Paxson is at the end of a long, open stretch of the Richardson Highway, in the interior of Alaska, where the Alaska Range begins to rise on the horizon and the first mountains of the Denali Highway are visible. It is a tiny place, a lodge and a few buildings by a lake, and it feels remote and small beneath a huge sky. The tundra here is low and tawny, with spruce thickets and sparkling ponds, and the road is long and quiet.
The Denali Highway begins here and runs a hundred and thirty-five miles west to Cantwell, and it has a reputation as one of the great adventure roads in North America. It was opened in 1957 as the first road access to what is now Denali National Park, and it was the only way in until the Parks Highway was completed in the 1970s. Today, most of the road is gravel, with short paved stretches at each end, and it is a bumpy, dusty or muddy route depending on the weather. It crosses the high country between the Alaska Range and the Talkeetna Mountains, with the highest point at Maclaren Summit, at over four thousand feet.
It is a spectacular drive, with long views over tundra, braided rivers, glacial valleys and lakes, and snow-capped peaks like Mount Hayes in the distance. Caribou roam the open country, and moose feed in the willows, while bears are occasionally spotted. The gravel can be loose and corrugated, with potholes and soft patches, and the road is not maintained in winter, so it is usually closed from October to May. A flat tyre is not uncommon, and the nearest help may be a long way off, so ride with spares, a repair kit and a plan.
Fuel is the main practical concern, since there are only a couple of places that sell it along the route, and they are far apart, so check the situation at the lodge, and carry extra fuel if you can. Bring food, water, warm clothing and mosquito repellent, as the insects in summer are legendary, and a head net is useful. Daylight lasts almost all night in June and July, which allows long days, but nights are cold. Late August and early September bring red and gold tundra colours, and the first dusting of snow on the peaks.