Hiking Thru Cities In History

The Alaska Railroad is a Class II railroad that operates freight and passenger trains in the state of Alaska. The railroad's mainline runs between Seward on the southern coast and Fairbanks, near the center of the state. It passes through Anchorage and Denali National Park. The railroad has 656 miles (1,056 km) of track, including sidings, rail yards and branch lines. The main line between Seward and Fairbanks is over 470 miles long. Construction of the railroad started in 1903 when the Alaska Central Railroad built a line starting in Seward and extending 50 miles north. The Alaska Central went bankrupt in 1907 and was reorganized as the Alaska Northern Railroad Company in 1911, which extended the line another 21 miles northward. On March 12, 1914, the U.S. Congress agreed to fund construction and operation of an all-weather railroad from Seward to Fairbanks and purchased the rail line from the financially struggling Alaska Northern.

Thank you to everybody who likes my progress. I am finally back up to 10,000 steps. This winter has been hard. But it was 50° today, which is perfect for walking.

Fairbanks is one of the biggest towns closest to Denali National Park and Preserve. (The other is Talkeetna). That makes it the perfect place to stay if you want to venture into this famous national park. (Even though Denali is a two-hour drive or four-hour train ride from Fairbanks, it still remains one of the closest towns!) If you want a truly epic Denali experience, take an air taxi to Denali Basecamp! Located on Kahiltna Glacier, the Denali Basecamp is the launching point for those who want to climb up Denali. If you’re not eager to climb up the highest peak in North America, you can enjoy the views from a distance. Try a flightseeing tour over the Kahiltna glacier and witness a line of climbers attempting to conquer the summit of Denali. Take the Denali shuttle bus in the park, which is the only way to access roads deeper in the park, since cars are only permitted in a portion of the park. Go on a hike and hope to see some wildlife!