Best Time to Visit Alaska

[Cate M.]

When is the best time to cruise to Alaska to avoid the bug season?

 

Thanks!

[flowers44]

There is not time in Alaska that is not the bug season unless you go in the middle of the winter. May through September, when most people go, it is bug season. Just take along some good bug repelant with DEET in it. If you are flying and can not bring it with you, they sell it in Alaska.

[Cruise_More_Often]

We will be doing our third Alaska cruise in May. All have been in May, and we haven't met a single bug. Plan around the activities you enjoy. Salmon don't run in May, and bears aren't abundant. Denali won't be fully open, and some tours don't start that early. However, we love Alaska with snow still on the mountains and cold (and no mosquitoes).

[BaileyTheGood]

There are clouds of swarming mosquitoes at Iditarod dog kennels. DEET didn't help. Maybe the bugs are attracted to the dogs and/or to all their you-know-what on the ground.

[sdmike]

I don't remember noticing a single bug when we sailed in late July. We really didn't go out into the woods or dog kennels, but we hiked around by Mendenhall Glacier, went fishing in Ketchikan, river floated in Skagway, and don't remember noticing anything. Maybe it was the cool rainy weather..not sure...but we're pretty bug-free in San Diego and I would have noticed anything bad

[johnql]

I've been to Alaska twice - once in late May and the other in mid-June. Never encountered any bug problem.

[dexddd]

We went late August and didn't see any.

 

Maybe try the "Ports of Call" area for Alaska on here. Some of those folks have gone many, many times.

[ttnc4me]

We also went in late July and had no bug issues at the ports.

The only time we experienced mosquitos was when we rented a car and drove north into Canada at Skagway to see Emerald Lake.

Oh, and the weather was phenominal as well.

[Sequim88]

We picked June for long daylight and even by end of month around Denali we only had a few mosquitos. Cruise part in IP had none because they tend to avoid saltwater areas. Even around Anchorage when I was up there occasionally for work there were none. But interior later in July-August they can be really bad until first frost around Sept. 8 for Fairbanks or 9/19 for first hard freeze. Going after the 19th might help. Last frost in Spring averages around May 15.

 

http://climate.gi.alaska.edu/climate/Atlas/tables/Temperature/ff8.html

[a1moty]

Forget the bugs---take bug spray. Go in mid to late July. Be sure to go to Junuea...and go Whale Watching with Captain Larry @ Orca Enterprises. You will not be sorry. It is an excursion of a lifetime!! :) I can not wait to go again!