Caribou Lodge is a short plane hop and light years away from the tourist environs of Talkeetna, just above the timber line on Boomerang Lake (ask the pilot to show you on the map). The cabins, lodge, bath house and outhouses (no indoor plumbing here) are scrupulously clean and the hospitality generous. A 2-minute climb up the hill behind the lodge gives you a ringside view of Denali. Pam makes you family as soon as you step on the dock, and Mike is a superb hiking guide. You'll see whatever wildlife decides to come by (this isn't a zoo, after all), and experience the lay of the land up close and personal (blueberries in August are superb!). If you want to go where your legs can carry you and unwind in the stillness of the Alaskan bush, do try out Caribou Lodge. If you want Alaska to parade by you, stick to the tourist buses and watch CNN.

We love the Caribou Lodge. We first went there when we lived in Key West, Fl. and have since moved to Ak. Yes, they do have outhouses.....But it is a fly-in lodge out in the wilderness....it is not a zoo....Sometimes you see lots, and sometimes not so much. I have seen a wolverine...for several minutes at a time...., numerous birds, moose,wolf tracks, and yes, they have sled dogs which is the most incredible way to see the country in the winter. We go up now to get away "from the big city" and to look at the northern lights and the stars.....And, of course, Denali....Not to mention the company and the food. Pam bakes all of her own bread, and the food is bountiful and great. This is a wilderness lodge, not a spa resort....I wish I were there right now.

Much of what has been said is true... the lodge is accessible only by floatplane... the flightseeing of Denali on the way in is spectacular... Pam and Mike are great hosts... it does give you a taste of what it is like to live in the bush... the cabins are comfy. However, the "outhouse" facilities, while clean and cutely decorated, are a great inconvenience... especially in the middle of the night. This would not have been an issue if there had been the "abundance of wildlife" that we expected. During our three nights/days, I saw eight sled dogs, and three ducks. My husband went on the lengthy hikes and saw one black bear (from a mile away, using binoculars) and two moose (also quite distant and using binoculars) and a porcupine and some marmites. Later (also through binoculars) we saw a couple beavers swim into their lodge.) If remoteness and solitude are your goal, then this could be the place for you. But if abundant widlife and interesting hikes are your objective, then you might be disappointed and would be better served in Kenai.

We spent two days and nights at the Caribou Lodge this summer. It was a great opportunity to share the Alaskan wilderness with Pam and Mike, who own the Lodge. Accessible only by floatplane, the Caribou Lodge gave us a chance to hike, canoe, see wildlife, relax, eat great food, and get to know the interior of Alaska and the people that live and work there. During our stay, Denali came out, and we arranged for our pilot to take us on a flight-seeing tour of the Mountain. It was an awesome experience (and incredibly cheap when compared to other flight services). A must-do for those wanting to get away!