Photography opportunities Fairbanks

[framer]

I'm thinking of renting a car for a day when in Fairbanks in late May. Where would you drive for the best picture opportunities?

 

 

Can I drive from Fairbanks down rt3 through Denali to the southern park boarder and back in 12 hours? It looks like it can be driven in 6hrs plus stops? It looks like 260 miles google says 4 hours 35 minites. I'm open to suggestions.

 

Thanks

 

framer

[mapleleaves]

are you in Fairbanks prior to a cruisetour? Just wondering why you wouldn't drive to denali and spend the day in the park photographing wildlife and scenery?? That would be my first choice.

What do you want to capture ... scenery, old buildings, wildlife, birds, people? It's a 2 hr drive Fairbanks to denali, then another 3 hrs to Talkeetna. It's a 2 lane hwy so an easy drive, but you can get held up behind slow traffic, construction and accidents.

[framer]

I'm under the impression that you can only drive 12 - 13 miles into the park by yourself and only tour buses can drive in further? Travel photograpy can be a grab bag as you never know what subject, weather and lighting condition you are blessed with. Sometimes you just get lucky.

 

framer

[mapleleaves]

somewhat true ... you can drive a car to mile 15, but there are tour buses AND Shuttle buses to go the rest of the way. The advantage of the shuttle bus is that you can ask the driver to let you off at any point ( as long as it's a safe distance from wildlife), then you can hike or walk along the road until you want to flag down another bus.

At the end of May the road is open to Toklat at Mile 53 which is the start of the prime bear viewing area.

http://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/shuttles.htm

 

and http://www.reservedenali.com/play/shuttle-buses/toklat.aspx

[framer]

mapleleaves

 

Thanks for the info, I shall consider it.

 

framer

[Northern Aurora]

A drive from Fairbanks down the Parks Highway to the national park entrance takes 2 to 2.5 hours.

 

If the OP is interested in photographing moose, then consider driving the Chena Hot Springs Road into the state recreation area. That is such a "moosey" area that if you don't see one, then you are clueless as to what to look for!

[Glaciers]

Your photo opportunities will be limited by just driving along the highway or even the 15 miles into the park. Although you’ll get the occasional glimpse of the mountain, if it’s out, the majority of the drive is just trees. You’re close enough to the park to be able to drive the 2 hours south from Fairbanks and take the shuttle bus into the park and then drive back to Fairbanks. As mapleleaves noted, you can hop off/hop on the shuttle busses when in the park. Most don’t take advantage of that. It really opens the door to some wonderful photo opportunities.

[framer]

If I do the shuttle would it be better to pick a spot or two on the way and then hop off on the way back. Easier to get a seat on the next bus through or doesn't matter?

 

framer

[framer]

A drive from Fairbanks down the Parks Highway to the national park entrance takes 2 to 2.5 hours.

 

If the OP is interested in photographing moose, then consider driving the Chena Hot Springs Road into the state recreation area. That is such a "moosey" area that if you don't see one, then you are clueless as to what to look for!

 

We got bullwinkles here...darn that was a RI Politician I saw. Get them confused all the time.

 

Chena Hot Springs Rd is plan B.

 

framer

[Glaciers]

If I do the shuttle would it be better to pick a spot or two on the way and then hop off on the way back. Easier to get a seat on the next bus through or doesn't matter?

 

framer

 

Check with the visitor center, or the driver on your bus, for better spots to hop off. We enjoyed getting off at the East Fork Toklat and going down and watching the Artist-in-Residence and then just hiking along the road watching for wildlife. The view up the valley towards the mountain from this point is very nice. The muskeg in that area is intense and can make for some difficult off road hiking.

 

It doesn’t matter where you hop off the bus as they all travel the same road and your chances of getting back on are the same anyplace. There are areas where you are sometimes limited to staying on the road. There was a wolf den around Sable Pass that required you to stay on the road. The longest we’ve had to wait for a bus was about 40 minutes one trip as the first two busses through were full and we snagged the last two seats on the third bus. There’s no chance of being left out there as the busses communicate with each other and note exactly where they drop folks off and pick them up.

[Budget Queen]

Aren't you going to be in Denali park at some other point?? It may be better use of time, if you add time there by readjusting your itinerary and not back track from Fairbanks, which uses up at least 4 hours on the road??

 

I would also suggest some flightseeing which is an excellent photo op. There are many options to choose from, from tours to cargo flights.