Magic Bus

The Magic Bus is a retired city transit vehicle that once served as a shelter in the backcountry near Denali in Alaska. The bus has since been relocated to the University of Alaska Museum of the North in Fairbanks, where it is now on display for visitors.

The bus was placed in 1961 by the Yutan Construction Company to shelter workers maintaining a mining access road through the backcountry. It remained at its original location on the Stampede Trail for decades until authorities removed it in 2020 due to safety concerns.

Christopher McCandless spent the summer of 1992 living inside this bus and left written records of his time in the wilderness. The vehicle has become a place of reflection for visitors interested in his story.

The bus is now housed in the University of Alaska Museum in Fairbanks and can be viewed during regular museum hours. The museum location in the city is much more accessible than the original wilderness site.

The bus became famous through the story of Christopher McCandless and afterward drew many hikers who attempted to reach it in the wilderness. The frequent rescue operations that followed eventually prompted authorities to remove it from its remote location in 2020.

GPS coordinates: 63.86360,-149.01710

Latest update: December 7, 2025 20:44