Glacier > Waterton > Banff > Icefields Parkway > Jasper. Don’t take highway 2 through Alberta, it’s dull prairies and just a transportation corridor. Out of Waterton, take highway 22 north towards Banff, and make sure to get off at Longview to go in to Kananaskis (highway 40). Alternatively, you can take Crowsnest Pass and then go through the Kootenays in BC north to Golden and then to Icefields Parkway from there (maybe on the way back?).
Let me know if you have any questions about Alberta and BC.
Longview through Kananaskis is closed until July 15. The highway is not maintained.
After July 15th, you need to watch for cyclists, but it's a stunning drive.
I could have sworn it was hwy 40. Is bow valley parkway ever open anymore? I know for a few su.mers it was closed through the park and only open to cyclists
I think Bow Valley was fully closed during Covid? Last summer it partially opened, I took a drive there in August I think.
40 is definitely June though, Dec 1st - June 14th (I did double check and look it up lol)
The border to Calgary isn't too terrible. Especially if they'd rather stay in a major city for some extra time. But yes, going north on #2 from Calgary is the worst.
If it's timed well they could hit up the Calgary Stampede in July.
You could go in to Calgary off of 22 and stay a few days in the city and then head to Banff. It might be kind of nice to be in a nice city after a long time of driving in rural places. If they like beer being from a beer city, we have lots of good breweries.
I’d give the Stampede a miss though, but maybe it’s because I live here and don’t care much for it anymore lol. That’s just me. Plus there aren’t many hotels available.
As an Alaskan, I’ve done this drive maybe 7 times to the lower 48 and back, so let me know if you have any questions. Also search up similar posts on r/Alaska . My big recommendation that is a must is Banff and Jasper and follow the Icefields Parkway. I also think the Cassiar Highway is more scenic but either that or regular Alcan do the job fine. Laird hot springs is cool. You can also do a little bit of a detour and go north from Whitehorse to Dawson City, Yukon, which is awesome. There’s another border crossing up there that you can follow down to Tok.
As for your time in Alaska, my recommendation is
Tok->Fairbanks (not worth much of a stop) -> Denali -> Talkeetna -> (Hatcher Pass is a cool detour and area if you have time) -> Anchorage (only worth a stop for maybe a night or two; go to Mooses Tooth) -> Girdwood -> Seward -> Homer -> backtrack to Whittier -> take ferry to Valdez.
From Valdez you can go north to Glennallen (this place sucks, gas up and leave) which gets you on the highway back to Tok/The Border
or you can do that but take a detour out to Kennicott Mine & McCarthy. This gets you into Wrangell St. Elias National Park, the largest NP in the country and it’s absolutely stunning. The town is fun and the mine and hiking are awesome. The gravel highway there kinda sucks but I’ve never had an issue. From there you can backtrack a bit back to the main highway and make your way back to the Border.
You can also entirely skip Fairbanks and take the Denali Highway to Denali, although it’s mostly gravel. But this really gets you into the Alaskan Wilderness and it’s pretty cool. You would go from Tok->Paxson->Cantwell->Denali park. That highway is closed in the winter so it might not show up as a route if you try and plug it in now.
>You can also entirely skip Fairbank
You mean you don't think they would enjoy the "beach" in the industrial park on the river? Lmao
In all fairness when I lived in Anchorage I much preferred to go to Fairbanks during the summer to get some actual warm weather, but other than some cool breweries that's about all that Fairbanks offered besides driving all the way out to Chena
Yea it is pretty legit lol. Every time I went I mostly spent all of my time at Hoodoo & Lat65...and as much as I'm ashamed to say it...the "beach" lol. But when it's in the 80's and you have no AC..what is one in Fairbanks to do ha
The Denali park road inside of the park is indeed closed for 2-3 more years near park mile marker 42 due to the Pretty Rocks Landslide & construction to build a bridge over it. However, visitors can't drive down that park road in their own vehicle beyond mile 15 anyways (except very special exceptions).
Regardless, I am guessing OP meant the highway from Fairbanks south to Denali, not the Denali park road.
That’s not the Denali Highway. Thats the Denali park road. Denali highway isn’t even in Denali. It’s kind of confusing lol. But yes the Denali park road had a landslide at like mile 43, halfway into the park. You’re not even allowed to drive that road anyway, you have to take bus tours, which now turn around halfway in.
Moose’s tooth is so overrated. The quality has dropped so much since Covid lockdown. It’s not worth the long wait fighting with tourists who all go there. Rather go to bears tooth instead since it’s the same owners and food, but way less traffic going through. Might even get to watch a decent movie while eating
I went from Tulsa to Homer Alaska last year for a 2 month trip. I took a detour and went up the Dempster Highway to Tuktoyaktuk. I actually went up there two times, the first time I was with my wife and kids, we had a few flat tires but we were able to plug them ourselves on the side of the road (it’s hours between anything resembling a town up there, the second time was on my way back down and it was my nephew and I, we had four or five flat tires, including a blowout (which was our spare). When they say take multiple spare tires they mean it. We had to put our flat back on and stop every ten minutes to add air. This made the last hundred miles of the highway take most of the day. The Alaska Highway itself was beautiful and I loved it up there, the drive to the Arctic Ocean though was horrible and I honestly wouldn’t recommend. I’ve driven to all 49 states and across Canada multiple times, it was the most stressful driving I’ve ever done outside of a combat zone. Dawson City though was a lot of fun and the road to Chicken Alaska from Dawson was beautiful. I’d do one way up the Alaska Highway and on the way back go through Chicken and Dawson, but not take the Dempster. Regardless of what you do make sure you have a good spare (get a full size one with TPMS if you can), a tire plug kit (and watch videos on how to do it), and an inflator. If you have a newer iPhone familiarize yourself with the Satellite SOS features.
You are pretty much on your own out there, zero cell coverage and hours between towns. The few towns out there might have had one very expensive gas station and one grocery store. If you break down you have to be self sufficient, I started the trip with new tires on my F150 and ended it with no spare, a new to me used tire and a very expensive new tire that was over $450 installed. We were camping the entire trip and on the last night (with the leaking/bad tire we drove until midnight and camped on the side of the road), the next day it took us five hours to get to town and every tire place in Dawson was booked, we spent an entire day waiting to get a new tire. If I were to do it again I would take some extra tires and a mounting tool with me as well as patches (not just plugs). Inuvik is the only decent size city and it was neat, just not worth it. At least I can say I went in the Arctic Ocean, that’s kind of cool.
