NORTH TO ALASKA 2025 - DAY 25 - ALASKAN STOVES CAMPGROUND IN TOK, FREE RV WASH IN TOK

I ended the last blog with arriving at this quirky campground in Tok, Alaska. We had heard about it from a YouTube couple that we watch. So we thought we would at least drive through and see what it's like.

It's on the left just as you pull into the small town of Tok, Alaska. Even the sign by the entry point was quite unusual.  See the wood stove hanging from the sign?

https://alaskanstovescampground.com/

This place is pretty interesting. And it's all "self-serve". Meaning you take care of yourself, there is nobody in the office. Everything is on the honor system and you fill out envelopes for camping or laundry. There isn't a camp host or owner around that we could find.

The main building appears to have an office, but there was nobody there.  We found an array of items near the front door that you could borrow or use or add some that you wish to get rid of. Even things like cleaning supplies or automotive fluids or even Swiffer pads and a Swiffer if you wanted to mop your floor!

When you filled out the envelopes that were in this repurposed payphone booth, you deposited them in a slot in this wood stove. How adorable is that?

We decided to stay. We pulled into site number C2 and filled out our envelope.  It was $40 a night that included electric and there was also potable water and a dump station on site. It's a little higher than what we normally pay, but also there were laundry facilities that we were going to take advantage of at the same time.  Much better than wasting time at a public laundromat. ugh! 

The place was pretty quiet. There was one other camper when we arrived. Afterwards a pull trailer, a van, and a tenter also set up on other sites further away from us. We had no close neighbors.

This was the dump station building, located on the far end of the park out of the way.

We walked around the grounds, and I noticed some little spring crocuses popping up under the trees. It made me think of the flowers in our front yard that are all popping up now. We won't be seeing them this year. But it's really sweet that we can stop somewhere and have flowers to enjoy on our journey.

At each campsite, they have installed a little wood stove that comes complete with barbecuing tools to use. How cute is that? They are made from 20 lb propane cylinders. Someone is very very busy welding these all up and maintaining them. Maybe they sell them somewhere in a shop or online? I didn't find out.

Each one can be used with charcoal grilling briquettes and there is a grid or they can probably be used as a smoker with soaked wood, or even just as a fire pit with campfire wood. Each grill has some dry firewood inside already set up, and there's more available over near the restrooms.

In a central area is a cluster of old rusty stoves. I think it's a "display"?  They definitely were not as cute and well kept up as the ones that each of the campsites.

There's also a central bonfire pit area for groups to gather. I am sure during the summer months this is a busy place. What a great way to socialize and keep the campfires and smoke in one spot instead of all around the campground. What a way to meet new people??

There is a lean-to roof off the backside of the building with a patio area. At first I thought it was private quarters for maybe an on-site host? But then as I walked closer I realized that it was a socialization area underneath a covered roof!

The little mini refrigerator had a label on it that you could buy bottled water or soft drinks and just pay on your own and put the money in the jar.

There was a coffee station, with coffee up in the cabinet to make up a pot and please clean it up afterwards. Even a microwave was there if someone had something to warm up, or maybe even pop some popcorn? A little sign reminding people that everything was donated.

Around the sides of this building were entries to the restrooms and shower areas. There is a QR code on the door to scan with your cell phone. That will give you the passcode for the door lock to the restrooms, showers and the laundry area. 

Everything was pretty clean, and the fully stocked restrooms on the woman's side even included complimentary feminine hygiene products, an extra hair dryer, and some other donated products such as lotions and soaps.

They had some little signs detailing the various services available.  (THIS IS HOW WE FOUND OUT ABOUT THE FREE RV WASH ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN) 

There were two shower areas in the woman's side of the restrooms. They were also stocked with shampoo and liquid body soaps. I have never seen a campground supply the shower stalls with products?!? 

On the bench outside of the showers, there was a little sign asking that you spray down the shower when you are done. Complete with a bottle of disinfectant and a roll of paper towels to do the task.

It was a cute little respite of an interesting restroom accommodations. Compared to the rugged outhouses or simple state recreation area structures.

It even held some decor greenery and a cute stool to put on your shoes. A dustbin and broom were nearby to help take care of the pine needles that would stick to your shoes on a rainy day.

The laundry area was also very interesting. They were not coin-op machines. They were just regular double stack household washers with dryers overhead.  The signs inside requested that you only use their laundry soap products. I suppose it had something to do with not messing up their septic system with harsh chemicals? So they supplied the laundry soap as well as dryer sheets. Also in the laundry room on a length of wall there were lending library books to take or leave as well as some brochures about the area.

