Tok
Location/Climate: At junction of Alaska Highway (AK 2) and the Glenn Highway (Tok Cutoff, AK 1), in the Tanana River valley. -32°F–72°F.
Population: 1,204 (12.5 percent native)
Travel Attractions: Travel services, access to Alaska Range, Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge.
Getting There: Vehicle access from Canada, Anchorage, and Fairbanks via Alaska and Glenn Highways; charter air service.
Information: Tok Mainstreet Visitors Center, P.O. Box 389, junction of Glenn Highway (AK 1) and Alaska Highway (AK 2), Tok, AK 99780; 883-5887, www.tokalaska.com; Alaska Public Lands Information Center, junction of Glenn Highway (AK 1) and Alaska Highway (AK 2), Tok, AK 99780, 883-5667, www.nps.gov/aplic.
As the driver’s gateway to "mainland" Alaska, Tok is geared for travelers. Businesses stretch along the Alaska Highway (AK 2) and Tok Cutoff where the two highways meet near the Tanana River. Fittingly, the town originated as an Alaska Road Commission camp serving the construction of the Glenn and Alaska Highways during World War II. Tok serves as a trading center for the surrounding Athabaskan villages of Northway, Tetlin, Tanacross, Mentasta, Eagle, and Dot Lake. It is also known as a center for dog breeding, training, and mushing.
There are a few small-scale diversions for visitors, though gas, a meal, and a night’s sleep are the main attractions. Two good visitor centers should not be missed, however. Both the Mainstreet Visitor Center and the Alaska Public Lands Information Center are excellent one-stop sources for travel and adventure information and reservations. Both are located at the highway junction and are open daily through the travel season.
Where to Stay and Eat in Tok
Fast Eddy’s, Mile 1,313 Alaska Highway, 883-4411. Open daily 6 a.m. to midnight. Pizza, sandwiches, burgers, steaks, seafood.
Golden Bear Motel, Mile 124.5 Tok Cutoff, 883-2561. Motel and camping. Rooms $50–$95, sites $15–$25.
Loose Moose Espresso Cafe, Alaska Highway (next to Valley Bakery), 883-5282. Friendly place with good coffee.
Tok International Hostel (HIAYH), Pringle Drive, 883-3745. Ten miles west of town, 1 mile south of Mile 1,322.5 of the Alaska Highway, $10.
Young’s Motel, Mile 1,313 Alaska Highway, 883-4411, fax 883-5023. $63–$68 summer. Basic motel, clean, satellite TV, phones.