Secret Alaska: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure

Though it is known for its breathtaking landscapes, towering mountains, and vast glaciers, Alaska holds myriad mysteries beyond its natural wonders. This is a land brimming with hidden histories and unforgettable tales waiting to be told. Secret Alaska: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure takes you off the well-trodden trails and into the hidden corners of the 49th state, where ghost towns whisper of boomtown dreams and where festivals allow outhouses, giant vegetables, and survival skills to take center stage. Between these covers, you’ll discover everything from communities where locals launch cars off cliffs to celebrate Independence Day to what it takes to build the most remote homestead in the country. And along the way, you’ll meet the unforgettable characters—from Indigenous leaders and bush pilots to gold miners and adventurers—who had a hand in shaping Alaska. For those who crave the peculiar and the offbeat, this is not your typical guidebook. It’s an invitation to experience the Alaska that tourists rarely see and locals love to share. Whether you’re a seasoned explorer or an armchair adventurer, author and longtime Alaskan Bailey Berg invites you to uncover the bizarre and beautiful secrets of the Last Frontier. Prepare to see Alaska like never before.

Bailey Berg is a freelance writer and editor who lived in Alaska full-time for eight years (and now travels back as often as she can). Over the years, she’s visited much of the state by car, bush plane, ATV, and even dog sled, reporting on the 49th state for myriad publications, including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Guardian, the Telegraph, TIME, National Geographic, Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, Afar, Lonely Planet, and beyond.