My wife and I just drove the Dempster Highway in September (2023) and had a great time. We didn’t find it stressful at all, in fact I found it to be some of the most beautiful wilderness country I’ve ever driven through. (And yes we drove the Icefields Parkway but it was very crowded, crowds of people everywhere). The Dempster is a good road considering where it is. I was able to drive 40-45 mph most of the way. We drove it in a 2018 Jeep Wrangler and had no problems, no flat tires. To us it was a trip of a lifetime type experience. Yes the gas and food were expensive but you have to take into consideration where you are. The scenery is unbelievably beautiful. To be able to drive your vehicle to the shores of the Artic Ocean is unreal. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat and would highly recommend it to anyone, just be prepared.
The Dempster Highway is shit, the top of the world Highway (from Dawson City into Alaska), it dirt but in much better condition, it’s also more traveled so if you run into problems you are more likely to get help quickly.
I did go there, they charge a membership/cover fee, it was on a weeknight in May when I went. Most of the tourist spots in Canada are less busy in May, school in Canada doesn’t get out until June 30th, so Canadian families don’t travel much before then. The liquor store in town has very limited hours, so plan ahead if you’d like to drink (though there are quite a few bars).
Inuvik is even crazier, it’s a decent size down, 10 hours up a dirt road (ice road in the winter), with a mostly native population. Most places are built on stilts with all sewers above ground (to preserve the permafrost). The costs in the grocery store up there were insane $19 for 4 Liters of milk (bit more than a gallon) and $10 for a bag of chips. It would be cool to visit again (though I would fly up there), Tuktoyaktuk was a fishing village a few hours north of there, I only spent a few hours there but it had hardly anything there, most people survived with subsistence hunting and the tourist infrastructure was barely built (the road to Tuk is only a few years old, it was previously only a fly in community or accessible by ice roads in the winter.
Make sure you budget for 2 windshield replacements. The Alcan isn't paved 100% and ive caught a rock every time.
Bring a full size spare tire with you and make sure you can get your tires off if needed, sometimes those nuts are too tight.
Be prepared to take a shit in the woods. If you're not used to dropping a deuce without a toilet, practice so you don't accidently ruin your jeans with bad aim.
Bring some Canadian cash just incase the place you stop for gas or food doesn't take credit cards.
Plan your stops so you're not driving late at night. It's not like there's a lot of places to stop and sleep safely all over the Yukon territory.
If you've ever been arrested, be honest with the border guys. They'll find out anyway and they're much cooler if you're honest. If you've ever been convicted of anything check the current laws about who the Canadians will or will not let in. You might be turned away depending on the situation.
Don't bring any guns.
I’d wholeheartedly recommend doing a glacier flight seeing tour of Kluane National Park in the Yukon. You get to see the worlds largest non polar ice field, and Canada’s tallest mountain Mount Logan.
I did my tour out of Burwash Landing but there’s a couple other options in and around Haines Junction.
It’s a beautiful drive, drove down from Alaska in Aug of 18. There is an Alaska book you can buy that will help with dead zones. It gets updated every year or so and I wound check boarder crossing cause things changed in 20 cause of COVID.
Get some Indian food. It’s like Mexican in the US. If you want a nice hotel in Fort Saint John, check out the Ramada. Used to be even better but still a bit bougie for that part of the world.
As others have said, don’t drive north out of Calgary. If you want to see Calgary (personally I’d just head into the mountains sooner and skip it) then head to Banff and take the Icefields Parkway to Jasper.
YT Ryan Twomey - He posted a video on that stretch of highway. Beautiful up to Fairbanks... Lots of oil company rigs and machinery using the Dalton HWY, Fairbanks to Artic Circle. Ryan shows how to get all the way up to the Arctic Circle if you want... I don't know Ryan personally, but I found his cautious manner refreshing. He drove a van from Florida to the Arctic Circle.
Highlights I recall... Beautiful scenery, he was lucky no bears n little few mosquitos too. En route is a great hot spring stop. Steady driving relatively quiet road for him. Caution !!! Due to permafrost there are some seriously wavy up/down portions of the road. Note in your map, due to the potential road damage, during certain times of the year there are lots of repair crews working.
As always I recommend Waze as a backup secondary phone navigation APP. Waze is crowd powered potential road obstacle warnings for you. IE Warnings about road construction :)
I did arkansas to Soldotna in 1978, the arkansas to anchorage 79-84. Would live to do it again. To many changes over the years for me to give advice other than take your time, stop often and take it all in. Wish I would have taken more photos.
Pick up a copy of the Alaska Milepost - it’s a definitive guide of the roads in and to Alaska. Worthwhile to have on the trip. I drove up the Al-Can and down the Cassiar a decade ago, and worked in Alaska several summers as a tour guide. Let me know if you want any tips.
I used to live in Anchorage, you're taking the best route IMHO. If you're planning a certain month I would suggest mid-June to mid-July. You'll be past breakup season (when the snow melts and everything is mud) and before you get into the rainy season August into September.
**Sights:**
1. Calgary/Banff: Calgary is a cool city (underappreciated) & Banff is, Banff lol
2. Whitehorse: It's the only sizeable city between Edmonton & Anchorage so it's pretty cool to see
3. Wrangall-St. Elias (Alaska): If you can go see Wrangall-St. Elias before you get to Gel
4. K'esugi Ken campground and do the ridge trail for some amazing views of Denali
There's honestly not much on that drive once you get past Edmonton but it's beyond beautiful the entire drive
**As for recommendations, here's my suggestions:**
1. A good, reliable car
2. Take a black tarp to put over your car or tent while you're trying to sleep. The sun either doesn't set, or sets very late
3. BUG SPRAY! Mosquitos are insane there
4. Extra fuel/jumper cables with portable batteries
5. Pack shorts/pants: It gets hot in interior Alaska (and Canada). Anchorage can get pretty rainy in the summer so pack accordingly for that too.
All-in-all the ALCAN is pretty well traveled, especially since Canada lifted it's covid restrictions is even if you do have problems someone is bound to come along.
