Cantwell, AK

Located in Broad Pass just south of Denali National Park, Cantwell is a small, quiet community surrounded by incredible mountain scenery. Long before it grew around an Alaska Railroad camp in the early 1900s, the area was traditional Ahtna Athabascan territory. Today, it attracts residents who appreciate a slower pace, wide-open spaces, and having Alaska's rugged backcountry right in their backyard.

ATTRDiego Delso / CC BY-SA 4.0

Day-to-day life here is quiet and independent, but you are well connected compared to many remote towns. Cantwell sits at the junction of the paved Parks Highway and the rugged Denali Highway, giving you a straight drive north to Fairbanks or south to Anchorage. Local children attend Cantwell School, a close-knit K-12 school with multi-grade classrooms under the Denali Borough. It is a great fit for people who love the outdoors and want rural living with reliable highway access.