Alaska in September. Consider hanging around

I grabbed this picture of the Matanuska Glacier from a roadside pullout in mid-September last year. It's about 90 miles northeast of Anchorage on the Glenn Highway.

Most of Alaska's visitors are usually gone by September 1 each year. That's unfortunate because they leave just a few days before scenes like these can be found along most of the major roads. While there may be a light frost at night this time of year, the roads are in great shape because most of the construction projects are complete, and the crowds are long gone.

When planning an Alaska trip, give some consideration to staying into September. What makes it really special is that starting home in mid-September allows you to literally follow the fall colors all the way home in some years.