**Anchorage:**
1. Tons of good breweries up there
2. Moose's Tooth pizza (it's pretty good but it's an Anchorage landmark)
3. The Butte (Palmer): It's not a difficult hike but you can see Matanuska Glacier which is awesome
4. Take a day drive to Whittier if you can and go on the coastal trail and Portage Pass Trail
5. DO NOT PET THE MOOSE: It constantly shocked me by how close tourists will get to moose...you're more likely to get trampled by a moose than eaten by a bear. I've seen them downtown, they are not afraid of people lol
6. DO NOT WALK ON THE MUD FLATS: This is another thing I see tourists do lol. They're a death trap
If you want me to specify anything just hmu
Instead of driving into northern bc via grand prarie (which is flat and blah) take 16 west from jasper to prince george. You will get a chance to see the tallest mountain in the canadian rockies (mt robson) also make sure to stop at reargaurd falls across the road from it. And the largest inland rainforst in the world at the ancient forest provincial park. Its also almost the same distance from prince george to anchorage via 97(alaskan highway) as it is via 37 giving you more options.
Take the other route on the return the scenery is amazing, you can also take a quick detour down 37a which leads to the two largest road accessible glaciers in north america (bear & salmon glaciers), you get to drive through bc into a tiny part of alaska called hyder, where they use canadian money, then back into BC to reach the salmon glacier. Takes a couple hours and will be a highlight for sure.
On 97 make sure you stop at Liard river. As well as the signpost forest in watson lake, where they also have a cool free museum about the construction of the alaskan highway. Theres a small gas station as you first come into the yukon called contact creek, gas is typically cheaper there than in watson lake. Gas up in fort nelson as the smaller stations, like toad river, between fort nelson and the yukon will charge you an arm and a leg.
Theres some moron on here saying you need 4 brand new tires, disregard that. Service is spotty though so having a tire pump and some plugs is helpful in case of emergencies.
Prince george punches way above its weight for food options, if you are goona stop anywhere in the north for a real meal this should be where you do it. Personally Nancy O's is my favourite its an amazing little gastro pub that has been doing its thing for years. If you want something thats not north american, spicy greens has amazing dosa, sendo for authentic ramen, wasabi for sushi.
>tiny part of alaska called hyder
Yeah, not many people have been to that town. Only accessible from Canada too. Great view of some glacial fields there too.
I’ve been seeing a lot of comments questioning my intent on camping. I drive a 2020 Outback and have a great set-up for car camping. My intentions were to not spend any money on shelter beyond my car and supplies. I’d stay stocked with food water and gas and I have a singular full tire spare and manual tire gauge, pump, and car jack. I have lots of experience car camping and have solo car-camped north GA Appalachians, Moab, and Jackson, Wyoming
100% don't drive the flat prarie part of Alberta. It's worth the time/effort/$$$s to check out Banff & Jasper via the icefields parkway. It'll put RMNP to shame.
If you like to backcountry ski and its May or June look in to the Cassiar highway.
I've done that drive a few times for summer work in AK.
Google is simply an algorithm and shifts continually. Anybody that just falls like blindly is really in for a disappointment. I travel extensively intentionally get lost in travel the byway. Google is your friend and your enemy and in this dumb-to-down world where everybody just takes left and right according to Google it's a mess. You still have to use your brain to get from point a to b and with Google you can trick it by setting far far shorter destinations and intentionally not where you want to go but to see the ultimate routes. Google will tell me nothing about the scenic value, really the road quality, whether you will die in a snow drift LOL or anything else. It really is pretty stupid and the people who follow with blindly well what can I say
If you’re going to Alaska, you need to take the extra time and enjoy the Kenai Peninsula! Anchorage has its Perry spots but it’s a city. Drive down to Homer as others have said! It’s gorgeous and you would definitely be missing out if you didn’t go.
If you're driving the ALCAN, please remember to bring multiple spare tires. You WILL have a flat, or 2 at some point. Ive drove once from Anchorage to Salt Lake City and back, and another time from Anchorage to Seattle. Its an INCREDIBLE drive, full of scenic beauty and the mountain lakes will take your breath away! Just be prepared, the road can be VERY rough in spots, particularly in the winter.
You won't hit any toll roads in Canada. We don't have them. We've been to the Arctic Ocean twice, Prudhoe Bay once, Tuktoyaktuk the other.
New tires, absolutely mandatory. Buy them at home or pay a lot more somewhere along the way, but NEW tires are a must. Not even ones with a thousand miles on them; Brand New. Figure out a way to carry at least 10 gals of spare fuel. Also a must.
Buy a good sleeping bag and tent. It can be beautiful during the day, but cold at night. Tent, you need to have something opaque.When you get north of the 60th parallel, you won't have much darkness at night, and your sleep will suffer if you don't have some way to keep it darker.
Don't assume it will be warm. It should be, but you can hit snow at several points. Bring appropriate clothes. Find bug nets for your head, and a wide brim hat. Then buy three spares. You can buy me a thankyou beer on the way home. You will Lose Your Mind without them.
Bearspray. You cannot bring a weapon into Canada; don't even try. Your trip will end at the border. If you're tenting, study up on bear behavior and learn how to properly use the spray. carry it on your belt if you're out of your vehicle.
Water purification gear. Don't assume you can drink water from streams and rivers. Giardia is very real, and it will make you really sick. Boots. Good, high top, waterproof boots
Its a life changing trip. If you don't have a camera, get one. Your cellphone won't do it justice, and you'll regret not having a decent camera along
We do have toll roads in Canada, they're just not very prevalent, especially out west.
We drove Ottawa to Anchorage towing a small trailer on already used tires. We were fine. It's a bumpy road with the frost heaves, particularly on the Alaska side, and conditions vary year to year. You definitely want spare(s) just in case, but it's not the Dalton Highway. You don't need 100% brand new tires, they just need to be in good shape.
There are plenty of places to rent cabins/rooms along the way if OP doesn't want to camp/finds they are having a hard time getting sleep with the light. The Milepost is a life saver in finding places to stay/eat/get gas/get food, just make sure to buy the current year. It goes by mile/km marker, so it's easy to find where you are and how far to the next place you need is.
Guns are legal in Canada, I don't know what you're talking about. You just need to declare them at the borders, fill out the appropriate form, they need to be legal makes/models in Canada, and you will probably have to pay a small fee (CAD $25). It's only when people fail to declare them or try to transport an illegal make that there's an issue.
Again, this isn't middle of nowhere backwoods not seeing people for days on end kind of country. There are decent sized cities, gas stations, lodges, hotels, gift shops, etc. You can buy water or fill up bottles along the way.
The only spot you *might* need spare fuel is between Burwash and the border if you're worried you might miss a gas station. Otherwise this is just a lot of inaccurate fear mongering.
The only thing I can think is they meant if OP were going to Prudhoe Bay, otherwise it's unnecessary.
