help planning trip please

[bongo]

May 20-31 you can only get as far as Tolklat on the shuttles in Denali. On June 1 you can get a shuttle all the way to Eielson, getting you up in that high tundra, more chance to see bears, wolves, caribou,dall sheep.

I backpack & tent camp in Denali for weeks on end in the summer with no threats from bears & I'm a small woman alone. If you are concerned, simply stay at Riley Creek Campground at the entrance. A small rental car, tent & camping equipment will save you a lot, particularly gas money.

Lots of RV rental info, Denali shuttle & campground info etc. on AK trip advisor:
Alaska Forum, Travel Discussion for Alaska - TripAdvisor

In one full week you could spend several nights down in Seward & several nights at Denali. The drive along the Turnagain is beautiful.

[AKStafford]

I'm not sure the Denail Highway between Cantwell & Paxston is open that early...
If you are road trippin' I highly suggest The MILEPOST: Alaska Travel Guide and Trip Planner. You can pick one up when you get here. Sam's Club is your best price if you have a membership...
I would think a week would be enough time to do Anchorage to Fairbanks via the Parks, then down to Tok, Glenallen, Valdez, and then back to Anchorage via the Richardson & Glenn.
Going north on the Parks highway: Stop at the The Official Site of the Iditarod® headquarters in Wasilla. The Veteran's Memorial at mile 147 is nice.
Coming back to Anchorage on the Glenn, at Palmer turn left on Arctic Ave (first stop light) which becomes the Old Glenn. At the blinking red light, turn right onto Blundenburg Loop and there is a reindeer farm.

[tigre79]

Originally Posted by AKStafford

I'm not sure the Denail Highway between Cantwell & Paxston is open that early...

BLM site said it was usually open mid-May, but it would be a good idea to have alternate plans in case it's still closed. The road over Hatcher Pass won't be open then, but you can still go up to Independence Mine, and eat lunch at Hatcher Pass Lodge.

[okieplumber]

As always you guys and gals give great advice. we are looking to get an RV and go north to denali my wife really wants to see MT mckinley she is from west texas and has never seen a mountain.I am trying to convince her we should move up to AK.. thanks also for the advice on tent camping in that area. I was just trying to avoid the Headline "dumb okie ate by Bear" LOL ...This trip is a makeshift Vacation, while in Anchorage I will be looking at a business I am thinking about buying if all goes well and she likes it there we will make on more trip up this summer and one in winter and hopefully move there next spring

[heathen]

If the weather's good, Denali can be great, and you're more likely to actually see it in spring / early summer than you would be in July / August which are more cloudy and hazy. If the weather's even slightly questionable though, I'd highly recommend heading south to the Kenai Peninsula instead. Somewhere I read that the Kenai is the "abridged version of Alaska," meaning it contains most of the stuff that people love about this place, but with easier access, more facilities and services, and the attractions closer together. It's mostly mountainous, but the mountains are low (relatively!) and close enough that it's still beautiful even if the weather's not perfect, while Denali's 50 or 60 miles from where you can get to, and 20K feet above, so if there's any cloud in the sky, it's probably obscuring the mountain... Lots of visitors leave disappointed by this fact. The Kenai can get pretty crowded in mid-summer because it's very popular with tourists, and also with folks from Anchorage, but the tourist season doesn't really get into full swing until mid-June. Also, I don't think RV rental companies will be happy about the Denali Highway, even if it is open (120 miles of gravel road).

Even if you go north, I'd recommend the drive south at least as far as Portage Lake. Other spots close to Anchorage that are very worthwhile include the drive out Eagle River Valley, the view of Anchorage from Glen Alps Trailhead, and the drive up to Independence Mine / Hatcher Pass just north of Palmer.

All that said though, going north, the Parks Highway is barely more than a one-view trip (the view of Denali). The most spectacular drives starting from Anchorage heading north (in my not so humble opinion) are the previously mentioned Denali Hwy, the Richardson Hwy between Delta and Paxson, the Richardson Hwy into Valdez, and the Glenn Hwy between Eureka and Palmer.