Alaska’s Interior is a huge plain that stretches over the majority of the state. From the Canadian border it extends west, almost to the Bering Sea. The Alaska Range borders it on the south, and the Brooks Range on the north. Denali (Mount McKinley), is North America’s highest peak and is part of the Alaska Range. This is one of The “Crown Jewels” of the Interior.
The Yukon River and its tributaries wind thousands of miles through this region to the Bering Sea and native villages dot the banks along its entire length. On interior flatlands and in the mountains you will find an incredible array of wild animals, countless species of birds and breathtaking scenery where ever you look. People have inhabited this area for over 11,000 years and by the eighteenth century the Yukon Basin was home to over 6,000 Athabaskan Indians. The Yukon River, known as “Mighty River” by the natives, was the lifeblood of the region, providing food for those who lived along its banks. It is said that some Natives pictured the River as a thread that held the world together.
Fairbanks is the largest city in the region and is often referred to as the “Golden Heart City.” This accolade is as much about the people as it is about its gold rush history. Other towns of the Interior include Delta Junction, Tok, Chicken, Healy, Nenana, North Pole and Denali National Park.
Interior Alaska draws people from all over the world to enjoy the spectacle of the Aurora Borealis, which can be seen dancing in the sky from late August through April. Like all subarctic regions, you will experience an average of 21 hours of daylight between early May and late July, while the months of November to January average less than 4 hours of daylight.
Summer temperatures can range from highs of 95 degrees, to as low as minus 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Both the highest and lowest temperature records for the State were set in the Interior, with 100 °F (38 °C) reached in Fort Yukon and a bone chilling −80 °F (−64 °C) in Prospect Creek.
All in all, Alaska’s Interior is one of the most diverse and interesting areas in a State that is filled with great places to visit.