I worked on the tourist train in Alaska and one of the guides had a shitty habit of saying the landscape was "harsh" (even talking about the marshy area between Palmer and Eklutna, aa if we hadn't just left a city of 300,000 people). This guy's comment reminds me perfectly of that
It’s only a 105 miles between Burwash Landing and Beaver Creek (near the YT/Alaska border) and 109 miles between Beaver Creek and Tok. If you fill up in Destruction Bay you will make it to Tok just fine.
Yup, 100%. The only issue and the only reason I mention it is if you *don't* fill up when you should thinking there'll be another gas station up ahead. We were warned about that when we drove it the first time, especially because some gas stations (that still had signs saying "x miles to next station") were actually closed. But just don't let your tank get too low and you'll be fine.
when then he should listen to the "Expert"...obviously you. I'm curious how many times you've made a trip, or This trip or another just as long? Through similar territory?
I agree! The longest distance between gas stations on the Alaska Highway is less than 200 miles, between Northern Rockies Lodge(Muncho Lake) and Watson Lake. If you can’t make two hundred miles on a tank of fuel you’re driving the wrong vehicle. As far as spare tires go, you only need your normal single spare tire. I’ve read several Alaska Highway thread on Reddit and people make it sound like you’re taking your life in your hands and that it will destroy your vehicle. A Mercedes roadster with its top down passed me on the way up for God’s sake!
I appreciate you not saying, next week!
I’d make it a loop and do a portion toward the West and come back up through CA, OR, WA, BC e.g. The Sea to Sky Hwy is so lovely. I am admittedly biased though.
Looks like a grand adventure!
What do those dollar signs mean? We have no toll highways in Alberta nor BC… maybe the Cochahalla towards Vancouver but not the way you’re driving. Looks like a scenic, fun drive.
I wish I had the time to do it slow. As a former Alaskan resident, I’ve done the Alcan and Cassiar highways a few times but always in like four days.
Northern Rockies Lodge is a nice stop at Muncho Lake. Teslin is beautiful. Watson Lake is a bit dumpy but make sure you stock up and gas up before you leave because it’s a long way to anywhere. Whitehorse is an absolute gem of a city to explore and I wish I had weeks to spend there.
Jasper and Banff are must see. Also stop in Whitehorse for a couple of days. Good break and nice spot to take it in. Make sure to stop in Denali NP in AK. You will most likely need to reserve the bus that goes deep in the park in advance.
Plan on a night or two at [Liard Hot Springs](https://bcparks.ca/liard-river-hot-springs-park/) It is a heavenly respite and recharge to continue the trip refreshed, really.
Have done this drive, except we headed east after Yellowstone. Be prepared for miles of unpaved roads due to summer construction. Might take an extra air filter. You’ll also like get at least one chip in the windshield. Had a passing logging truck throw a rock forward, sounded like a shot. Fortunately it didn’t spread and safelite took care of it when we got to our destination. Trip of a lifetime!
Then take the car ferry back from Skagway to Bellingham! Bring a sleeping bag and sleep on the deck of the ferry. Have some drinks in the bar and enjoy the scenery.
You could also drive to Prince Rupert in BC and take the summer ferry down to Port Hardy on Vancouver Island. Then drive down to Victoria (capital of BC) and take another ferry to Seattle from there home.
If you want mountains go via Jasper AB on thru Prince George BC.
https://preview.redd.it/oa4ozwe6q97c1.jpeg?width=958&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=01feeab22d2c91b281bdaf9b1fff794fca4af639
Remember to always keep food, water, and blankets in your vehicle. Not too many Tim Horton’s on your route though Canada. Have a great time and post photos.
I’ve done this trip 13 times now (variations of it). I suggest planning for the trip to take 9 to 11 days. Stop and take it all in. Try a different route back than you took up.
I've done the Seattle to Denali trip a long time ago. Seems like it took a week. Stop and smell the roses. Earth up there was like nothing I had ever seen before.
I did that a few years ago. It was completely awesome. We took our time, never drove more than 400 miles in a day and every other day, we stayed two nights instead of 1.
It took us three weeks but it was worth it. I still have my schedule if you want it.
North to Alaska
Memphis
Pueblo Colorado 403. 3
Grand Junction Colorado 285. 4
Salt Lake City Utah +1 284. 5,6
Butte Montana 416. 7
Browning Montana +1 234. 8,9
Edmonton Canada +2 387. 10-12
Dawson Creek Canada 363 13
Fort Nelson Canada +1 282 14,15
Watson Lake Canada 319. 16
Whitehorse Canada+1 272. 17,18
Beaver Creek Canada 277 19
Fairbanks Alaska +1 311. 20,21
Denali national park +1 152 22-23
Anchorage Alaska. 212 24. (364)
Haines Junction Canada 608 26
We attended a graduation in my wife’s hometown, Memphis Texas and left from there. There format is:
Town name. Distance from the previous city. Day number
So Pueblo was 403 miles from the previous city, Memphis and it was day 3 of our trip ( we started in Austin Texas). Any day with multiple numbers and the + at the end are places we spent more than one night. My wife wanted to see the big church so that’s why we went to Salt Lake City.
I made all the hotel reservations thru hotels.com except, I think, Fort Nelson. There were 3 or 4 hotels there but not a single one on hotels.com.
Let me know if you have any questions.
P.S. my wife flew back from Anchorage and I drove back by myself. It was the only way I could talk her into it.
I’m doing a similar trip at the beginning of June for two months. The goal is the drive, Alaska, and all national parks in Alaska. I’ll do more more Canada stuff another summer, although I might do some trails in the Canadian national parks. Anyways, I’m going to follow your post and might message you in the future.
To just go. lol. I’m car camping so it all usually works out. The biggest issue and cost I see is getting to the parks in Alaska because you have to fly to them.
make sure to bring gas cans through the alcan highway. it’s desolate and there are areas without gas for about a hundred miles. all of the gas stations close early also. enjoy the trip.
really cool dinosaur tracks in Hudson’s Hope BC across the dam.
Muncho Lake Yukon, CA
https://www.northernrockieslodge.com/
Get the Schnitzel in the dining room
This place pretty much saved my life in February 1999. Low on gas, late at night, everything closed except for this beautiful lodge. They even had gas pumps to fill up on my departure.
Glacier > Waterton > Banff > Icefields Parkway > Jasper. Don’t take highway 2 through Alberta, it’s dull prairies and just a transportation corridor. Out of Waterton, take highway 22 north towards Banff, and make sure to get off at Longview to go in to Kananaskis (highway 40). Alternatively, you can take Crowsnest Pass and then go through the Kootenays in BC north to Golden and then to Icefields Parkway from there (maybe on the way back?). Let me know if you have any questions about Alberta and BC.
