Alaska

Discover Alaska by Rail: A Traveling Adventure

Program No. 1014RJ
Learn about the Alaska Railroad while journeying its entire length. Explore a cross-section of Alaska life (and wildlife) in Fairbanks, Denali, Anchorage and Seward.

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At a Glance

All Aboard! Journey the entire 470-mile length of the historic Alaska Railroad from Fairbanks to Seward. Along the way you'll learn about life in the North and its people, culture and wildlife. Ride to Denali National Park- home of North America’s tallest mountain, 20,310-foot Denali where you'll explore its trails with one of Denali Education Center's educators. Then you'll head to Anchorage and experience the cultures of Alaska’s Native groups before heading to the harbor town of Seward to take in the grandeur of Kenai Fjords National Park.
Activity Level
On Your Feet
This program is "On Your Feet." Your mobility must match the description. Reach out to Road Scholar or DEC with questions. Activities include city walking, hiking on maintained trails with varied terrain, wet/dry conditions, and even ice/snow. You must move about on a boat in open water and get on/off a motorcoach. Distances are up to 2 mi during scheduled activities. Hikes are optional with trails up to 2 mi in length with elevation changes up to 200 ft. Pace of the hikes is up to 2 mi/hr.

What You'll Learn

  • View stunning scenery and wildlife on a journey into Denali National Park.
  • Visit the Alaska Native Heritage Center to learn about Alaska's diverse array of cultures and traditions.
  • Explore Kenai Fjords National Park by boat to spot glaciers, marine mammals, birds and the rugged coast.
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While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
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11 days
10 nights
25 meals
10 B 6 L 9 D
DAY
1
Check-in, Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Fairbanks
D
River's Edge Resort

Activity note: Welcome to Alaska! Check into your hotel, meet fellow participants and Group Leader, and kick off your learning adventure.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: At leisure. Spend the evening resting and relaxing or getting to know your fellow participants.

DAY
2
Fairbanks Mining History, Cultural Center
Fairbanks
B,D
River's Edge Resort

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; Drive 35 miles total over the course of the day. Light walking up to 2 miles; mostly paved, 1-4 steps possible, minimal elevation change. Some standing, no more than 15 minutes at a time.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We'll board a motorcoach and head to the Tanana Valley to learn about Fairbanks rich mining history. Fairbanks was founded in 1901, the same year gold was discovered in the hills north of the Chena and Tanana rivers. The resulting rush of hopeful miners and the gold they found helped build Fairbanks into the city it is today. You'll have a chance to see artifacts from that first gold rush and learn how mining practices have changed over the years. Before we depart, you'll be able to look for a little pay dirt of your own and pan for gold.

Lunch: This lunch has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you'd like. Ask your Group Leader for suggestions, or strike out and explore downtown Fairbanks.

Afternoon: We'll head to the Morris Thompson Cultural Center to learn about the native peoples who have called the Fairbanks area home for thousands of years. The Center is also home to the Public Lands Information Center and features interactive exhibits, artwork, and films. We'll talk with a Native Alaskan from the Tanana Chiefs Conference and have time to explore the Center on our own.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: At leisure. Pack and prepare for check-out and transfer to Denali via train in the morning.

DAY
3
Train to Denali; Welcome to the Subarctic
Denali National Park
B,L,D
Denali Education Center

Activity note: Getting on and off a motorcoach; 5 miles total over 15 minutes. Getting on and off the train; 130 miles to Denali Railroad Depot. Getting on and off a bus; 10 miles total over 20 minutes. Up to 2-miles walking possible throughout the day on compact surfaces and forested paths, with no significant elevation gain.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: After checking out of our hotel, we'll take a motorcoach to the Fairbanks Depot, the starting point for our journey across Alaska by rail. Once aboard, we'll travel along the first leg of the 470-mile long Alaska Railroad as it winds its way south to the Alaska Range and Denali National Park. As we near the Park, the tracks wind through a canyon along the Nenana River at the base of Mt. Healy. From 1923 to 1971, the only way to reach the Park was by train, so you'll arrive at the Denali Depot in nearly the same way a traveler from the early 20th century did. From the depot, we'll head to the Denali Education Center campus, our home for the next three nights. DEC's tranquil, wooded 10-acre campus is located seven miles south of the Denali Park Entrance along the banks of the Nenana River.

