Alaska's cities
Tok, Alaska
"Gateway to Alaska" welcomes highway travelers to Interior
Alaska.com
Tok is the first town visitors reach after entering Alaska on the Alaska Highway. And they have to drive 93 miles from Canada to do it.
Situated 200 miles southeast of Fairbanks and 328 miles from Anchorage, Tok is sometimes called the "Gateway to Alaska." Tok is about 100 miles from the official end of the Alaska Highway, Delta Junction.
Tok is a welcome site for incoming travelers. There are gas stations, restaurants, motels, RV parks and groceries. A visitors center at the main intersection offers help with local attractions.
Tok's climate
Tok has cold winters and warm summers.
In the winter, ice fog and smoke conditions are common. The average low temperature during January is minus 32; the average high during July is 72. Extreme temperatures have been measured from minus 71 to 99.
The annual precipitation is 11 inches, including 33 inches of snow.
Tok's economy
Tok, population 1,400, is the transportation, business, service and government center for the Upper Tanana River region. Employment and business revenues peak in the summer months, with the rush of RV travelers on the Alaska Highway. Sled dog breeding and the sale of pelts add to the local economy. Four residents hold commercial fishing permits.
Subsistence and recreational activities are prevalent. Moose, bear, rabbit, grouse, and ptarmigan are taken. Dahl sheep and caribou are hunted outside of the region, but only through lottery permits. Salmon are obtained from the Copper River to the south. Berry-picking and gardening are also popular activities.
Almost 20 percent of the population is Alaska Native or part Native. The area was traditionally Athabascan, although the current population is primarily non-Native.
Tok has come to call itself the "Sled Dog Capital of Alaska." Although residents have chosen not to incorporate as a municipality, there are many local volunteer committees for various community functions and various membership organizations.
Tok is directly accessible to Anchorage and Fairbanks because of its location at the junction of two highways. Bus services are available to Anchorage and Fairbanks, and freight is delivered by truck. The Tok Airport gravel runway is 3,000 feet long, paved and lighted. A 2,510-foot paved runway is also available at Tok Junction. There are two additional private airstrips in the vicinity.
History
The name "Tok" is often thought to be derived from Tokyo Camp, but there are at least three other versions of how Tok got its name. One version says the town was named after a camp dog.
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