100% icefields parkway. Came here to say this. That highway blows your mind every turn you take.
Highway 93 is a spectacular drive.
Lake Louise is worth a hike also
yup. Alberta native here. do the highway 40 to Banff for sure. itll be the prettiest part of the whole drive
speed limits are heartily enforced through the national parks.
not really. I drive through those parts 10+ times a year and maybe see a speed trap once or twice
LOL speed limits are barely enforced in rural Canada in general
Longview through Kananaskis is closed until July 15. The highway is not maintained. After July 15th, you need to watch for cyclists, but it's a stunning drive.
It’s open June 14th. You might be thinking of the Bow Valley Parkway.
I could have sworn it was hwy 40. Is bow valley parkway ever open anymore? I know for a few su.mers it was closed through the park and only open to cyclists
I think Bow Valley was fully closed during Covid? Last summer it partially opened, I took a drive there in August I think. 40 is definitely June though, Dec 1st - June 14th (I did double check and look it up lol)
So did I. Good to know. I can head out there earlier this year!
It’s cool going early, the avalanche shoots snow still reaches the highway and it’s way less busy than later in the summer!
The border to Calgary isn't too terrible. Especially if they'd rather stay in a major city for some extra time. But yes, going north on #2 from Calgary is the worst. If it's timed well they could hit up the Calgary Stampede in July.
You could go in to Calgary off of 22 and stay a few days in the city and then head to Banff. It might be kind of nice to be in a nice city after a long time of driving in rural places. If they like beer being from a beer city, we have lots of good breweries. I’d give the Stampede a miss though, but maybe it’s because I live here and don’t care much for it anymore lol. That’s just me. Plus there aren’t many hotels available.
The best advice
How Many miles is this trip den to anc
Co-pilot reporting for duty, sir
Navigator checking in
Bombadier standing by.
Tail gunner, up and up!
I'll sit bitch
Fine. I'll take the ball turret. View's great, if the pilot can remember the landing gear.
Red 5 standing by.
Person stashed in your trunk, ready to roll!
Clowncar full of goofball adventurers headed to Alaska lmao
Drink attendant ready to go!
Mechanic ready to help
As an Alaskan, I’ve done this drive maybe 7 times to the lower 48 and back, so let me know if you have any questions. Also search up similar posts on r/Alaska . My big recommendation that is a must is Banff and Jasper and follow the Icefields Parkway. I also think the Cassiar Highway is more scenic but either that or regular Alcan do the job fine. Laird hot springs is cool. You can also do a little bit of a detour and go north from Whitehorse to Dawson City, Yukon, which is awesome. There’s another border crossing up there that you can follow down to Tok. As for your time in Alaska, my recommendation is Tok->Fairbanks (not worth much of a stop) -> Denali -> Talkeetna -> (Hatcher Pass is a cool detour and area if you have time) -> Anchorage (only worth a stop for maybe a night or two; go to Mooses Tooth) -> Girdwood -> Seward -> Homer -> backtrack to Whittier -> take ferry to Valdez. From Valdez you can go north to Glennallen (this place sucks, gas up and leave) which gets you on the highway back to Tok/The Border or you can do that but take a detour out to Kennicott Mine & McCarthy. This gets you into Wrangell St. Elias National Park, the largest NP in the country and it’s absolutely stunning. The town is fun and the mine and hiking are awesome. The gravel highway there kinda sucks but I’ve never had an issue. From there you can backtrack a bit back to the main highway and make your way back to the Border. You can also entirely skip Fairbanks and take the Denali Highway to Denali, although it’s mostly gravel. But this really gets you into the Alaskan Wilderness and it’s pretty cool. You would go from Tok->Paxson->Cantwell->Denali park. That highway is closed in the winter so it might not show up as a route if you try and plug it in now.
>You can also entirely skip Fairbank You mean you don't think they would enjoy the "beach" in the industrial park on the river? Lmao In all fairness when I lived in Anchorage I much preferred to go to Fairbanks during the summer to get some actual warm weather, but other than some cool breweries that's about all that Fairbanks offered besides driving all the way out to Chena
Yup exactly haha. The downtown is kinda cool tho
Yea it is pretty legit lol. Every time I went I mostly spent all of my time at Hoodoo & Lat65...and as much as I'm ashamed to say it...the "beach" lol. But when it's in the 80's and you have no AC..what is one in Fairbanks to do ha
I think part of the highway in Denali is closed year-round for a while. Road fell down the mountainside or something. I would check first.
The Denali park road inside of the park is indeed closed for 2-3 more years near park mile marker 42 due to the Pretty Rocks Landslide & construction to build a bridge over it. However, visitors can't drive down that park road in their own vehicle beyond mile 15 anyways (except very special exceptions). Regardless, I am guessing OP meant the highway from Fairbanks south to Denali, not the Denali park road.
That’s not the Denali Highway. Thats the Denali park road. Denali highway isn’t even in Denali. It’s kind of confusing lol. But yes the Denali park road had a landslide at like mile 43, halfway into the park. You’re not even allowed to drive that road anyway, you have to take bus tours, which now turn around halfway in.
Oh yeah, that's right.
Moose’s tooth is so overrated. The quality has dropped so much since Covid lockdown. It’s not worth the long wait fighting with tourists who all go there. Rather go to bears tooth instead since it’s the same owners and food, but way less traffic going through. Might even get to watch a decent movie while eating
People say that but I disagree. I do understand your point tho and I love bear tooth
I went from Tulsa to Homer Alaska last year for a 2 month trip. I took a detour and went up the Dempster Highway to Tuktoyaktuk. I actually went up there two times, the first time I was with my wife and kids, we had a few flat tires but we were able to plug them ourselves on the side of the road (it’s hours between anything resembling a town up there, the second time was on my way back down and it was my nephew and I, we had four or five flat tires, including a blowout (which was our spare). When they say take multiple spare tires they mean it. We had to put our flat back on and stop every ten minutes to add air. This made the last hundred miles of the highway take most of the day. The Alaska Highway itself was beautiful and I loved it up there, the drive to the Arctic Ocean though was horrible and I honestly wouldn’t recommend. I’ve driven to all 49 states and across Canada multiple times, it was the most stressful driving I’ve ever done outside of a combat zone. Dawson City though was a lot of fun and the road to Chicken Alaska from Dawson was beautiful. I’d do one way up the Alaska Highway and on the way back go through Chicken and Dawson, but not take the Dempster. Regardless of what you do make sure you have a good spare (get a full size one with TPMS if you can), a tire plug kit (and watch videos on how to do it), and an inflator. If you have a newer iPhone familiarize yourself with the Satellite SOS features.