Lunch: At Denali Education Center's Riverside Hall.

Afternoon: After lunch, we’ll have a short orientation to DEC, its amenities, and campus. Afterwards, we'll hear from an expert field educator about the sometimes surprising, always extreme conditions that shape life in Denali and define our subarctic ecosystem in a hybrid nature walk and lecture.

Dinner: At Denali Education Center's Riverside Hall.

Evening: At leisure. Relax and unwind after a long day of travel, or stretch your legs and explore Denali! Riverside Hall is available for your use 24 hours a day. Grab a book from the library, enjoy a hot beverage on the deck, or play a game with friends!

DAY
4
Heart of the Wilderness, Journey into Denali National Park
Denali National Park
B,L,D
Denali Education Center

Activity note: Getting on/off a bus. Driving into Denali National Park, approximately 5 hours total aboard, with stops to view wildlife and rest stops every 1-1.5 hours. The Park Road is mostly unpaved, bumpy ride possible. Walking up to 1-mile throughout the day; opportunities for more walking dependent on personal preference. Bring a camera and binoculars, if you have them.

Breakfast: At Denali Education Center's Riverside Hall.

Morning: After breakfast, we'll take a bus to Denali National Park, where we'll visit the "front country" area, which includes the Denali Visitor Center, the Morino Grill restaurant, the Alaska Geographic bookstore, and numerous hiking and walking trails.You'll have time for independent exploration, during which the Group Leader will be available to offer recommendations or answer questions.The Denali Visitor Center features an impressive exhibit hall and regular showings of "Heartbeats of Denali," a 20-minute non-narrated film that shares visuals of the various seasons, landscapes, and wildlife of this beautiful place. Elective: Join an educator for a short hike into the Park's storied past. We'll see historic building remains and learn about the beginnings of the Park and the now vanished boomtown of McKinley Station.

Lunch: In the field, you'll enjoy a boxed lunch.

Afternoon: We’ll board a park bus and travel deep into Denali National Park on a journey into the wilderness. Along the way, we’ll enjoy commentary about the park from our bus driver and on-board educator while we take in breathtaking views of the many peaks of the Alaska Range. Have your cameras ready, the ride offers a good chance to view Denali's wildlife, which may include caribou, grizzly bears, Dall sheep, moose, and more! As you traverse the landscape, your on-board educator will keep their eyes peeled for wildlife and learning opportunities. Throughout the afternoon, your educator will explain the history, ecology, and cultural significance of Denali National Park. Opportunities to stretch your legs will be available throughout the trip. Typically, restrooms are available every 1-1.5 hours. We will stop periodically to observe wildlife when sighted and for photo opportunities.

Dinner: At Denali Education Center's Riverside Hall.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
5
Wildlife of Denali; Enjoy a Hike or Free Time
Denali National Park
B,L,D
Denali Education Center

Activity note: Light walking on packed gravel surface. Less than one mile. Opportunities for more activity dependent on personal preference.

Breakfast: At Denali Education Center's Riverside Hall.

Morning: Denali is home to 39 species of mammals and 169 species of birds. We’ll join a field educator in Riverside Hall to discuss the extraordinary adaptations that allow local wildlife to survive in Alaska’s extreme subarctic climate. During this educational session, we will examine fur pelts, skulls, and hooves from regional species as we learn about how they survive in the North.

Lunch: At Denali Education Center's Riverside Hall.

Afternoon: Choose your own adventure on a free afternoon in Denali. Set off on an excursion provided by a local operator, like rafting, flightseeing or flyfishing. (Your Group Leader can help you schedule and purchase these activities in advance when you arrive in Denali.) Spend your afternoon exploring the boreal forest on a front country trail with one of Denali Education Center's expert field educators. Or you can spend this time exploring the Denali Visitor Center, the Morino Grill restaurant, and Alaska Geographic bookstore.

Dinner: At Denali Education Center's Riverside Hall.

