Active Pursuits

Bird-Watching -- Bird-watchers will make many discoveries out on the Nome roads, turning to previously unused pages of their bird books. A bird list is available at the visitor center, and they can tell you where to look -- each of the three roads has a different habitat. The best time to visit for birding is Memorial Day through June and in early August. There's a chance to see Siberian birds, and you can count on bluethroats, yellow wagtails, wheatears, Arctic warblers, and Aleutian and Arctic terns. Nome is the only place to see a bristle-thighed curlew without chartering a plane. You don't need a guide, although guided field trips do come to Nome.

Mountain-Biking -- The roads of Nome are one of the world's great, undiscovered mountain-biking destinations -- where else can you bike past musk oxen and reindeer? There is no bike rental in town, but for bike enthusiasts, it may be worth renting a bike in Anchorage or bringing yours from home.