We did up three different loads of laundry over the evening, including all of our bedding because the washing machines held a good capacity. It was all on your honor, put $7 for each load in an envelope and market laundry and your campsite number. Deposit it in the stove at the pay station. I'm not sure if they had cameras around at all or if it was just totally self-serve and on your honor?

While I caught up the laundry, and started supper, Steveio found a nice spot to relax and enjoy the tall pines surrounding the campsites.

This was a really nice spot to overnight. Like I said it was a little bit higher than our budget at $40. But considering we had all of the services available and could catch up our laundry was an added plus. Some gas stations charge for dumping and obtaining freshwater. So I figure we saved those fees by adding it to the campsite budget instead for this stop.

Every now and then we could hear an airplane take off or land. If we peeked through the trees to the west, we found an airport just on the other side of the campground!

Airports are nothing unusual in Alaska. A lot of people travel by plane to their remote towns and villages or cabins. A lot of personal aircrafts are owned by people, like we own cars.

It was interesting to look them all over parked in a row. Just like cars in a parking lot!!! 

We woke up in the morning and I baked up some blueberry muffins in the oven. Boy oh boy did that smell good. With our coffee in our mugs, we sat back and relaxed for the morning, before getting ready to hit the road again.

In the small town of Tok, there are only one or two gas stations. The one that we chose to fill up our diesel tank had a special deal. With each fill up you could use their RV washing spot in the back of their station for FREE!!!  They even included buckets, and long handled brushes. We had brought along our favorite RV washing soap. So we were all set.

Our motorhome was very very dirty from the last few stretches that were gravel or construction. It has never been this dirty ever since we've owned it!!

   

   

  

So Steve was pretty happy to get the layers of dirt and road grime off. I don't know if it's the minerals or clay or what in the sand or gravel, but everything sticks. When it's wet it's almost a slimy slick surface. 

It's so nice to offer an RV washing area. Most campgrounds frown on you washing your rig at your campsite. Mainly because I'm sure that layer of junk would just be laying on the ground around the parking pad in the campsite. Some places even post a sign saying RV washing is not allowed.

It was great to get the rig all spiffy and shiny again!!!

When Steve was washing the rig, I was inside editing videos.

While he was at it, he checked all of our fluids and topped off our DEF fluid. It was a perfect opportunity to do a little on-the-road-maintenance. Nobody was waiting for the washing spot so he had all the time to do the things he needs to do to keep our motorhome running in tip top shape.

We then made a stop at an unusual store chain in Alaska. It's called Three Bears. They call it their mini-Walmart.  They have groceries, outdoor gear, farm animal feed, and hardware supplies. There's also a variety of other odds and ends here and there tucked in the corners. You can buy souvenirs, kitchen gadgets, bedding and linens and towels as well as gardening and outdoor patio items. 

The prices were not that much higher than what we pay in the lower 48 on most of the items. They had a nice array of fresh produce, and those prices were a little higher. But most everything else was pretty much what you would expect.

We stocked up on a number of things, and Steve also found a refilling kit for 1 lb propane cylinders. I had looked online to order one before we left home. But it would not arrive in time for our departure. Steve found the exact same one in Three Bears. He also bought two of the refillable cylinders. The price here was only $2 more than what it had been on Amazon for the exact same products. 

We use the small 1 lb cylinders for our outdoor grill, an outdoor light, and a small catalytic indoor heater to use to supplement our furnace. By refilling our own, it saves having the disposable green cylinders cluttering up the landfills.  We carry a larger 5 lb propane cylinder that he uses to refill the little ones with this new kit. 

links to the same ones on Amazon

https://a.co/d/gJ6QqlX

https://a.co/d/3AzR7DF

(He used to just have a little refilling tool and would freeze the regular throwaway green cylinders to help the flow of propane go into them... But those didn't always work so well and after you refill them a few times they don't accept a charge as well anymore, or they might leak around the opening) 

These new tanks are made to be refilled many multiple times, and the special kit has a easier to control pressure dial device. 

After we finished all of our stops within town it was time to head south towards Glenallen.

Here is the YouTube video that goes along with this blog post:

 216 miles today 

3,401 miles so far

NORTH TO ALASKA 2025 - DAY 24 - BURWASH LANDING, CONTRABAND AT THE ALASKA BORDER & TOK

When you hear rain all night long on the roof of your motorhome, it's very pleasant. But then when the rain sound  goes all soft, and then muffled, and then silent, you know something has happened outside...

Yup. 

*S*N*O*W*

We pulled open the blinds to see our little surprise scattered all through the woods around us. Yep, it snowed.  It was going to get up in the '60s later, so we knew it would melt fast. But it was quite a surprise because it definitely was not in the forecast for Burwash Landing.