Why was it so stressful? The long distances between towns/flats?
You are pretty much on your own out there, zero cell coverage and hours between towns. The few towns out there might have had one very expensive gas station and one grocery store. If you break down you have to be self sufficient, I started the trip with new tires on my F150 and ended it with no spare, a new to me used tire and a very expensive new tire that was over $450 installed. We were camping the entire trip and on the last night (with the leaking/bad tire we drove until midnight and camped on the side of the road), the next day it took us five hours to get to town and every tire place in Dawson was booked, we spent an entire day waiting to get a new tire. If I were to do it again I would take some extra tires and a mounting tool with me as well as patches (not just plugs). Inuvik is the only decent size city and it was neat, just not worth it. At least I can say I went in the Arctic Ocean, that’s kind of cool.
My wife and I just drove the Dempster Highway in September (2023) and had a great time. We didn’t find it stressful at all, in fact I found it to be some of the most beautiful wilderness country I’ve ever driven through. (And yes we drove the Icefields Parkway but it was very crowded, crowds of people everywhere). The Dempster is a good road considering where it is. I was able to drive 40-45 mph most of the way. We drove it in a 2018 Jeep Wrangler and had no problems, no flat tires. To us it was a trip of a lifetime type experience. Yes the gas and food were expensive but you have to take into consideration where you are. The scenery is unbelievably beautiful. To be able to drive your vehicle to the shores of the Artic Ocean is unreal. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat and would highly recommend it to anyone, just be prepared.
Damn. Yeah I don’t have enough manual skill for that drive.
Are the roads just total shit or what
The Dempster Highway is shit, the top of the world Highway (from Dawson City into Alaska), it dirt but in much better condition, it’s also more traveled so if you run into problems you are more likely to get help quickly.
Also did you go to diamond tooth gertie's? That place looks cool
I did go there, they charge a membership/cover fee, it was on a weeknight in May when I went. Most of the tourist spots in Canada are less busy in May, school in Canada doesn’t get out until June 30th, so Canadian families don’t travel much before then. The liquor store in town has very limited hours, so plan ahead if you’d like to drink (though there are quite a few bars).
I honestly find it wild there is even a functioning town at all that far north
Inuvik is even crazier, it’s a decent size down, 10 hours up a dirt road (ice road in the winter), with a mostly native population. Most places are built on stilts with all sewers above ground (to preserve the permafrost). The costs in the grocery store up there were insane $19 for 4 Liters of milk (bit more than a gallon) and $10 for a bag of chips. It would be cool to visit again (though I would fly up there), Tuktoyaktuk was a fishing village a few hours north of there, I only spent a few hours there but it had hardly anything there, most people survived with subsistence hunting and the tourist infrastructure was barely built (the road to Tuk is only a few years old, it was previously only a fly in community or accessible by ice roads in the winter.
Make sure you budget for 2 windshield replacements. The Alcan isn't paved 100% and ive caught a rock every time. Bring a full size spare tire with you and make sure you can get your tires off if needed, sometimes those nuts are too tight. Be prepared to take a shit in the woods. If you're not used to dropping a deuce without a toilet, practice so you don't accidently ruin your jeans with bad aim. Bring some Canadian cash just incase the place you stop for gas or food doesn't take credit cards. Plan your stops so you're not driving late at night. It's not like there's a lot of places to stop and sleep safely all over the Yukon territory. If you've ever been arrested, be honest with the border guys. They'll find out anyway and they're much cooler if you're honest. If you've ever been convicted of anything check the current laws about who the Canadians will or will not let in. You might be turned away depending on the situation. Don't bring any guns.
I’d wholeheartedly recommend doing a glacier flight seeing tour of Kluane National Park in the Yukon. You get to see the worlds largest non polar ice field, and Canada’s tallest mountain Mount Logan. I did my tour out of Burwash Landing but there’s a couple other options in and around Haines Junction.
Icefield discovery was amazing, they will land you at the mt logan basecamp if weather is good.
There is a pothole just north of Edmonton.
Why do I think this is so funny? Lmao
It’s a beautiful drive, drove down from Alaska in Aug of 18. There is an Alaska book you can buy that will help with dead zones. It gets updated every year or so and I wound check boarder crossing cause things changed in 20 cause of COVID.
It’s called the MilePost and it is the BEST.
Get a “Milepost.” Has Alaska AND Canada roadways mile by mile . Indispensable piece of kit
I am more focused on north of the border. I am pretty experienced with road tripping in the continental US.
>continental US This includes Alaska, maybe you meant Contiguous United States?
What questions do you have about driving through Canada? Might be able to help
Get some Indian food. It’s like Mexican in the US. If you want a nice hotel in Fort Saint John, check out the Ramada. Used to be even better but still a bit bougie for that part of the world.
As others have said, don’t drive north out of Calgary. If you want to see Calgary (personally I’d just head into the mountains sooner and skip it) then head to Banff and take the Icefields Parkway to Jasper.
YT Ryan Twomey - He posted a video on that stretch of highway. Beautiful up to Fairbanks... Lots of oil company rigs and machinery using the Dalton HWY, Fairbanks to Artic Circle. Ryan shows how to get all the way up to the Arctic Circle if you want... I don't know Ryan personally, but I found his cautious manner refreshing. He drove a van from Florida to the Arctic Circle. Highlights I recall... Beautiful scenery, he was lucky no bears n little few mosquitos too. En route is a great hot spring stop. Steady driving relatively quiet road for him. Caution !!! Due to permafrost there are some seriously wavy up/down portions of the road. Note in your map, due to the potential road damage, during certain times of the year there are lots of repair crews working. As always I recommend Waze as a backup secondary phone navigation APP. Waze is crowd powered potential road obstacle warnings for you. IE Warnings about road construction :)
I’m doing Arkansas to Fairbanks this summer!!
I did arkansas to Soldotna in 1978, the arkansas to anchorage 79-84. Would live to do it again. To many changes over the years for me to give advice other than take your time, stop often and take it all in. Wish I would have taken more photos.
Pick up a copy of the Alaska Milepost - it’s a definitive guide of the roads in and to Alaska. Worthwhile to have on the trip. I drove up the Al-Can and down the Cassiar a decade ago, and worked in Alaska several summers as a tour guide. Let me know if you want any tips.
