A trail beckons from the brushy expanse south of the highway, calling for a spontaneous hike or bike into unsigned wild country in search of caribou and berries and other wild critters. But only a few yards away, another attraction also demands inspection. It’s an unexpected roadside display—two trees adorned with ornaments and beer cans and Mardi Gras beads, with flags and play money and business cards. (Plus at least one ducky bath toy.) A shrine to Alaska’s quirky sense of humor? Or perhaps it’s a toll, where travelers are invited to add a new decoration before taking the trail into the unknown? Alaskans won’t be surprised to find unfettered wilderness access adjacent to the zany and/or weird.
