Aw, the Denali Hwy…read more I feel like this road was once beloved and is now mostly forgotten by everyone except hunters and adventurous RV pilots. The road should have its own Yelp page...maybe I should list it. Anyway, there are actually a few businesses on the Denali Highway but beta (climber speak for "information") on them is SCANT. If you search on Yelp, using the map function, almost nothing comes up. So I decided to list this place. This is a quaint little spot to get food or grab a beer on the Denali Hwy. It's not too far in on the Paxson (East) side of the Hwy. In fact, I think it's paved all the way up to this point! They have breakfast, they bring your coffee in an insulated pitcher, and the food is pretty good. Really good for how far away you are from everything else. They also have an AWESOME bar area. It looks like the old house of the Alaskan Grandparents you never had mixed with the rustic basement of the cool Alaskan uncle you never had. Highly recommended if you're in the area. The views from the dining room are pretty good, too.

From the owner: Built 1970 Owner Jack & Naidine Johnson ran it till 2019 due to health concerns they closed the…read morelodge we just re-opened may 2025 we have gas bar liquor store private cabins showers fishing gear canoe rentals wood ice Restaurant 8-10 pm

This was the best hotel/stay of our 3 week Alaska trip. It's such a charming, old historic lodge!…read moreIt's got beautiful views, it's clean and we had a wonderful breakfast the next morning. The owners were running the kitchen and they were so modest and kind. We wished we could have joined for dinner the night before but we showed up a few minutes after the kitchen had closed. The atmoshpere in the saloon/bar and the restaurant bring you back to long lost times. It's charming and authentic. You can tell the people running this place really care. It's clean, they think of everything you could want/need and I believe they undersell themselves. They could charge a lot more than what they're charging right now. It was our cheapest and best hotel stay. These types of places would be $400plus in California. Thanks for the lovely stay!

Options are limited when it comes to finding a place to stay in this corner of the state...but…read morethere is none better, I dare say, in the entire state as Gakona Lodge! We pulled in later than I wanted and had to leave way too early, but the time we had in Cabin #3 was fantastic! Ample room for a family of five in a rustic cabin set in this amazing valley, alongside a swift moving creek, within walking distance of good eats...it is a perfect roadside oasis! We ate at the bar that night since the restaurant dining room was closed...mostly pub fare...but healthy portions and with a touch of someone who cares hand cut fries, a hint of tarragon in the tartar sauce,...best damn cheese curds I've ever had...holy crap...the curds were like garlic nuggets...and cheese! Someone is doing great things with somewhat limited offerings. Even the tap list is subject to what's available...lucky for them there's Gakona Brewing (sounds like a guy in his basement) down the road knocking out a couple kegs of beer for them to keep the ale flowing! After dinner, we made it back to our cabin and watched a DVD on how to skin a bear...because...ALASKA! WTF NOT? Cozy warm beds and a good nights sleep...a simple, but adequate breakfast of fruit, AMAZING HOMEMADE SCONES, coffee and juices put us back on the road...I wish i could have spent days here in this little oasis...maybe next time when I have a little more time on my hands... Thank You for being the perfect little getaway from it all!

A beautiful place! A perfect "real Alaska" experience. My…read morehusband and I moved to AK after retiring, and are exploring all the tucked away places. The Lodge at Black rapids is a great place with wonderful people who make you feel right at home. The meals are truly amazing too. Common areas are great for meeting other guests or just relaxing with a good book. This will certainly be on our favorites list to come back to!

A wonderful experience. Guest rooms are comfortable. Less expensive rooms face a hillside leading…read moreto snow covered mountains. Front rooms face the river and snow covered mountains. With a front room the morning greets you with an awesome view lit by the sun behind you. Meals were HUGE and outstanding. Fairly priced. Wines and a selection of beers are available. Very nice hiking trail that crosses the Alaskan Pipeline right of way. Annie, the owner, knows the area well. An easy glacier hike is only about 20-25 miles away. Oh, and the rest of the staff? TERRIFIC! We loved it it here!

We took advantage of the MacLaren River Lodge wilderness camp, up river. It was an awesome…read moreexperience and highly recommended. Stunning scenery, inspiring isolation, wonderful walking and hiking, very friendly people. The boat ride is exciting and beautiful and then you are left alone in paradise! Just be very clear what is and is not included at the tents. 5 stars!

We happened upon the MacLaren River Lodge on our trip through Alaska and popped in. We ended up…read moreordering a couple pieces of the MacLaren pie, homemade vanilla ice cream, and some chocolate chip cookies. We haven't eaten the cookies yet, but the pie and ice cream was delicious! Staff was very friendly. The cabins looked really cute and accommodating from the outside. Would love to return and stay here the next time we find ourselves in Alaska!