Alaska is nicknamed, and with good reason, the Last Wilderness. Alaska's size is unfathomable; its territory contains more land (mostly undeveloped) than the next three largest American states combined. It boasts North America's highest mountain (Denali), the largest, most intact temperate rainforest in the world and the largest island (Kodiak) in North America. This great land mass, covered in mountains and wilderness land, is lacking in one respect ... highways. The Alaskan people travel by various other means, including riverboats, dog sleds, railways, jet skis, snowmobiles and float planes. The area is sliced up by four major river systems, Susitna, Kuskokwim, Yukon and Copper River Basins, creating more challenges for travelers and design engineers.
   Aircraft has changed Alaska more than any other technology. Today, Alaskans fly more often and own more aircraft than any other people in the world. The huge state boasts eight times as many pilots and 16 times as many planes per capita as any other state.
   This landscape view looks toward the majestic Alaskan Mountain Range from the town of Denali. The southern vista takes in one of the very few Alaskan roadways, Route 3, the very scenic George Parks Highway. The byway, connecting Fairbanks and Anchorage, is about 360 miles in length and offers an extraordinary way to appreciate the "Last Wilderness."

     Byway Map