Evening: We'll gather together for a presentation given by a local speaker on a topic pertinent to the program theme.

DAY
6
Visit a Local Dog Musher, Train to Anchorage
Downtown Anchorage, AK
B,L,D
The Historic Anchorage Hotel

Activity note: Getting on and off a bus. Driving about 36 miles total approximately 1.5 hours. Standing up to 30 minutes outside during field trip. Benches available. Getting on and off the train, 230 miles total over 9 hours. 1-2 miles total of light walking on paved and unpaved surface with no significant elevation gain. 1-4 steps possible while moving about the train.

Breakfast: At Denali Education Center's Riverside Hall.

Morning: After checking out of our rooms at the Denali Education Center, we'll board a bus and travel to the kennels of a local musher to learn about the life of a working sled dog, the art of mushing, and what it's like to train for races like the Yukon Quest and the Iditarod. We'll even get a chance to interact with these furry athletes. Afterward, we'll head to the Denali Depot and board a train bound for Anchorage.

Lunch: Aboard the train.

Afternoon: Enjoy beautiful scenery on the Alaska Railroad from your seat in a Gold Star Service glass-dome train car. We will wind our way south through Broad Pass and over the Alaska Range to Anchorage. Weather and visibility permitting, this leg of the journey can provide beautiful panoramic views of Denali's peaks. You'll also be treated to a vista of Hurricane Gulch from a 296-foot railroad bridge. Afterward, the tracks veer away from the road system and into the backcountry. Keep your eyes peeled for remote, off-grid cabins. These cabins are only accessible by train--Alaska Railroad has a flagstop service that allows these residents to get on and off a train with the wave of a flag. The train will pass through the quirky town of Talkeetna before following the Susitna River south toward the Chugach mountains and Anchorage. As always, watch for wildlife on this scenic journey. Moose are commonly spotted along this route!

Dinner: Aboard the train.

Evening: We'll arrive in Anchorage and check into our hotel. The rest of the evening is at leisure.

DAY
7
Alaska Native Heritage Center; Anchorage Museum
Downtown Anchorage, AK
B,D
The Historic Anchorage Hotel

Activity note: Getting on/off a bus. Driving up to 20 miles over the course of the day. Light standing and town walking up to 2 miles: mostly paved and gentle inclines possible. Steps possible, elevator available. Opportunities for more walking dependent on personal preference.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We'll board a charter bus and head to the Alaska Native Heritage Center: a gathering place that celebrates, perpetuates, and shares Alaska Native culture, language, heritage and tradition. Explore the indoor and outdoor exhibits and take in one-of-a-kind demonstrations by Alaska Native artists, dancers, musicians, and story tellers of all ages. Explore the campus on a walk through exhibits of traditional native dwellings led by youth volunteers and Native Elders.

Lunch: This lunch has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you'd like. Ask your Group Leader for suggestions, or strike out and explore downtown Anchorage.

Afternoon: We will meet at Alaska's largest museum: the Anchorage Museum. Through a combination of art and design, history, science and culture, the Anchorage Museum invites us on a rich, deep exploration of the history, land and people of Alaska. Embark on a self-guided investigation of the one of the museum's permanent collections and explore their extensive collection of Alaskan art and artifacts.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: At leisure. Explore downtown Anchorage or rest and relax before our early train transfer to Seward tomorrow morning.

DAY
8
Train to Seward, Seward's History
Seward
B,D
Gateway Hotel

Activity note: Getting on/off a train. Travel by rail approx. 120 miles, over approximately 4 hrs. Getting on/off a bus. Driving about 15 miles total over the course of the day. Light town walking up to 1.5 miles over pavement and some uneven terrain.

Breakfast: Due to an early departure time, breakfast will be aboard the train.

Morning: We'll check-out of our hotel and take a motorcoach to the Anchorage depot for an early morning train to Seward. This last stretch of the Alaska Railroad has been called one of the most spectacular railroad journeys on the continent, and we'll enjoy it from a Gold Star Service glass-dome train car seat! We'll first wind our way southeast along the Turnagain Arm. When the train reaches the end of the Arm, it sets out into backcountry wilderness of Chugach National Forest. We'll encounter gorgeous views of Spencer Lake and the massive Spencer Glacier, Bartlett Glacier and Trail Glacier on our way south to the coastal town of Seward. Once we arrive, we'll board a bus headed to "downtown" Seward.

