and I’ll put it right up there with king salmon. It was one of the most delicious fish I have ever had. The grayling we caught and ate were almost as good too but with a much lighter and clean taste. I could make myself sick off either one! lol


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[johnnycake]

Looking at doing a exploring/fishing/sightseeing trip to Alaska. I would have 9 days total with the flights being a part of that. This would be my first trip to AK and will be going solo. My initial thought is to fly into either Anchorage or Fairbanks, rent a car, and then slowly work my around and fly out of the other. Also considering picking one area and exploring around it. My brother lives in Fairbanks so I would like to see him for a bit while I'm in the state.

Fishing wise, more interested in rainbows, grayling, dolly varden, etc. than salmon, but wouldn't turn down the opportunity.

Any thoughts on car camping? Easy enough to find spots?

Is mid to late June too early?

Any recommendations or must see's are appreciated. Not looking for a trip planner, just suggestions. Thanks.

This is an excellent approach and very doable. Tons of areas to find a spot to car camp--especially if you are avoiding the Kenai peninsula in the summer. The Kenai is a neat place for sure, but it's kinda the Alaska by Disney experience--crowds, crowds, and more crowds. If you're not looking to stack meat in the freezer, you're likely to have a fat more enjoyable experience chasing fish in the streams and lakes in the interior. Denali highway is stunning and well worth it. Denali National Park is a great trip too. Ride the park buses, watch some wildlife, and get out and hike or fish a few streams.

Find somebody to take you and your brother out to Minto Flats to fly fish for pike--you won't regret that!

 

[TreeDog]

Appreciate all the replies. Sounds like Fairbanks area might be the better option for what I'm looking for.

Tangle Lakes on the Denali Highway in late June is great. Grayling, lake trout, char are all in there and the ice is just leaving the lake and therefore the fish are very active. lots of bugs so bring a headnet if they bother you. there is a nice campground there that's free. Its an easy drive from Fairbanks the Paxson and then west to Tangle Lakes and the Delta River. easier with a canoe or packraft.

Could spend 3 days on the denali hwy hiking and fishing. Grayling every where. If you bring a small tent you can camp just about any where up there also. There are a few improved campgrounds you can stay at also. alpine creek lodge on the denali hwy has alot of differnt atv tours and things like that if you are into it.

Denali Highway and Tangle Lakes were places that kept getting near the top of my list when I started looking into it. Good to know there is plenty of option there for fishing, camping, and exploring for a few days.

This is an excellent approach and very doable. Tons of areas to find a spot to car camp--especially if you are avoiding the Kenai peninsula in the summer. The Kenai is a neat place for sure, but it's kinda the Alaska by Disney experience--crowds, crowds, and more crowds. If you're not looking to stack meat in the freezer, you're likely to have a fat more enjoyable experience chasing fish in the streams and lakes in the interior. Denali highway is stunning and well worth it. Denali National Park is a great trip too. Ride the park buses, watch some wildlife, and get out and hike or fish a few streams.

Find somebody to take you and your brother out to Minto Flats to fly fish for pike--you won't regret that!

Kenai area looks amazing, but the crowd thing is what I would like to avoid and the main reason I'm not as interested in salmon.