Denali Highway Cycling Tour
Experience some of Alaska’s most scenic and less frequented roads! A fully supported 5 day, 5 night bicycle trip on the scenic Denali and Richardson Highways. This is a mixed surface tour with pavement and gravel riding in a remote area of Alaska.
Cost: $3750 per person + $600 single supplement (not available some nights).
Duration: 5 days, 5 nights
Activity Level: Moderate – Participants should have gravel riding experience and be comfortable in a saddle for up to 6-8 hours per day with variable climbing.
Escape into Alaska’s wild beauty on a 5-day adventure along the remote Denali Highway.
What started as the first road accessing Denali National Park, the Denali Highway was replaced in 1971 by a more direct route for the over 600,000 annual park visitors. As an unintended benefit, the diversion left the 135-mile Denali Highway as one of the most magnificent and lonely byways in Alaska.
With the Alaska Range as our backdrop and a landscape dotted by flowing rivers, open tundra, and ancient archaeological sites, we’ll spend an unforgettable 5 days riding the Denali Highway. Our days will be spent on a journey through miles of unconstrained and spectacular wilderness traveling from one quintessentially quaint Alaska lodge to another. Our nights will be spent sharing stories from the road over a hearty meal and an ice-cold beverage. By the end of our journey, we’ll have a deep understanding of one of the most rugged yet beautiful places on earth.
Note: This trip travels exclusively on the Denali Highway, which is not part of the Parks Highway leading to Denali National Park. As such, we will not be inside Denali National Park during our cycling journey.
Trip Highlights
- Ride the 135-mile Denali Highway from Paxson, AK to Cantwell, AK
- Optional 40.5-mile ride on Day 1 from Black Rapids to Paxon, AK
- Travel through open tundra with endless views of peaks, glaciers, and rivers
- Explore the Tangle Lakes Archaeological District
- Learn about the rich and complicated human history of the Denali region
- Keep an eye out for wildlife including bear, moose, marmot, and numerous bird species
- Enjoy a stop at the Denali National Park Visitor Center
Cost: $3750 per person + $600 single supplement (not available each night, please contact haines@sockeyecycle.com for availability)
- $500 deposit due at time of reservation.
- Remaining balance due 60 days prior to departure.
What’s Included
- Five nights’ accommodations*
- Two local guides from Sockeye Cycle
- All meals and lodging noted in the daily itinerary
- All gratuities related to services that support the itinerary
- Cycling equipment; bike, storage bag, computer
- Support vehicle
- Transport to Fairbanks Airport on departure day
*Note = Price is based on double occupancy. Please inquire for details if you prefer a single room.
What’s Not Included
- Optional guide gratuity
- Pre-Tour transportation to Fairbanks
- Note that this tour does not take place in Denali National Park. The Denali Highway crosses a beautiful and rural part of Alaska, ending near Denali National Park. On the final day, we visit the National Park visitor center as a group but are not able to conduct other commercial activities inside the park. If you’d like to extend the adventure into Denali National Park, it is possible to book additional lodging or tours and use the Alaska Railroad to reach Fairbanks or Anchorage Airports.
Trip Details
Arrival | Fairbanks, AK. Options include flights, train, or bus transport from Anchorage. Tour departs from Pikes Waterfront Lodge.
Departure | Fairbanks, AK. Options include flights, train, or bus transport from Anchorage. Guests can opt to depart from the group tour at the Denali NP Visitor Center to continue into the park independently.
Capacity |Tour minimum is 4, maximum is 8
Bikes | Salsa Journeyer included with your choice of drop bars or flat bars. Each bike is equipped with a light weight rear rack and trunk bag for gear storage while riding. You are also welcome to bring your own bike. We can assist with assembly and post-trip boxing.
Vehicle Support | A 15 passenger van will be available each day for tour support and to transport gear.
Other Equipment | Helmets available and on bike storage bags available.
Tour Equipment
Itinerary
Day 1
Please arrange your travel to arrive in Fairbanks by 4pm on this date. We’ll be meeting at Pike’s Waterfront Lodge for a tour orientation, bike fitting, and included happy hour + dinner. This will allow us to get rolling early the next morning.
