Roadtrippin’ 2024: Exploring with Mahay’s River, Rail and Trail Adventure
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Cruising the Susitna River on a jet boat is a unique experience. Mahay’s Jet Boat Adventures offers several trips on Alaskan rivers from its Talkeetna headquarters, but our Roadtrippin’ adventure focused on a tour offering a little bit of everything.
The River, Rail and Trail Tour includes a ride on one of the country’s last remaining flagstop trains, the Alaska Railroad’s Hurricane Turn Train. Passengers leave on the train from Talkeetna then disembark for a tour of the historic former Curry townsite, once a bustling railroad town halfway between Seward and Fairbanks that was destroyed by fire in 1957.
The tour is designed as a loop involving the railroad followed by a jet boat ride making the return trip to Talkeetna. While it’s not a wildlife tour, we were told it’s not uncommon to spot animals by the river’s edge. On our trip, we paused the boat to learn more about a bald eagle we saw onshore as well as an active salmon spawning stream.
All of Mahay’s tours make another stop at the Adventure Site — think of it as a walk in the woods with things to view along the way. Visitors take a leisurely walk on a quarter mile trail with a naturalist to learn about local plants and Native culture. There’s a replica of a Dena’ina Athabaskan fish camp and a trapper’s cabin to explore. After that, it’s a quick trip back on the water to Talkeetna where the River, Rail and Trail tour ends.
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