From almost the moment they cross into the state, travelers on the Alaska Highway face a smorgasbord of campgrounds. Likewise, airline passengers disembarking with camping gear at Fairbanks or Anchorage have a lot to choose from.
Denali National Park may be the goal of every visitor to the Interior. This grand park contains the continent's tallest mountain, great viewing of grizzly bears and the backcountry setting for unforgettable hikes across the tundra.
Denali's seven campgrounds hold almost 300 campsites, many of which are available for either tents or trailers and motor homes. In addition, campers can head for the roadless hills.
But visitors -- and even Alaskans -- in the rush to see The Mountain and The Bears often overlook many other good hiking and camping places in the Interior.
A good starting place for information is one of the Alaska Public Lands Information Centers located in Fairbanks, Tok and Anchorage. Information rangers provide local knowledge about trails, campgrounds, federal and state cabins, transportation and such important things as groceries.
The state of Alaska and the federal government maintain dozens of cabins at recreational sites in the Interior, Southcentral and Southeast. The rentals run from $25 to $50 a night, and users will have to hike, float, fly or ski to most of them. The cabins are rustic, with a stove, beds and a few other amenities.
The state allows campers to check for cabin availability and to make reservations over the Internet.
The Bureau of Land Management has cabins that can be rented year-round, and some for winter use only, in or near the White Mountains Recreation Area north of Fairbanks. Federal cabins in the Interior and Alaska's other regions can be reserved on the Net.
Commercial and government-managed campgrounds along the all the major roads in the Interior welcome RVs and trailers as well as tent campers.
Picking a good place can make a hike or camping trip a lot more comfortable.
Trails and hiking near Fairbanks
Starting with two routes in Fairbanks, here are a few trails on and off the Interior's beaten path.
• Creamer's Nature Path, 1300 College Road on the north side of town, runs a couple of miles and has an observation platform from which to watch birds, especially sandhill cranes. The refuge offers summer tours.
• Skarland Trails starts behind the ski hut on the West Ridge of the University of Alaska campus and leads to an interconnected set of trails from 3 to 12 miles long. Attractions are birds, wildflowers, berries and pond ecosystems.
• Chena Hot Springs Road heads east from Fairbanks for 56 miles, destined for a resort with a lot of activities. Along the way are several campgrounds in the Chena River State Recreation Area: Rosehip $8 fee) at Mile 27, Tors Trail ($8) at Mile 39 and Red Squirrel ($5) at Mile 43. Tent and RV camping is available at the resort.
Several trails, some long enough that taking a sleeping bag and tent is a good idea, head off into the park: Angel Rocks, 3.5 miles; Granite Tors, 15 hard miles; and Chena Dome, 29 challenging miles.
The Chena River is popular for canoeing and for catch-and-release grayling fishing. Fishing updates are available, and ask locally about river conditions.
