About Talkeetna

The Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge sits on a ridge above the small town of Talkeetna. In the distance, magnificent Mt. McKinley rises 20,320 feet out of the valley floor. Whether climbing the mountain or enjoying the view from the deck, the lodge offers all of the necessary amenities to make you feel at home. The wilderness that surrounds the lodge offers the tranquility of Alaska. Many walking, and hiking trails meander through the forest around the lodge.

Talkeetna, an Indian word meaning "river of plenty," is located 113 miles north of Anchorage, at the end of Talkeetna Spur Road. This is the point where the Talkeetna and the Chulitna Rivers join the Susitna River.

Talkeetna was originally the site of a Tanaina Indian village. Miners began trading at this site and established the first trading post in 1896. A gold rush to the Susitna River brought prospectors to the area, and by 1910 Talkeetna became a riverboat steamer station. In 1915, the town was designated as the home base for the Alaska Engineering Commission, the group who would build the Alaska Railroad. The community population rose to 1,000.

World War I and the completion of the railroad in 1919 dramatically decreased the population, which plummeted to around 300. In the last 10 years, Talkeetna has experienced new growth and the population now registers at just under 800. Fifteen of Talkeetna's twenty-four buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Talkeetna is also the take-off point for those attempting to climb the largest peak on North America, Mt. McKinley. The town itself is closer to the actual mountain than the entrance to Denali National Park. This allows many opportunities for flightseeing around the mountain and general area.

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