We were cozy warm inside. Besides the thick blackout window shades, we also put in pieces of reflectix insulation in each window cut to size. It really helps with the heat loss with these single pane windows on our motorhome. Our last motorhome had dual panes and we never had to worry about it.  We added the insulated windshield wrap on the outside and we also clipped my extra quilt on the inside to block off the air flow to the front cab area. 

Nick didn't care at all. He hopped up on our bed in the morning to share coffee and cinnamon swirl coffee cake with us. 

After we were done making breakfast, and doing a few things to get ready to go on the road, we looked out and the snow had already melted. We had time to get in one nice walk around before it was time to go.

Kluane Lake... It is a huge long lake that we are camped up on the north end of. Last night the winds were pretty strong so we didn't really get out and walk around. But now it was time to take a little loop through the park and see all the beautiful sites that were along the lakeshore.

I bet this is a really nice place to be in the summertime. Cool breezes coming off the lake and a beautiful campground to stay at.

We can see why it's Burwash Landing's best kept secret. It doesn't even appear on any maps!

We hit the road again. This was the most pothole'd

 filled in

 patched up 

dips and humps

hunk of road that we have hit so far. It was 10 times worse than what we drove on yesterday. We were bouncing so much I couldn't even get a clear focus with the camera through the windshield!!

You can see the level of reconstruction that goes on and how much it deteriorates every year. This is when people talk about how bad the Alcan Highway is...

At this point, we are still traveling through the Yukon. You might wonder why we are traveling through the Yukon when we had already been to Alaska at Skagway and Haines? 

Well, if you look at the map below you will see that that lower portion of Alaska is along the shore of Canada. To get to the rest of Alaska in the North, there are no roads. You need to cross back through a small portion of British Columbia and then the Yukon to reach the rest of mainland Alaska.

Just before we got to the border into Alaska, we had to put on our special t-shirts from the kids.

And sure enough, we made it to the border and the typical touristy thing to pose in front of the sign. 

WE MADE IT TO ALASKA!!!!

We walked around and mingled with a few of the other tourists there. We took turns helping each other take photos. Then we read the storyboards over by the international divide post. 

Here is Nick, halfway in Canada and halfway in Alaska. Canada got his butt and the United States got his front paws 

Even though we crossed the border, we had to drive ahead about 1 mile to the actual customs building into the United States. This is where things got a little crazy...

THEY CONFISCATED 

OUR 

RICE!!!!

Yes, they did.

As we pulled up to the border crossing, the first agent said they were having a little delay. They were doing a training session. He was very friendly and nice and took care of our passports. Then he sent us ahead to a parking spot where we would be boarded by another agent to do a check of our items on board...

This is the first time this has ever happened to us. But I guess it wasn't aimed at us specifically, it was part of a training exercise. 

A young man came on board. He seemed very, very nervous. He went straight to our refrigerator. He looked around and checked for things like eggs or fresh produce. We didn't have any of that. We know better. 

Then he did a surprising thing. He opened our pantry! He pulled in and out the sliding shelves and picked up a container of rice. It's the same containers I have for flour and sugar etc. I took them all from home. 

The rice was not labeled of course, because it was in a container. He asked what kind it was. I told him it was Jasmine rice. He said it's hard to tell. There is a ban on Basmati rice from India. Because I did not have the original package, he said he had to confiscate it!!!

I said it was just fine with us. It was a small amount of rice, we really didn't care. We had the boil in bag version of rice along as well. But that was in the package and that was fine because it was US processed. 

He said any of the rice coming from India of the basmati type is forbidden. So he carefully dumped the rice out of the canister and put it in a large plastic bag to take out of our motorhome. 

That was it. 

No searching for guns or drugs or anything else. They just had to take our rice----

OUR CONTRABAND 

SEIZED AT THE BORDER

We laughed afterwards, well on our way, as we continued on the Alaska Highway towards Tok. We know he was supposed to go in and find something, anything, as part of his training exercise. So if that's all we were going to lose, that's okay.

The road was only nice for the first few miles into the United States. After that it turned into the same miserable pot ridden frost heaved nightmare that was before reaching the border.

The scenery was pretty, and it just gave us all the more time to enjoy it.

We saw another post from the same young couples on Wild RV Life and Open Roading where they had stayed at this campground in Tok. So we decided to try it out.

More on this campground in the next blog. It was really interesting and kind of quirky.

We pulled into a nice site, paid our fee, and settled in for the night. 

The video on YouTube that goes along with this blog post: 

 We traveled 135 ROUGH miles today

 3,185 miles so far