Credit: Silas Fallstich; fullframefotos.us
Talkeetna, AK
Worthwhile destinations for those with time, money, or energy to spare.
Tiny Talkeetna faces the flanks of the Alaska Range and Denali National Park, a vast area encompassing some of the wildest lands in the United States, yet it’s within reach of civilization (barely). Twenty-hour summer days mean near-endless fun and adventure. —Melissa Gaskill
*To figure the energy values for this story, we used healthstatus.com’s calorie calculator, the weight of 165 pounds, and these estimates for each activity (16.5 hours of cycling in AK, 8 hours of cycling in ME, and 24 hours of hiking in MI).
Time: 4 nights
Spend some time (nearly) alone. There are few actual trails in Denali National Park and Preserve—an area larger than the state of New Hampshire—and thanks to permit limits in the park’s 70-plus units, overnight visitors are spread thin as they wander among glacier-fed streams, below towering peaks, and through natural habitat for caribou, wolf, and bear. Multi-day trips up your chances for prime permit areas. Try for a 5-day, 30-mile trip: Start by hiking south alongside the Teklanika River in unit 6 and cutting east across unit 5 and the Alaska-Range foothills before looping north along the Savage River in unit 4. nps.gov/dena
Energy: 10,879 calories*
More than 6,260 feet of rolling elevation gain make the 92-mile road through Denali a thigh-burning ride. Tundra views, occasional glimpses of the namesake peak, and near-guaranteed wildlife sightings make it a once-in-a-lifetime trip, too. The pavement turns to dirt and the road is closed to private vehicles after 15 miles, so traffic is low, but regular park busses mean that help—or an out- or in-bound lift for tired riders—is close at hand. Bus reservations recommended; two bikes per bus. nps.gov/dena
Money: $2,940+/4 days
The miles-from-nowhere Don Sheldon Mountain House lies at 6,000 feet on the Denali massif, but fortunately it’s only a short hike from the glacier-cum-landing strip. Simply soak in the sight of Mount McKinley looming, or ski and climb glaciers with Alaska Mountaineering School guides. Room $135/night for four, round-trip flight $500/person, guide $1,900 per person. Custom packages also available. climbalaska.org
DREAM adventure: $1,045/4 days
Float crystal-clear waters spotting bears, moose, and eagles, hiking to waterfalls, and enjoying some of North America’s best salmon fishing with Denali Southside River Guides. Gourmet meals, riverside camping. denaliriverguides.com.
Credit: Acadia Air tours
Mount Desert Island, ME
This rugged granite isle hosts a national park, bustling resort town, and access to woods dotting Maine’s rugged coastline.
Time: 3 days
Spend sunny days paddling sky blue waters along granite cliffs topped with pine trees. Local entertainment includes seals, eagles, and porpoises. Tuck into gourmet meals, complete with wine, and slumber near cobblestone beaches on some of the hundreds of uninhabited islands scattered throughout Bar Harbor. $399/person includes equipment, guides, and meals. acadiafun.com
Energy: 5,068 calories*
Pack a map when you take to the criss-crossing, hillside-skimming, 45-mile Carriage Road system at Acadia National Park. Crushed-rock surfaces, perfect for mountain- or cross-bikes, wind and circle through wooded hills to Bar Harbor vistas, traversing 16 granite and cobblestone bridges. Be sure to hit the Eagle Lake, Around Mountain, and Aunt Betty Pond loops for at least 23 thigh-burning miles. nps.gov/acad
Money: $475/30 minutes
Strap into a parachute, buckle into a World War II fighter plane, and spend thirty heart-stopping—and gravity-pushing—minutes of wing dips, barrel rolls, and even a loop that hits speeds of 200 mph above the wilds of Maine’s central coast. Or dial back the adrenaline with a peaceful thermal-fueled sunset flight in a glider. Nearly silent, glider flights can cruise directly above the park. (glider tours: 40 minutes, $369 for two). acadiaairtours.com
Relax
Pamper yourself after a long day on the water with an aromatic salt glow body treatment or 80 minutes of stone massage at the Bar Harbor Inn & Spa. Newport Drive, barharborinn.com
Eat
Nab fresh-from-the-boat lobsters at Beal’s Lobster Pier in Southwest Harbor. Eat your
catch at one of their dockside picnic tables or boil it in your own kitchen at home.182 Clark Point Rd., (207) 244-7178, bealslobster.com
Repeat
Fall colors paint the course of the Mount Desert Island Marathon—voted one of the nation’s most scenic—as it winds from Bar Harbor past the Cadillac Mountains and around the Atlantic coast’s only fjord. October 16; mdimarathon.org
Credit: Lori Honrath
Isle Royale National Park, MI
Lake Superior’s largest island—also the centerpiece of a national park archipelago—is an isolated wilderness playground.
Time: 5 days
Hop aboard the round-island ferry with your kayak in tow and settle at McCargoe Cove before beginning a 4-day exploration of the island’s northwest coast. Spend nights one and two at Pickeral Cove and nights three and four base-camped at Belle Isle, while spending days scouting sandpipers, gulls, and even occasional eagles while paddling the Amygdaloid Channel, Belle Harbor, and Robinson Bay.
Energy: 10,692 calories*
The 42-mile trek along Isle Royale’s centerline ridge takes you from island extremes—the ferry dock at the Windigo Visitor Center to rocky outcroppings on Mount Desore, and coniferous stands near Rock Harbor to orchid-speckled inland lakeshores. Start at Windigo and hike north to Rock Harbor, catching peek-a-boo views of the island itself and the Minnesota mainland. Plan 3 to 6 days of hiking rugged trails and pre-arrange transport for this point-to-point. nps.gov/isro
Money: $697/48 hours
Upscale your Isle Royale experience with a lakeside room at Rock Harbor Lodge, four hours of fishing for lake trout and coho salmon, and a rented kayak to explore barrier islands stretching to the Rock Harbor lighthouse, roughly 7 miles to the southwest. Room: $252/night; Fishing charter: $388/4 people; Kayak: $57/day. isleroyaleresort.com
Explore
Scuba among Lake Superior’s shipwrecks on Isle Royale Charter’s five-day live-aboard trip. Bring your dry suit—Superior’s waters rarely top 52 degrees F. The Grand Portage Marina; isleroyalecharters.com
Eat
Catch your own lake trout or coho salmon and have it cooked to order at the Rock Island Lodge’s Lighthouse Restaurant. Rock Harbor; 906-337-4993
Repeat
This seasonal destination is only open April through October, but make a list for next year: Hunt Isle Royale greenstones (the state gemstone) and otter-spot in Washington Harbor. April 16–Nov 1; nps.gov/isro