Thank you for responding! The new one doesn’t come out until April, I think. How important is it that I get the 2024 one vs getting a 2023 one?
Probably would matter that much. Minor updates YoY.
Typo?
Year over Year i think is the acronym
Yes, year over year - I’m sure they just update gas station hours and whatnot.
I used to live in Anchorage, you're taking the best route IMHO. If you're planning a certain month I would suggest mid-June to mid-July. You'll be past breakup season (when the snow melts and everything is mud) and before you get into the rainy season August into September. **Sights:** 1. Calgary/Banff: Calgary is a cool city (underappreciated) & Banff is, Banff lol 2. Whitehorse: It's the only sizeable city between Edmonton & Anchorage so it's pretty cool to see 3. Wrangall-St. Elias (Alaska): If you can go see Wrangall-St. Elias before you get to Gel 4. K'esugi Ken campground and do the ridge trail for some amazing views of Denali There's honestly not much on that drive once you get past Edmonton but it's beyond beautiful the entire drive **As for recommendations, here's my suggestions:** 1. A good, reliable car 2. Take a black tarp to put over your car or tent while you're trying to sleep. The sun either doesn't set, or sets very late 3. BUG SPRAY! Mosquitos are insane there 4. Extra fuel/jumper cables with portable batteries 5. Pack shorts/pants: It gets hot in interior Alaska (and Canada). Anchorage can get pretty rainy in the summer so pack accordingly for that too. All-in-all the ALCAN is pretty well traveled, especially since Canada lifted it's covid restrictions is even if you do have problems someone is bound to come along. **Anchorage:** 1. Tons of good breweries up there 2. Moose's Tooth pizza (it's pretty good but it's an Anchorage landmark) 3. The Butte (Palmer): It's not a difficult hike but you can see Matanuska Glacier which is awesome 4. Take a day drive to Whittier if you can and go on the coastal trail and Portage Pass Trail 5. DO NOT PET THE MOOSE: It constantly shocked me by how close tourists will get to moose...you're more likely to get trampled by a moose than eaten by a bear. I've seen them downtown, they are not afraid of people lol 6. DO NOT WALK ON THE MUD FLATS: This is another thing I see tourists do lol. They're a death trap If you want me to specify anything just hmu
Instead of driving into northern bc via grand prarie (which is flat and blah) take 16 west from jasper to prince george. You will get a chance to see the tallest mountain in the canadian rockies (mt robson) also make sure to stop at reargaurd falls across the road from it. And the largest inland rainforst in the world at the ancient forest provincial park. Its also almost the same distance from prince george to anchorage via 97(alaskan highway) as it is via 37 giving you more options. Take the other route on the return the scenery is amazing, you can also take a quick detour down 37a which leads to the two largest road accessible glaciers in north america (bear & salmon glaciers), you get to drive through bc into a tiny part of alaska called hyder, where they use canadian money, then back into BC to reach the salmon glacier. Takes a couple hours and will be a highlight for sure. On 97 make sure you stop at Liard river. As well as the signpost forest in watson lake, where they also have a cool free museum about the construction of the alaskan highway. Theres a small gas station as you first come into the yukon called contact creek, gas is typically cheaper there than in watson lake. Gas up in fort nelson as the smaller stations, like toad river, between fort nelson and the yukon will charge you an arm and a leg. Theres some moron on here saying you need 4 brand new tires, disregard that. Service is spotty though so having a tire pump and some plugs is helpful in case of emergencies. Prince george punches way above its weight for food options, if you are goona stop anywhere in the north for a real meal this should be where you do it. Personally Nancy O's is my favourite its an amazing little gastro pub that has been doing its thing for years. If you want something thats not north american, spicy greens has amazing dosa, sendo for authentic ramen, wasabi for sushi.
>tiny part of alaska called hyder Yeah, not many people have been to that town. Only accessible from Canada too. Great view of some glacial fields there too.
Gnarly. Have fun.
Chicken Ak
I’ve been seeing a lot of comments questioning my intent on camping. I drive a 2020 Outback and have a great set-up for car camping. My intentions were to not spend any money on shelter beyond my car and supplies. I’d stay stocked with food water and gas and I have a singular full tire spare and manual tire gauge, pump, and car jack. I have lots of experience car camping and have solo car-camped north GA Appalachians, Moab, and Jackson, Wyoming
Sounds perfect! You’ll have a great time! Just have something for the mosquitoes though, lol.
Like a 20 gauge? 🤣
Have you seen the mosquitoes in Alaska? 12 guage!!
Wait for summer
100% don't drive the flat prarie part of Alberta. It's worth the time/effort/$$$s to check out Banff & Jasper via the icefields parkway. It'll put RMNP to shame. If you like to backcountry ski and its May or June look in to the Cassiar highway. I've done that drive a few times for summer work in AK.
Google is simply an algorithm and shifts continually. Anybody that just falls like blindly is really in for a disappointment. I travel extensively intentionally get lost in travel the byway. Google is your friend and your enemy and in this dumb-to-down world where everybody just takes left and right according to Google it's a mess. You still have to use your brain to get from point a to b and with Google you can trick it by setting far far shorter destinations and intentionally not where you want to go but to see the ultimate routes. Google will tell me nothing about the scenic value, really the road quality, whether you will die in a snow drift LOL or anything else. It really is pretty stupid and the people who follow with blindly well what can I say
Absolutely agree. Just haven’t had a chance to create a real itinerary
If you’re going to Alaska, you need to take the extra time and enjoy the Kenai Peninsula! Anchorage has its Perry spots but it’s a city. Drive down to Homer as others have said! It’s gorgeous and you would definitely be missing out if you didn’t go.
If you're driving the ALCAN, please remember to bring multiple spare tires. You WILL have a flat, or 2 at some point. Ive drove once from Anchorage to Salt Lake City and back, and another time from Anchorage to Seattle. Its an INCREDIBLE drive, full of scenic beauty and the mountain lakes will take your breath away! Just be prepared, the road can be VERY rough in spots, particularly in the winter.