Lunch: This lunch has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you'd like. Ask your Group Leader for suggestions, or explore Seward on your own.

Afternoon: After lunch, we'll meet at an announced time and place. We'll learn about the origin and home of the Alaska state flag, visit Mile-0 of the Iditarod Trail and dive into the history of this harbor town on a expert-led exploration of Seward by mini-bus. When we've finished, the bus will drop us at our hotel for check-in.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: At leisure. Stretch your legs and explore this beautiful harbor town, or unpack and relax after a day of travel.

DAY
9
Kenai Fjords National Park Marine Wildlife Cruise
Seward
B,L
Gateway Hotel

Activity note: Getting on/off a minibus and a boat; riding approximately 1 hour on the minibus and 6 hours on the catamaran. Indoor and outdoor seating available. Potential for rain and wind and cold weather, please dress accordingly. Please bring a camera and binoculars if you have them. Catamaran will cross open water; please bring motion sickness medication if you are prone to motion sickness.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: At leisure. Enjoy a relaxed morning or explore the many coffee shops, art galleries and unique gift shops of Seward. Close to lunchtime, we'll take a mini-bus and head to the small boat harbor, to board a catamaran-style boat for a full-day, expert-led field trip into Kenai Fjords National Park and Resurrection Bay.

Lunch: Aboard the boat.

Afternoon: We'll continue our exploration of Kenai Fjords National Park and Resurrection Bay. This is a great opportunity to spot wildlife, so be on the lookout (and have your camera ready!) as we travel through this strikingly beautiful habitat. We may be lucky enough to see whales, sea otters, Steller sea lions, harbor seals, puffins, eagles, and more. Along our route, we will visit an active tidewater glaciers: the Holgate. Upon our return to the dock, we’ll walk back to the hotel. Before breaking for the evening we'll discuss the following day's schedule and our travels north to Anchorage. The rest of the evening is yours for you to do any final exploring of Seward.

Dinner: This dinner has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you'd like. Your Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
10
Alaska SeaLife Center, Program Wrap Up
Anchorage
B,L,D
Courtyard Anchorage Airport

Activity note: Getting on/off a bus. Light walking up to 2 miles possible over pavement and uneven terrain. Light walking and standing at the Sealife Center. Driving about 130 miles to Anchorage; approximately 3 hours with stops.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: After checking out of our hotel, a motorcoach will drop us at the Alaska SeaLife Center, a public aquarium and the state's only permanent marine mammal rehabilitation facility. The center was established after the Exxon-Valdez oil spill and as one of the only aquariums in the world with an on-site research facility, brings in top-notch researchers from all over the world. We'll have a chance to attend an presentation on a current research project. There will be time to explore the SeaLife Center's many exhibits, view the resident wildlife, and learn more about the Center's goals and continuing research.

Lunch: At the SeaLife Center.

Afternoon: We’ll board a motorcoach bound for Anchorage. Enjoy the scenery and dramatic shorelines as we travel on the Seward Highway along the Turnagain Arm. Keep an eye out for wildlife: if we are lucky, we might spot a beluga in the waters of the Arm, or dall sheep in the Chugach mountains above the road. Once we arrive in Anchorage the motorcoach will bring us to the hotel for check-in.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: During the program wrap-up, we’ll tell stories and share favorite experiences from our time together in Alaska. We'll recount our explorations of Alaska by rail and describe the new knowledge that we'll take home to share with others. After wrap-up, the remainder of the evening is yours to explore Anchorage or prepare for departure in the morning.

DAY
11
Program Concludes
Anchorage
B

Activity note: Breakfast at your pace. Check out by 12:00 p.m. Hotel offers 24-hour airport shuttle service.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Hotel checkout is at noon. The Courtyard Anchorage Airport offers a 24-hour courtesy airport shuttle service departing on the half hour, allowing you to head to the airport at your convenience. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!






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