RV Parks – Page 4 – Wandering Dawgs

Day 42: Back on Paved Roads

June 30, 2013June 19, 2015Posted in Alaska, RV ParksTagged Chicken Alaska

Day 42: Wednesday, June 26, 2013. Chicken, Alaska to Tok, Alaska. Tok RV Village, Site 709. 78 miles traveled.

A few more images of Chicken before we continue on our journey.

There is a Chickenstock Music Festival coming up in Chicken

There’s even a taxi in Chicken

Downtown Chicken

The signposts show other towns named after chickens. Who knew there were so many?

We passed through areas of burned trees from forest fires — We saw evidence of forest fires

Our journey continued on the Taylor highway. After a few miles we finally were back on pavement! We hit a few more spots with gravel before we turned back onto the Alaska Highway to Tok. In many places we could see evidence of forest fires.

After arriving in Tok we spent over an hour giving the truck and RV a much needed wash before setting up in our campsite. We were so happy to have grass and trees between the campsites!

Day 41: On Top of the World

June 30, 2013June 22, 2015Posted in Alaska, RV ParksTagged Downtown Chicken, ferry, Poker Creek, Top of the World Highway, Yukon River

Day 41: June 25, 2013. Dawson City, Yukon to Chicken, Alaska on Top of the World Highway. Chicken Gold Camp Site 5. 108 miles traveled in about 7 hours.

To get to Alaska from Dawson City, the shortest route is to travel across The Top of the World Highway on mostly gravel road with few guard rails and spectacular views.

Our journey began as we got in line for the ferry about 8:00. We watched the ferry make several trips across the river before it was our turn to board about 9:00.

The free George Black Ferry crosses the Yukon River from Dawson City to Top of the World Highway.

On board the ferry

Crossing the river to The Top of the World Highway

Once we exited the ferry in West Dawson, we were on our way on the Top of the World Highway. It was originally called the Ridge Road because it was built on top of the ridge.

On the Top of the World Highway – mostly gravel all day

Spectacular views from the Top of the World highway

An interesting rock formation along the road

Traveling above the tree line on the Top of the World Highway in Yukon Territory, Canada

We were excited when we came to a paved section of road!

View on the Top of the World Highway

Views like this made it worth the hard drive

At an overlook on the Top of the World

Can you see the road?

We crossed back into the United States at Poker Creek, the northernmost border crossing by land in North America

Poker Creek Alaska

Overlook at the Welcome to Alaska Sign

Back in Alaska!

After that, the road was even worse than before! There is construction work on the American side. The road is very narrow in places and has very soft shoulders and no guardrails. After about 8 miles we turned onto the Taylor Highway which was the scariest part of the trip. Soft shoulders, narrow, and straight drop offs. The view of the valley below was supposed to be beautiful but I had to keep looking straight ahead!

We arrived in Chicken, Alaska and got the last electric site there. There are only three places in Chicken – Downtown Chicken, The Town of Chicken, and Chicken Gold Camp where we stayed. You can walk from one place to another. Each one has a campground, store, and restaurant. There’s a post office down the road a short distance. The mail plane only comes twice a week.

Chicken, Alaska

Henry had to scrape mud off the landing gears before we could unhitch the camper

The Pedro Dredge in Chicken is a National Historic Site.

Chickens everywhere in Chicken, Alaska

Attack chickens in Downtown Chicken

A display of old mining equipment in front of the Chicken Post Office

Outhouses in Chicken

Chicken Gold Camp Site 5, the last electric site in the park when we arrived.

We could see the Chicken and the Pedro Dredge from the campground

The postmaster will hand stamp your mail at the Chicken, Alaska Post Office

Day 39: Driving on the Klondike Highway

June 27, 2013June 19, 2015Posted in RV Parks, YukonTagged Five Finger Rapids, Gold Rush, Klondike, Yukon River

Day 39: Sunday, June 23, 2013. Whitehorse, Yukon to Dawson City, Yukon. Gold Rush RV Park, Site 69. 332 Miles traveled on the Alaska Highway and Klondike Highway.

Today was a really long driving day for us. We traveled about 12 miles on the Alaska Highway and turned north onto the Klondike Highway for the rest of the trip. The highway ran along the Yukon River for part of the day. During the gold rush steam ships traveled up the Yukon River to Dawson City where gold had been discovered.

Crossing the Yukon River

Five Finger Rapids on the Yukon River.

