Population: 1,435

Tok is located at Historical Milepost 1314 Alaska Highway, at the junction with the Tok Cutoff (Glenn Highway), 328 driving miles from Anchorage, 254 miles from Valdez and 204 miles from Fairbanks.

Visitor Information: Tok “Mainstreet Alaska” Visitor Center; phone (907) 883-5775.

The Tok Visitor’s Center is located at the junction of the Alaska Highway and Tok Cutoff.
(©Serine Reeves, staff)

Tok began as a construction camp on the Alcan Highway in 1942. Tok (rhymes with poke) was named after a husky pup mascot of one of the highway construction crews. As the major overland point of entry to Alaska, Tok is primarily a trade and service center for all types of transportation, especially for summer travelers coming up the Alaska Highway. Tok is the only town in Alaska that the highway traveler must pass through twice—once when arriving in the state and again on leaving the state. The governor proclaimed Tok “Mainstreet Alaska” in 1991.

Tok has all services including lodging, restaurants and dining, gift shops, auto repair, and gas at Vitus Energy. Tok has a sporting goods store, liquor stores and car/RV washes. There are multiple campgrounds in the Tok area. The post office is located on the Alaska Highway just northwest of its junction with the Tok Cutoff, adjacent Burnt Paw gift shop. Fishing and hunting licenses and supplies available at local sporting goods store.

Attractions:

  • The Alaska Public Lands Information Center (APLIC) offers trip planning information and displays of beadwork and animal and fish mounts.
  • Tok Mainstreet Visitor’s Center houses both the Visitors Center and the Tok Community Public Library. This visitor center offers a destination-based, well-organized display of brochures from statewide attractions as well as friendly trip-planning assistance. Huge natural white spruce logs, brought in locally, support the open-beamed, cathedral ceiling of this 7,000-square-foot building. Seating and restrooms available to the public. Large picture windows frame the Alaska Range. Excellent displays of Alaska rocks, gems and fossils; gold rush history; Alaska wildlife and waterfowl; Alaska Highway memorabilia; and videos of Alaska Highway construction and other Alaska topics.
  • Enjoy 13 miles of paved bike trail along the Alaska Highway, extending from Tok southeast to the Dog Mushers Assoc. track, and northwest to Tanacross Junction. There is also a 2.4-mile bike trail along the Tok-Cutoff.
  • Shop for Alaska crafts: birch baskets, beaded moccasins, boots and beaded necklaces are available in Tok.
  • Mukluk Land, at Mile 1317 Alaska Highway, has an indoor-outdoor museum, miniature golf, activities for kids, videos, educational displays.
  • There are several walk-in fishing lakes along the Alaska Highway between Tok and Delta Junction, all stocked with rainbow trout.