Best Place to Stay in Delta Junction Alaska
Kelly’s Alaska Country Inn. Every room offers Wi-fi, satellite TV, refrigerators, microwaves, private baths, and in-room coffee service. Kitchen units are available. Located downtown within walking distance of shopping, and restaurants.
Camping in Delta Junction, AK
Delta State Recreation Site has 25 campsites, a picnic shelter, water, and toilets. It can be found at the north end of town just past the airport.
Clearwater State Campground has 17 campsites, well water, good fishing, and a boat launch. Mile 1415 of the Alaska Highway.
Best Things to Do in Delta Junction, AK
Rika’s Roadhouse Café and Gifts are open at Big Delta State Historical Park. The Café serves homemade soups, sandwiches, pies, and baked goods. The Smiling Moose Gift shop specializes in Alaskan-made gifts, souvenirs, food items, and locally made ulus, knives, fur items, books, photography, wall art, and much more.
Rika’s Roadhouse History:
The Valdez-to-Fairbanks trail brought travelers to the banks of the Tanana River, where they crossed by ferry. John Hajdukovich, a Yugoslavian entrepreneur, bought the land along with a fur trading post in 1909 making the Roadhouse over 110 years old.
The two-story roadhouse became a year-round oasis for hunters, trappers, prospectors, and travelers as well as local Athabascans and homesteaders. In 1918 John hired a dependable, hard-working Swede named Rika Wallen to take over. Rika made the place her own and ran the roadhouse successfully from 1918 until the 1940s and 50s.
Deltana Fair is held annually at the end of July. There are horse shows, Mud Bogs, Baby Show, and Pie Eating Contests. Exhibits & much more.
Sullivan Roadhouse built in 1905, is the oldest roadhouse in Interior Alaska. John and Florence Sullivan operated the log inn from 1905-1922. Today, the restored log structure is a museum that houses many antique items.
Delta Junction FAQs
How far is Delta Junction from Fairbanks?
Fairbanks is 98 miles from Delta Junction via the Richardson Highway.
How far is Delta Junction from Anchorage?
Anchorage is 338 miles from Delta Junction. From Delta Junction, take the Richardson Highway 151 miles south to Glennallen and the Glenn Highway 187 miles to Anchorage.
What is Delta Junction known for?
Delta Junction is known for being the end of the Alaska Highway. The Alaska Highway was a monumental project by the US military to build a road connecting Alaska to the “lower 48” states during WW II. At Delta Junction, the Alaska Highway ends and the Richardson Highway connects to Fairbanks (North) and Valdez (south).
Delta Junction is also known for having two historical roadhouses. Rika’s Roadhouse in the Big Delta State Historical Park is a famed roadhouse that welcomed gold rush miners as they traveled from Valdez to Fairbanks in the early 1900s.
The Sullivan Roadhouse, in the heart of Delta Junction, is the oldest roadhouse in Interior Alaska, built-in 1905 on the Valdez Fairbanks Trail. Learn about the gold rush days, see the artifacts, and get a feel for what life was like at the turn of the last century in frontier Alaska.
Is Delta Junction north or south of Fairbanks?
Delta Junction is 98 miles southeast of Fairbanks on the Richardson Highway. Delta Junction is the official end of the Alaska Highway.
How cold does it get in Delta Junction, Alaska?
Delta Junction gets very cold in the wintertime because of its infamous wind chill. Delta is well known for its wind; their local paper call it the Delta Wind. The thermometer may read minus 63 degrees below zero Fahrenheit, but if there is an added wind chill, it is dangerous to have exposed skin. While Delta Junction can be cold, it isn’t the coldest spot in Alaska, the record goes to Prospect Creek Camp, which reached -80F/-62.2C in January of 1971, or if you add the wind chill, the record goes to Howard Pass, which had a -100F wind chill a few years ago.
Can you see Northern Lights in Delta Junction?
Yes, you can see the Northern Lights in Delta Junction and see them well because it is away from a large population like Fairbanks, where there might be more light pollution. From September through March, you can see the northern lights or aurora borealis. The equinoxes are especially noted for good viewing, as is the middle of winter when it is cold and crisp. The auroral band moves but Interior Alaska is one of the best places to view this intriguing phenomenon in the entire world. To learn more about the best time to view the Northern Lights, click here.
