While visiting Alaska is a truly unmatched experience, hearing a perspective from one of the state's most highly regarded residents will shed a new light on various aspects of the area that you might have missed. Fortunately for tourists, that person is Mary Shields. The popular Alaskan Tails of the Trail with Mary Shields is an opportunity to share a personal home visit with this celebrated Alaskan musher and author. Her insights focus on her famous sled dogs, but Shields also is a splendid storyteller and her accounts of various events of Alaska's past are quite entertaining.
Nature lovers and history buffs will have plenty to talk about when visiting Mosquito Lake. Not only is the lake visually appealing with its eye-catching surroundings and tranquil waters, but it also has a historical significance. The area has been occupied intermittently over the past 4,000 years by the ancestors of the modern Nunamiut Eskimos. This was most likely their hunting grounds on which they captured caribou and Dall sheep. In a sense, it is an outdoor living history lesson that is a pleasure to experience and learn.
Preservation is raised to art form–literally–when you visit the University of Alaska Museum of the North. While there are many dramatic exhibits to take in and absorb, the biggest attraction here is a meticulous presentation of a 36,000-year-old mummy. Other equally captivating exhibits include those that highlight Alaska's five major geographic regions that include artifacts, important objects and other items of interest from each region. In addition to research-based projects, the museum offers a wide variety of educational programs.
In addition to offering many recreation trails for day hikes, the Chena River State Recreation Area is a popular destination for fishing, boating and canoeing. The exceptional scenery and calming effect of the water also make it a desirable destination for nature lovers who just want to relax and breathe in the area's natural beauty.