The Edgerton Highway begins at mile 82 Richardson Hwy (#4) and ends in downtown Chitina. It is a paved, well-maintained, 33 miles of wildly contrasting scenery. Look around and you'll see mountains within fifty miles in every direction. Coming down off the Richardson cutoff offers one of the best mountain views in interior Alaska. This is a road built for cameras.
Along the way you'll pass cabins, homesteads, farms, lumber mills, and several roadside businesses. In the summer there's lovely fields of green, green grass stretching out to the base of the mountains. You'll cross rivers teeming with fish and pass lookout spots that offer unbelievable views of the legendary Copper River.
The entire Edgerton Highway is a fantastic place for nature walks and exploring the lush and rugged countryside. There are places where anyone can pick or cut wild sage, berries, and edible wildflowers. Diamond willow trees grow freely in abundance across hillsides owned privately and by the state of Alaska.
Once you cross the Lower Tonisina River you'll feel the shift in geography as you begin to wind up and down and around into the lush and fertile Copper River Canyon. Watch for lynx and both black and brown bears on the road. Liberty Falls State Park (which was damaged a bit during the 2006 floods) is on the right at mile [--].
Five miles before the end of the Edgerton is the Chitina Native Council's Medical Center, an RV Park, backroads to fishwheels on the Copper River, and a small airport. Three lakes stocked with fresh water trout help you count off the last three miles leading into the quaint little historical town of Chitina. The Edgerton ends at Chitina, where the McCarthy Road begins.
The Kenny Lake Mercantile, Hotel, Diner, RV Park, Campground, Laundromat & Showers are right "downtown" Kenny Lake. Our property hits the junction of the Old Edgerton Hwy (maintained gravel road) and the New Edgerton Highway. Miles from downtown Kenny Lake to Anchorage: 222. Miles to Valdez: 94. Miles to Glennallen: 41. Miles to Fairbanks: 280. Miles to Chitina: 25. Miles to McCarthy: 85.
Kenny Lake is an area rich in local artists, craftsmen, and growers. Besides several homesteads dating back 50 years, the community also includes a lovely modern wooden-yurt espresso store made of polished logs and diamond willow, a 95 acre nature-peace park, herbologists, religious retreats, lumber yards, churches, a K-12 school, library, all-volunteer fire dept, professional dog mushers, backwoods explorers, mountain climbing guides, offroad ATV expeditions and rentals, whitewater rafting guides, and scenic flights.
Chitina has cabins, teepees, B&Bs and RV Parking, Wayne's Liquor Store is on the left across from the Post Office. Tom's Bar is on the right, across from the newly restored Gilpatrick's Chitina Hotel. The Chitina Village is up on the hill above the One Stop Grocery. The Village has showers and public restrooms. If you visit the Village, please be very aware of the children playing and walking in the road. The Tribe's meeting hall has DSL internet and PC's available to the public (if not in use by the villagers).
The Chitina Wayside has public outhouses and a pull-out and a Burger Bus. Behind the Wayside is Spirit Mountain Artworks and the Chitina Emporium, home to T-Junction's handmade baskets & wild herb teas. The Park Service has a cabin over by the creek. There is no RV dump station in Chitina and the only public garbage dumpsters are in the Wayside and the State Park on the right side after you cross over the bridge heading out the McCarthy Road.
The Copper River Highway (closed in 2006 after slides) can be accessed further down on the right. The end of O'Brien Creek Road is where the dipnet charter captains and the Tribal fishermen camp for most of the summer. O'Brien Creek access is limited.
Hwy 10: The Edgerton Highway
Five miles before the end of the Edgerton is the Chitina Native Council's Medical Center, an RV Park, backroads to fishwheels on the Copper River, and a small airport. Three lakes stocked with fresh water trout help you count off the last three miles leading into the quaint little historical town of Chitina. The Edgerton ends at Chitina, where the McCarthy Road begins.
Chitina has cabins, teepees, B&Bs and RV Parking, Wayne's Liquor Store is on the left across from the Post Office. Tom's Bar is on the right, across from the newly restored Gilpatrick's Chitina Hotel. The Chitina Village is up on the hill above the One Stop Grocery. The Village has showers and public restrooms. If you visit the Village, please be very aware of the children playing and walking in the road. The Tribe's meeting hall has DSL internet and PC's available to the public (if not in use by the villagers).
