While there isnt a lot to see and do on the Alaskan Highway, if you detour less than a hundred miles off it in many directions you can find epic adventures. However, the Burwash-Koidern section is still a problem, as the new highway built there in the late 1990s continues to experience frost heave. The U.S. Army commandeered equipment of all kinds, including local riverboats, railway locomotives, and housing originally meant for use in southern California. How are the road conditions during that time? Alaska Hwy fuel stopsAlaska Hwy fuel stops - distance, Miles approx, to next fuel stop, north bound. In some areas, gas stations may be closer together, while in other areas they may be farther apart. The Alaska Highway is plowed in the winter by both the Canadian and the Alaskan governments, so it is in good condition and driveable year-round. I wanted to make sure I got a campsite as close to town as possible since I was planning on spending a few days here. Your email address will not be published. This was our total fuel expense from San Diego, California all the way to Denali (including all our detours) and back. We had 2, five gallon cans of gas we took with in case we needed them, but made sure to gas up when ever possible. Bring a spare tire (or two) and pay close attention to your gasthe longest distance between pumps is from Dease Lake to the Yukon border, a distance of 247 kilometres. The Alaskan Highway is a completely paved road and open all year, although you do need to carry chains from October through April. Your actual mileage will vary, however, and if you spend enough time on the road you're guaranteed to run into traffic delays or detours. Tanana Trading Post and Tesoro Gas station to South side of highway. It is an invaluable 768 page book that documents the entire trip including every gas station and motel along the way. It is an invaluable 768 page book that documents the entire trip including every gas station and motel along the way. The truth is, it would require a hell of a lot of recklessness to actually run out of gas. Teslin to Whitehorse was only three hours of driving for us. Currently you have JavaScript disabled. Any suggestions? The drive is long, but just like another pregnancy or childbirth, you endure it and look back so fondly at it. However this time Ill be making the drive end of October, 1st week of November. The rec centers were definitely life savers some days. A lot of people (including myself) take this route instead of staying on the 93. There is a 240 mile gap on the Dalton. Planning on making the trip from Anchorage to Haines to catch the ferry in December/early January. The Highway is also known as the Liard Trail and starts two hours from Alaska Highway. If you are driving here through Idaho, click here for some inspiration on where to go on a Idaho Road Trip. I actually had my sights set on camping that night at Summit Lake campground but we were too early in the season. While some of the towns on the Alaskan Highway are good to stretch your legs for a few hours, Whitehorse is a place you should plan on staying in for a few days. There are many great overlooks and hikes to do along the road or click here to sign up for the Colombia Icefields Tour and do the Glacier Skywalk. In retrospect, I wouldve stayed an extra night at Strawberry Flats and done a nearby hike that day. All other sections are substantially shorter. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to drive the Alaska Highway? From Valdez we drove straight towards Anchorage and if you dont choose to detour to Valdez or Wrangell-St Elias NP, then you can easily do the drive from the Alaskan border to Anchorage or Fairbanks in one day. The inner workings of the worlds largest sockeye salmon hatchery, Alaska Caribou Cams Give Insight Into Secret Lives, Keep an eye on your fuel level. Some gas stations may also close during the winter months. The canyon is about 84KM long and the roadway snaked along the Fraser River. We intend to drive from Fairbanks via Whitehorse to Dawson City the last 2 weeks in April. Where the Alaska Highway Starts Dawson Creek, BC is 700 miles north of the US/Canadian border. How Long It Takes To Drive The Alaskan Highway, Recommended Stops Along the Alaska Highway, 3 | Eat Cinnamon Rolls at Tetsa River Lodge, Recommended Detours off of the Alaska Highway, Alternate Routes: Driving the Cassiar Highway, Why I Chose To Drive To Alaska and Not Fly To Anchorage, Watch This YouTube & Subscribe To Our Channel, Total Fuel Cost= $3,800 USD + $300 USD Ferry, Golden Circle: Guide to Whitehorse, Skagway, and Haines, A post shared by Adventure Travel Family (@nomadswithapurpose), Tips for Camping in Glacier National Park. It is the longest portion of the US Interstate system without services. Semi trucks chewed up the snow on the road during the day but the ruts froze at night. The Alaska Highway begins (Mile Zero) at Dawson Creek, British Columbia, and runs 1,387 miles to Delta Junction, Alaska. It was a long time between gas stations and finding restrooms was nonexistent for hours so we had to potty outside Several times . . Copyright 2023 Nomads With A Purpose | Trellis Framework by Mediavine. Logged live from sunny San Diego. But many people who arent visiting Fairbanks choose to take the Tok cutoff which takes you down to Anchorage. Are you driving from Alaska or to Alaska? This was our total cost for all the campgrounds we stayed at over our entire 4 months of travel. You can. We love sharp, jagged peaks, lush forests, and alpine lakes nestled under glaciers so naturally it was time to explore Alaska. We slept in our van. We melted snow while we are at Hot Springs . 1986 Monte Carlo SS It can freeze overnight starting mid-September up there so icy roads are possible in the mornings. In fact, one the way out of Alaska, we did Anchorage all the way to Whitehorse in one day, but it was a long day of driving. You won't run out of gas as long as you plan ahead, but it can be expensive at times. Pulling a trailer in Jan or Feb is suicide.you will not make it,guaranteed.July or August,yes.if you try this trip in that time frame,tell your family and friends goodbye. The states high taxes on gasoline are used to support services such as education, health care and infrastructure, which are expensive in Alaska. I didnt realize there was plenty of RV parking near the Springs and there was a huge dirt parking area where other RVs were camped for the day in order to ride ATVs in the surrounding trails. It is an alternative route to the MacKenzie Highway 1 through Northern Alberta. