Skagway / Denali drives

[ULCajunCruiser]

Hope someone can help.

 

We are definitely driving from Seward to Denali, on our own in a rented car. So we are free to go where we wish, stop where we want, etc.

 

Considering renting a car in Skagway to drive up the Yukon Hwy on our stop there.

 

Is the scenery much different for for both?? Should I skip the drive in Skagway and find something else to do??? Dont want to be "bored" for our Denali drive, if you know what I mean.

 

Thanks

[Yukon]

Dont want to be "bored" for our Denali drive, if you know what I mean.

 

My ex once said, as we were flying over BC's Coastal Mountains in my little plane on a crystal-clear day, "Seen one mountain, seen 'em all". It sounds like you might see things that way - to me they're very different, and I'd be happy if every day was a "drive-through-the-mountains" day.

[PennyAgain]

I agree with Yukon and am glad he shed himself of that ex-wife. I would do both drives, but then again I've 'done' Denali as often as I can do so and am not finished yet.

[ULCajunCruiser]

Maybe I muddled that up a bit. You both seem to say that doing both is OK. I didn't mean to imply that we'd get bored easily with some scenery. I was trying to ask if the scenery on both drives is similar or vastly different???

 

I do not believe that if you see one mountain, you've seen them all!!!! :D

[PennyAgain]

I would do both drives and not hesitate. Can't speak for anyone else.

 

You need to buy a copy of MILEPOST and study up!

[wolfie11]

Out of Skagway you will drive through a rain forest up to a high Alpine pass and down into the boreal forest. I have seen bears on this trip every once in a while, but it is also a very historic drive with ghost towns (well not really "towns" but lots of old buildings) and Emerald Lake is amazing.

 

From Seward you get through the coastal mountains right into the boreal forest and from Anchorage up to Denali, it's pretty much forest with mountains in the distance. Denali will be in fall colors by the end of August.

 

I do both drives as often as I can manage them although for me it's Fairbanks to Denali. Note that it may be quite a bit cheaper to take the train to Anchorage and rent a car there to avoid drop fees.

[Yukon]

I was trying to ask if the scenery on both drives is similar or vastly different?

 

They're very different. But then I believe that the different light seen on the same piece of road on different days makes it a different experience (that's why I've driven the road to Skagway hundreds of times, and have thousands of photos of it :) )

[ULCajunCruiser]

OK, there we go, appreciate the info. Especially like your descriptive narrative Wolfie!! Exactly what I was looking for.