Travel By Highway
The famous Alaska Highway links the Lower 48 states to the 49th. Once this was a rough road for the adventurous, but now the modern Alaska Highway is traveled by thousands of people every year, in all sorts of vehicles. The highway is open year-round, and all but a few miles are paved. Short delays may be caused by seasonal repairs or road maintenance. Traveler services are available at frequent intervals, although some businesses close during the winter.

The adventure begins in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, where a monument in the center of town is marked "Mile 0 Alaska Highway." The highway officially ends 1,422 miles to the north, in Delta Junction, Alaska.

Crossroads in Canada provide access to the highway networks of British Columbia and the Yukon Territory. Branch highways, such as the Cassiar, Klondike 2, Robert Campbell, and Klondike Loop, give you the freedom to take personalized side-trips. In addition, some of the world's most scenic highways lie across the border in Alaska.

Driving Interior and Far North: Beginning 84 miles north of Fairbanks, the Dalton Highway is also known as "the haul road." This 414-mile gravel road parallels the northernmost portion of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. At Mile 115 you'll cross the Arctic Circle, a highlight of any trip to the Far North. Amenities are limited, but expansive vistas, caribou herds, and tundra wildflowers make this a spectacular journey. Consult the State of Alaska Department of Transportation at (907) 456-7623 for road conditions and public access restrictions.

Traveling south from Fairbanks, the Richardson Highway parallels the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, winding through mountain passes. The highway runs 368 miles south to the port city of Valdez and beautiful Prince William Sound. An alternate route, the Parks Highway, parallels the course of the Alaska Railroad. This highway skirts Denali National Park and Preserve as well as Denali State Park, and offers excellent views of 20,320-foot Mt. McKinley.

Driving Southcentral: Continuing south, the Parks Highway travels through the Matanuska-Susitna Valleys, known for their many recreational lakes and rivers. Traveling east the Glenn Highway winds past mountains and glaciers to the Wrangell Mountains. Travel west to reach Anchorage and take the Seward Highway along the shoreline between the Chugach Mountains and the waters of Turnagain Arm. At Portage Glacier, 53 miles out of town, a visitor center offers interpretive exhibits, and views of the glacier.

At a railway stop near Portage, you can drive your vehicle onto a flatcar and take a short rail trip through mountain tunnels to Whittier. From there you can drive onto a ferry to cruise across Prince William Sound to Valdez. Southwest of Portage, the Kenai Peninsula offers a picturesque shoreline drive to Homer, or a drive through mountainous river valleys to Seward and Resurrection Bay.

Driving Inside Passage: The region's terrain makes highway travel impractical, so residents rely upon state ferries. The ferries and highway systems meet at five different spots: Bellingham in Washington; Prince Rupert and Stewart/Hyder in British Columbia; and Haines and Skagway in Alaska. Ferry travel through the Inside Passage is popular, so make reservations well in advance.

Other areas: Although you can not drive to Nome, almost 300 miles of local roadways offer access to regional villages. Rental vehicles are available.

< Back to Getting to Alaska

Source: State of Alaska