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Tip for border crossing: I almost always time the crossings to be later in the evening just in case the wait is long. Have an updated The Milepost handy, since no cell service in many areas. Not a gun guy so dont know if you can bring them through or not. But it could snow! The Alcan Highway is 1,387 miles long but the exact length varies year to year on road construction detours. I have only had to wait 1 day one time when the highway had a bad washout in BC. A legal winter tire (on a standard passenger vehicle or a four-wheel/all-wheel vehicle) MUST have at least 3.5 mm of tread depth. Weve flown to Europe and New Zealand with just a backpack on our backs and road tripped through them but it was hard traveling so lightly. I had to throw this one in for anyone who is like my husband. It was really hard planning our trip last year because there wasn't enough info so I'm glad you found our blog. While Watson Lake and Tok are very small (were talking one block long) but big enough to fuel up, grab a bite, and find a place to stay if needed. The Dalton Highway has the distinction of (among other things) having the longest stretch of service less road in North America. Northern terminus is a few miles from the Arctic Ocean. Your car, truck or RV typically has a safe range of 350 to 400 miles or more making extra fuel less of a necessity for you. Additionally, its worth noting that gas prices in remote areas can be higher than in urban areas. If I left any of your questions unanswered, dont hesitate to comment on the blog and let me know! Do one of the many short hikes to glacier fed lakes or past meadows filled with wildflowers. In February, I drove from Fairbanks to Haines (via Haines Junction) to catch the Ferry to Seattle. Junction 37 Services. Its beautiful all year round! One huge misconception about driving this highly regarded northern highway has graduated from the long gone history from the days of old. While you dont necessarily need to stay the night here, you absolutely must stop to try one of the cinnamon rolls, which the owner bakes fresh daily. Is it your dream to pile your kids in the car and head out on a road trip to Alaska? He strives to interest others in the historic drive to keep the legendary Route 66 alive. They have regular gas in the winter for snowmobilers, not sure about the rest of the year. Just an hour past Glacier View you will arrive in Palmer. And from mid-July (usually) on, the skeeters are thinning out. One of the least friendly roads in North America is the 414 mile Dalton Highway aka the Haul Road. Additionally, its worth noting that gas prices in remote areas can be higher than in urban areas. A post shared by Adventure Travel Family (@nomadswithapurpose) on May 21, 2019 at 6:21pm PDT. Banff, Lake Louise, Icefields Parkway, and Jasper are incredible but can be crowded and overwhelming. Here are a few detours you should consider when planning your Alaska road trip itinerary. Additionally, some stations may have limited hours of operation, so its important to plan accordingly and make sure you have enough fuel to reach the next station if a station is closed or has limited hours. The only two places we got a campground along the Alaskan Highway was Strawberry Flats Campground on Muncho Lake and High Country RV Park in Whitehorse both of which I highly recommend. The highway winds through the Yukon for about 885 km (550 miles) and crosses into Alaska at mile 1221 (km 1964). The road surface endures extreme freeze and thaws you may encounter potholes and stretches of the road under construction. My kids will remember seeing 17 bears on May 17th for the rest of their lives. If you dont care about those details and want to know if the ALCAN is for you, skip to the next section. We only stayed in campgrounds for a total of 30 nights and some were as little as $9 per night and others were as expensive as $70 a night. Dont confuse this with Dawson City which is near Alaska and north of Whitehorse. This highway runs between US 95 and Denio, NV. Modern construction methods do not allow the permafrost to melt, either by building a gravel berm on top or replacing the vegetation and soil immediately with gravel. One old log bridge can still be seen at the Aishihik river crossing. He is an author of bestseller books on Amazon: Route 66 Travel Guide 202 Amazing Places and Alaska Highway 202 Best Stops. There was a stretch in south Texas along the King ranch that was a long one without gas. It was heavenly! While we were eating lunch, a couple in the RV next to us started getting in a very loud altercation and it took less than a minute for us to grab our belongings and get the heck outta there. For the most part, the roads are good enough that a car can average 105 kph (65 mph). Then plan enough time to enjoy the trip, rather . Due to the highway's isolation and rough surface, you must do some planning before you go. In the winter, theres a business open around every 100 miles or so. I will be traveling with my 14 yr. old grandson & my two (2) English Mastiff. Get a copy of the "Milepost" it says where pretty much every fuels stop in the North is located. Additionally, its important to note that prices for gasoline and diesel can be significantly higher in remote areas. What is the best radio for the Alaska highway for Communication CB or VHF or UHF or HF? When driving in Canada in the winter its always good to check your head and make sure roads are open they do close roads in the winter due to snow on them and we got rerouted and it took us eight hours to drive a detour around Jasper Park. The speed limit will be in kilometers per hour (KPH), where 1 mile = 1.61 kilometers. But it ends up being a little exhausting and very expensive when you compare this number to the cost of camping. The highway is 358 miles long and runs through some the grandest and most rugged land in Alaska. Any other tips besides keep extra gas, and winter gear? Ive got a 2017 4Runner and studded tires.
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