We were up again at 5:30am to shuttle to the train station. The Alaska Star departed at 8:15am for Denali. We checked-in at the Denali Bluffs Hotel at 4:15pm.

The eight hourAlaska Rail Road train ride from Anchorage passed through Wasilla, Talkeetna, Hurricane, and Honolulu (yep, Alaska not Hawaii) on the way to Denali Park. The spectacular fall color views of trees changing to bright yellow contrasting with red tundra and green Evergreens mixed in with three different mountain ranges, train bridges 200 feet above a multitude of rivers, streams and lakes was beyond words can describe. Just as The Grand Canyon or Bryce Canyon beauty cannot be captured by photographs adequately, this Alaskan wilderness viewed from train dome was beyond amazing.

Alaska Summit Lake, Indiana River, and Panoramic Mountain were three of the most memorable sights from the full day travelled. Sandy and I have been to many beautiful places in our travels but we both said this trip is among the most beautiful. And, it has just started. We haven’t been to Denali Mountain or Fairbanks yet.