Day 2 Enjoy a warm-up ride along the historic Richardson Highway
We will have breakfast at the lodge and then begin our shuttle down the Richardson Highway to the start of our tour. What began as a trail used during the gold rush, the Richardson Highway eventually grew to be the first main long-distance road into Alaska’s interior. We’ll have lunch on the road and take in the scenery. Once at the lodge, we’ll set up bikes and enjoy an afternoon ride to Paxon with a shuttle back, followed by a catered dinner and overview of the days to come. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Cycling: Up to 40.5 miles on paved road. Elevation gain/loss: +3778′ / -3238′
Shuttle Transfer: 3 hours
Day 3
Ride through open tundra and the Tangle Lakes Archaeological District
A 40-mile van transfer gets us to the start of our journey along the Denali Highway. For over a century, tiny Paxson, Alaska has served as a welcome outpost for road weary travelers and continues to serve as the launching pad for an epic adventure along the Denali Highway. Departing Paxson we’re quickly immersed in the vast and open tundra of interior Alaska. On clear days this area provides jaw-dropping views of the Alaska Range, the Wrangell Mountains, and the Gulkana Glacier. Today’s ride also takes us through the Tangle Lakes Archaeological District. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this area is known to have been inhabited by early humans over 10,000 years ago and contains over 500 archaeological sites. After a remarkable day in the saddle, we’ll enjoy a hearty meal and a warm bed at our comfortable accommodations. All meals included.
Cycling: 41.8 miles on a mixture of paved and gravel road. Elevation gain/loss: +4253′ / -4008′
Shuttle Transfer: 1 hour
Day 4
Ride through Crazy Notch, aside Waterfowl Lakes, and over the Susitna River
The recession of Maclaren Glacier formed the Crazy Notch which will be the first feature of the day. Today’s ride will take you through a landscape carved by eons of glacial activity. Evidence of the impact will provide many places to stop and take in the vast landscape. Along the way, watch for wildlife which frequent this section of the highway. Trumpeter swans, bald eagles, moose and caribou are most commonly seen. We’ll finish the day at yet another charming lodge and enjoy a catered dinner. Here you’ll have the opportunity to explore a lake by canoe, meet a friendly family of sled dogs, play musical instruments and take in the scenery from the warmth of a fire. All meals included. *Single supplement accommodations are not available this evening. Couples will have a private bedroom, some with private bathrooms. Single travelers will be roomed appropriately .
Cycling: 37 miles on gravel road. Elevation gain/loss: +2258′ / -2516′.
Day 5
Celebrate our 135-mile journey in the shadow of North America’s highest peak
Our final 55 miles of the Denali Highway rewards us with some of the most spectacular scenery we’ve experienced so far. On a clear day we’ll enjoy jaw dropping views of the Alaska Range and its crown jewel: Denali. Even in inclement weather this section of our ride is breathtaking and provides peek-a-boo moody views of Mount Deborah, Mount Hess, and the Susitna River valley. The area is also notable as the location of a small gold rush outpost – the Valdez Creek Mine, which can be seen in the foothills of the Clearwater Mountains. We finish our incredible journey in the town of Yidateni Na’ – Cantwell, where we celebrate our accomplishment with a delicious dinner among friends. All meals included.
Cycling: 56.4 miles on gravel road. Elevation gain/loss: +3,223’/ -3669’
Day 6
Stop at Denali National Park Visitor Center before transferring to Fairbanks
This morning we visit Denali National Park Visitors Center. As the gateway to six-million acres of protected wilderness and North America’s tallest mountain, the Visitor Center provides a wealth of fantastic interpretive resources. For those interested in extending their adventure into the park itself, there is also a bus stop, railroad depot, and countless transfer opportunities to nearby communities where an extended adventure into the park can be arranged. For those of us continuing to Fairbanks, we’ll enjoy a picnic lunch along the way and arrive in Fairbanks this afternoon. Breakfast and lunch included.
Shuttle Transfer: 3.5 hours
Lodging
Night 1: The Lodge at Black Rapids is a beautiful, secluded lodge in Delta Junction.
Night 2: The Maclaren River Lodge features charming cabins in a gorgeous setting.
Night 3: Enjoy the Susitna Adventure Lodge nestled among two small lakes surrounded by majestic mountain peaks.
Night 4: Get cozy and take in the spectacular views at Denali Perch Resort.
