1st highlight: Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Our journey continues towards Valdez. We follow the "Denali and Richardson Highway", which leads us past the familiar, but no less beautiful, nature of the north.
We stop for the first time today and get to know the Wrangell St. Elias National Park better. It is home to more than 100 glaciers and some of the highest peaks in North America. At the visitor center we learn many exciting details about this park and have a look at it later. In addition to its glaciers, St. Elias is known for its volcanoes, which are still active today.
2nd highlight: Thompson Pass
We continue towards our second stop: the Thompson Pass, which we cross through the middle of the Chugach Mountains. He is known for the impressive Worthington Glacier and the imposing Bridal Veil Falls.
3rd highlight: Valdez
Afterwards we finally reach the city of Valdez, which is located on the north bank of Port Valdez. The small town is one of the longest-running fishing centers in Alaska and is popular for its abundance of salmon and halibut. Valdez is also the site of the oldest fish derbies in the northernmost state of the USA, with an annual prize pool of thousands of dollars.
The small boat harbor is located in the city center along a promenade. At the promenade, the whole variety of restaurants, shops and museums opens up to us, which you can explore and thus spend your afternoon and evening.
Driving time: approx. 7 - 8 h (560 km)
Overnight in the hotel in Valdez