If you’re a snowmachiner and have not yet trekked along the Denali Highway to Maclaren River Lodge, then you definitely need to……it’s a great trip!
Earlier this week, my wife and I finally made it back to Maclaren to spend a night. I say finally, because we’ve tried several times between last year and this year only to be met with horribly timed weather events. From the Paxson parking lot, it’s approximately 40 miles to the lodge along a route that generally follows the Denali Highway. Between periodic trail grooming and snowmachine traffic, the trail was pretty good with only a few areas where heavy drifts caused poor trail conditions. On sunny, windless, beautiful days like we had, this trail is a real treat; however, if you hit a stretch of bad weather with heavy winds, I suspect the trail could be a nightmare to travel. You can call or email the lodge ahead of your trip for a recommendation, and you can also take a look at their web camera to get a current view of the weather.
Our stay was nothing short of excellent. The lodge is very well run. The food was all terrific, particularly the homemade bread. The cabin rooms are really nice and comfortable. And, the owners and staff are very friendly and accommodating. As the only operating lodge along the western portion of the highway, it is welcoming, warm, and delightful.
If you’ve driven the Denali Highway any other time of year, you already know how beautiful the area is, but in winter, it is completely different -picture Game of Thrones on steroids (without the Wall, and, fortunately, without the white walkers). Without rushing, it took us around 3 1/2 hours to get from the parking lot to the lodge. We stopped multiple times to take pictures, watch moose, and to check out Tangle River. Our trip out was closer to 2 hours, but we only stopped a couple of times. One of the times we stopped was to watch and photo a huge congregation of ptarmigan…..easily over 100 birds gathered in a prime feeding area that was protected from the wind.
If you want to ride off trail, there is plenty of room……miles and miles of untouched snow ranging from flat, to gently sloping, to mountain riding. Want to combine your trip with some ice fishing? The Tangle Lakes has some excellent fishing for grayling and lake trout; although you’ll more likely catch larger lakers at Lake Louise.
If you decide to make the trip, just be aware that Maclaren River Lodge is the first place along the highway (from the Paxson side) that has any services. The Tangle River Inn and the Tangle Lakes Lodge are both currently closed. On our trip in, we passed 1 group with 5 snowmachines, and on our trip out, we didn’t pass anyone else. We also didn’t see anyone staying at their private cabins around the Tangle Lakes area. Solitude and privacy are great until your machine breaks down, so be prepared. But, also be prepared for a wonderful and unforgettable trip into the Alaska backcountry.