The Yukon River

At one of the overlooks, we saw the most unusual bus we had ever seen. This orange bus was as long and tall in the front as a normal bus but the back half was like a triple decker bus with rows of windows with curtains. We guessed that the windows were some kind of bedroom. When we checked into the RV park the bus had checked in right before us. The lady at the campground told us it was a tour bus from Germany with 27 sleeping cubes. There were 14 passengers in the bus this trip. When they were set up at their campsite the passengers sat at table under a big awning at a table while dinner was prepared. After dinner, they all disappeared. I’m guessing they went to one of the shows in Dawson City. I was hoping to take a picture of it in the morning but they were gone when I went outside.

Day 38: Back in the Yukon

June 27, 2013May 21, 2015Posted in RV Parks, Wildlife, YukonTagged black bear, Haines Highway, Whitehorse3 Comments

Day 38: Saturday, June 22, 2013. Haines, Alaska to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. Pioneer RV Park, Site 55. 244 miles traveled.

Blondie and I took one last walk around Haines before we got ready to leave.

Fishing Nets in Haines

Buttercups

Our last view from the campground in Haines

After one last look at our beautiful view and saying goodby to our friends in Haines, we continued on our journey to see the rest of Alaska. There were no eagles to be seen as we passed through the Eagle Preserve beside the Haines Highway.

What a view along the Haines Highway

Along the Haines Highway to Haines Junction

We went through Canadian Customs and entered British Columbia. When we spotted a black bear in a field of dandelions, Henry pulled over to the side of the road and backed up so I could get a few pictures. That was no easy feat towing our trailer!

We finally saw a bear!

Black Bear beside the road in British Columbia

From British Columbia we entered the Yukon and spent the night in Whitehorse. There was another Titanium in the park just a few spaces from us. We rarely see other Titaniums and try to meet the owners when we can. The owners of this one were from Ontario on their way to Alaska.

Day 34: Taking the Alaskan Ferry to Haines

June 20, 2013June 19, 2015Posted in Alaska, Birds, RV Parks, WildlifeTagged Alaskan Ferry, Bald Eagle, Haines, Oceanside RV Park, Skagway

Day 34: June 18, 2013. Skagway, Alaska to Haines, Alaska on the ferry Walaspina. Oceanside RV Park, Site 13, Haines. About 335 miles by land, 15 miles and one hour by ferry.

Four new cruise ships arrived in the harbor while we were sleeping. The boardwalks were filled with shoppers from the ships early in the morning. We made a couple of last minute purchases before hitching up the fifth wheel to drive about two blocks to the ferry terminal. Our quiet little row of campers suddenly became busy as about 4 huge motor homes pulled in just as we were getting ready to leave. With cruise ship passengers walking through the parking lot and a train across the road stopping traffic it took us about 30 minutes to go two blocks to get in line for the ferry.

Our rig was measured – 46 feet from the front of the truck to the rear of the fifth wheel – we paid for the tickets, and had a couple of hours before boarding. We had hoped to grab a quick lunch in town but lines were out the doors everywhere so we just fixed lunch and ate at the ferry dock. Our rig was parked right next to Ted and Ruthy, a couple from Michigan and Arizona we met back in Prince George, BC. We saw their rig in Watson Lake and they saw ours in Liard Hotsprings.

When it was time to board the vehicles on the ferry a crew member directed traffic pointing to each vehicle when it was their turn to board. We sat and watched the motor homes and other trailers board until only cars were left. When they started moving quickly to the ferry we knew we would be the last ones on.

We rode the Walaspina ferry to Haines

We were the last ones to enter the ferry

Cars and RV’s are lined up inside the ferry

Henry on deck of the Walaspina

Several helicopters flew past the ship

Leaving the Skagway dock

Blondie had to stay in the truck while we went up to the passenger decks for our one hour journey through the inside passage to Haines. We stayed outside most of the trip to see the scenery and went inside to the nice comfortable lounge when we started getting cold.

Helicopter tours flew by

Amazing views from the ferry

Approaching Haines

Arriving at the Haines ferry dock

We traveled on the Alaska Ferry System from Skagway to Haines.

Our campground was just a few minutes drive from the ferry dock. Our friends Ted and Ruthy are just a few sites down from us. An eagle flew by to welcome us and perched on the rocks in the harbor. Our next door neighbors said they saw whales earlier. We knew we were going to like it here.