Talkeetna to Denali: The First Half of Our Alaska Itinerary
If you've read "What No One Tells You About Visiting Alaska in Mid-September," you already know how much of this trip involved discovering things were closed. Any rugged outdoor trip that I plan, I always leave room for spontaneous decisions. Because things were closed, it led us to other parts of Alaska I don't think we would've discovered — which made the whole trip extremely magical. Here's the actual itinerary behind the road trip, starting with Talkeetna and Denali.
Trip Snapshot
🍂 Best Time: Mid September
Where We Stayed
Talkeetna
Great jumping-off point for Denali
Quiet, relaxed, and perfect for northern lights if the weather cooperates
Wildlife We Saw
🫎 Moose 🦅 Bald eagles 🐑 Dall sheep
Worth Knowing
✓ September = gorgeous fall color
✓ Visitor services close after Labor Day
✓ Grocery shop before Talkeetna
✓ Wildlife viewing was incredible
Tuesday — Talkeetna
Landed and picked up the rental car. It's about a 2-hour drive from Anchorage to Talkeetna, where we based ourselves for the first leg of the trip. The drive out of Anchorage starts off fairly ordinary, but don’t let it fool you. The farther north you drive, the more the mountains begin to appear.
We checked into our cabin, hosted through Airbnb, right on the Susitna River. We got in just before sundown — it was crystal clear outside, pink skies setting, and you could see Denali itself. This inspired us to take a night drive, hoping for northern lights. Unfortunately, clouds rolled in and weather didn't cooperate, but it's worth the attempt if you're there in September.
Wednesday — Denali National Park
We took a slow morning, drinking coffee from the loft while rocking in the wooden chairs overlooking the river. Got to Denali and quickly realized almost everything was closed for the season — worth knowing if you're visiting in September, not just an us problem.
We walked the Mountain Vista Trail for a stunning view of Denali itself — a perfect casual stroll, easy for any level. We then headed to Savage River for the Savage Alpine Trail, where there's significant elevation gain, but you feel like you're on top of the world. This trail is rated moderate to hard. Saw Dall sheep across the way, and a big moose at the top.
Drove the Denali Highway out to mile 30, spotting two more moose on the way back. Got in late, around 9pm, and stargazed until the clouds rolled back in.
Thursday — Hatcher's Pass
Grabbed coffee, packed up, and headed out — but not before sitting by the river for a bit, taking in the mountain views one more time.
Drove down Hatcher's Pass, which spans 49 miles end to end, and honestly, no photo does it justice. The "tundra carpet" effect really took over — vivid maroons, bright yellows, fiery orange, coppers, and brown. The colors were unlike anything I can describe; the hills felt alive. There were locals picking bearberries throughout. We even saw bald eagles flying around.
We stopped at Summit Lake along the way and hiked a bit around it, then stumbled onto Hatcher's Pass Lodge for lunch: a tomato basil grilled cheese with beet-cheese pickle soup that was so good we still talk about it. They heat the whole place with coal. I am dying for the time to come back and stay in one of their cabins for a night — despite being Alaskan rustic, I think that experience, especially with a chance at the northern lights, would be completely worth it.
From there, we started the drive toward Whittier — the next leg of the trip.
Before You Go:
Talkeetna makes a solid first base if you're flying into Anchorage
September means fewer crowds and incredible fall color, but also a lot of closures — plan meals around that (see the mid-September survival guide)
Don't skip Hatcher's Pass, even if it's not "on the way" — it was one of the most scenic drives of the whole trip
We left Hatcher Pass wishing we'd had more time. Next, we headed south toward Whittier—where glaciers, helicopters, and one of my favorite experiences in Alaska were waiting for us.