Fairbanks I

We drove the Parks Highway from Denali NP to Fairbanks. A pretty drive on a fairly decent road.

In Fairbanks we stopped at the University of Alaska Museum of the North – an excellent collection of Alaskan artifacts as well as modern works of art. We saw a movie about the northern lights (aurora borealis); they can be seen in Fairbanks an average of 100 nights of the year, but will not be seen while we are here since the sun is only 2-degrees below the horizon even at its lowest point around 2 AM. That is not even low enough for great sunsets.

After shopping at Fred Meyer we found a gorgeous campground nearby — lovely wide spaces with lots of trees around and between (see details below). We wanted to stay in the city as there are some places we wish to visit tomorrow. Dinner was a Fred Meyer roasted chicken and bean salad.

Chena River Wayside State Recreation Area Campground Review: Just a short distance from the University, shopping, and restaurants, this campground offers 60 large, flat, gravel sites with plenty of trees and underbrush between spaces. A few of the spaces are so large that they have been designated for two vehicles which would be nice if camping with another family. We have never before seen such a nice campground in a city. Unfortunately at rush hour the traffic noise from University Avenue became very noticeable and the landing path for the Fairbanks International Airport passes right over the campground. The noise from both ceased about 11 PM but was annoying until then. $30 per night for sites with hookups, $20 for no hookups, and $10 for tent camping. Dump station and fresh city water.

-- Janet (text) and David (photos)