Encounter a taste of old-time Alaska by spending the night inside an authentic log cabin once used by ferrymen who operated boats transporting pioneers across the Tanana River on the old Valdez-Fairbanks Trail. The 12 x 14 cabin certainly looks the part—its pitched roof sheltering a porch that overlooks the wide Tanana. (Located at Mile 275 of the Richardson Highway, the cabin is currently under management by a third party enterprise) The 11-acre state historical park is basically an open-air museum on the National Register of Historic Places, with six old buildings, two trails and three graves and gobs of information. Check out the two-story Rika's Roadhouse, which served travelers from1913 to 1947, and a military telegraph station dating from 1907.
Facilities
Ferryman’s Cabin is one of the very few Alaska PUCs with electricity for lights and heat. Other furnishings include a bed, a kitchen counter, shelves, table and benches, fire extinguisher, and an outdoor latrine. The 11-acre park features 25 campsites, too, with a picnic area, water, toilets and a dump station. Catch lunch at Rika’s Café!
Capacity
4 people (pets welcome)
Area
Delta Junction
Location
In the rural community of Big Delta, about eight miles north of Delta Junction, near the junction of the Richardson and Alaska highways.
Terrain
The wooded, riverside park has a rural Americana vibe to it—along a big, rolling river—with the focus on its old buildings and historic artifacts.
Season of Use
Year-round
Managing Agency
Alaska State Parks (a private vendor manages the park)
What to Bring
Check with the operator for details. In general, items such as a cook stove, cooking gear, flashlights or lanterns, bedding, sleeping pads and trash bags are not provided. Guests are expected to pack out trash before leaving. Don’t assume there will be sufficient toilet paper or working batteries in the smoke detector.
Stove
Wood