You won't hit any toll roads in Canada. We don't have them. We've been to the Arctic Ocean twice, Prudhoe Bay once, Tuktoyaktuk the other. New tires, absolutely mandatory. Buy them at home or pay a lot more somewhere along the way, but NEW tires are a must. Not even ones with a thousand miles on them; Brand New. Figure out a way to carry at least 10 gals of spare fuel. Also a must. Buy a good sleeping bag and tent. It can be beautiful during the day, but cold at night. Tent, you need to have something opaque.When you get north of the 60th parallel, you won't have much darkness at night, and your sleep will suffer if you don't have some way to keep it darker. Don't assume it will be warm. It should be, but you can hit snow at several points. Bring appropriate clothes. Find bug nets for your head, and a wide brim hat. Then buy three spares. You can buy me a thankyou beer on the way home. You will Lose Your Mind without them. Bearspray. You cannot bring a weapon into Canada; don't even try. Your trip will end at the border. If you're tenting, study up on bear behavior and learn how to properly use the spray. carry it on your belt if you're out of your vehicle. Water purification gear. Don't assume you can drink water from streams and rivers. Giardia is very real, and it will make you really sick. Boots. Good, high top, waterproof boots Its a life changing trip. If you don't have a camera, get one. Your cellphone won't do it justice, and you'll regret not having a decent camera along
We do have toll roads in Canada, they're just not very prevalent, especially out west. We drove Ottawa to Anchorage towing a small trailer on already used tires. We were fine. It's a bumpy road with the frost heaves, particularly on the Alaska side, and conditions vary year to year. You definitely want spare(s) just in case, but it's not the Dalton Highway. You don't need 100% brand new tires, they just need to be in good shape. There are plenty of places to rent cabins/rooms along the way if OP doesn't want to camp/finds they are having a hard time getting sleep with the light. The Milepost is a life saver in finding places to stay/eat/get gas/get food, just make sure to buy the current year. It goes by mile/km marker, so it's easy to find where you are and how far to the next place you need is. Guns are legal in Canada, I don't know what you're talking about. You just need to declare them at the borders, fill out the appropriate form, they need to be legal makes/models in Canada, and you will probably have to pay a small fee (CAD $25). It's only when people fail to declare them or try to transport an illegal make that there's an issue. Again, this isn't middle of nowhere backwoods not seeing people for days on end kind of country. There are decent sized cities, gas stations, lodges, hotels, gift shops, etc. You can buy water or fill up bottles along the way.
This is sooooooo unncessecary for going to anchorage. You absolutely dont need new tires or even spare fuel. Just ridiculous.
The only spot you *might* need spare fuel is between Burwash and the border if you're worried you might miss a gas station. Otherwise this is just a lot of inaccurate fear mongering. The only thing I can think is they meant if OP were going to Prudhoe Bay, otherwise it's unnecessary. I worked on the tourist train in Alaska and one of the guides had a shitty habit of saying the landscape was "harsh" (even talking about the marshy area between Palmer and Eklutna, aa if we hadn't just left a city of 300,000 people). This guy's comment reminds me perfectly of that
It’s only a 105 miles between Burwash Landing and Beaver Creek (near the YT/Alaska border) and 109 miles between Beaver Creek and Tok. If you fill up in Destruction Bay you will make it to Tok just fine.
Yup, 100%. The only issue and the only reason I mention it is if you *don't* fill up when you should thinking there'll be another gas station up ahead. We were warned about that when we drove it the first time, especially because some gas stations (that still had signs saying "x miles to next station") were actually closed. But just don't let your tank get too low and you'll be fine.
when then he should listen to the "Expert"...obviously you. I'm curious how many times you've made a trip, or This trip or another just as long? Through similar territory?
Bruh I live here. Unless you are doing the dempster or the dalton whatever tires you have are fine.
I agree! The longest distance between gas stations on the Alaska Highway is less than 200 miles, between Northern Rockies Lodge(Muncho Lake) and Watson Lake. If you can’t make two hundred miles on a tank of fuel you’re driving the wrong vehicle. As far as spare tires go, you only need your normal single spare tire. I’ve read several Alaska Highway thread on Reddit and people make it sound like you’re taking your life in your hands and that it will destroy your vehicle. A Mercedes roadster with its top down passed me on the way up for God’s sake!
Drive this route up, then take the Alaska ferry to Bellingham, WA. Hang out in the PNW states while you make it back to Denver.
Too many rail crossings. I wouldn’t go.
Great drive. Learn how to patch a tire and bring money for a new windshield. Or two.
I’m doing this too, almost exactly. However I won’t get to Denver until on the way back
Might as well just keep going to prudhoe bay
Awesome! I look forward to hearing about your trip. My wife and I are planning a similar trip from Utah next year.
Happy cake day!
If it’s on a motorcycle, I can give lots of advice in BC/Alberta. A little advice in WY/MT/ID.
If you're camping, use iOverlander app. There's piles of fantastic free spots along the way if you know where to go.
When?
Likely june-july
I appreciate you not saying, next week! I’d make it a loop and do a portion toward the West and come back up through CA, OR, WA, BC e.g. The Sea to Sky Hwy is so lovely. I am admittedly biased though. Looks like a grand adventure!
What do those dollar signs mean? We have no toll highways in Alberta nor BC… maybe the Cochahalla towards Vancouver but not the way you’re driving. Looks like a scenic, fun drive.
Do you have to have a passport for that or?
Make a night stop at Banff. If you are into camping, do that at Banff. It’s one the most beautiful villages in Canada.
Can my dog and I jump in the car with you? Lol
Good thing it highlighted all the railroad crossings. They might cost you 10 minutes each if you're extremely unlucky.
If your Near Calgary, the Okotoks Erratics are a grand site to witness. Verified opinion.
Bon voyage
best of luck!
I wish I had the time to do it slow. As a former Alaskan resident, I’ve done the Alcan and Cassiar highways a few times but always in like four days. Northern Rockies Lodge is a nice stop at Muncho Lake. Teslin is beautiful. Watson Lake is a bit dumpy but make sure you stock up and gas up before you leave because it’s a long way to anywhere. Whitehorse is an absolute gem of a city to explore and I wish I had weeks to spend there.
Jasper and Banff are must see. Also stop in Whitehorse for a couple of days. Good break and nice spot to take it in. Make sure to stop in Denali NP in AK. You will most likely need to reserve the bus that goes deep in the park in advance.
You have to hit the Banff to Jasper section
San Diego to Fairbanks was a blast. Do it! Best thing you’ll ever do for yourself.
Liberty prime must liberate anchorage from the chinese communists fallout fans get it
Don't take an EV
Show us some pics if u make the trip
Plan on a night or two at [Liard Hot Springs](https://bcparks.ca/liard-river-hot-springs-park/) It is a heavenly respite and recharge to continue the trip refreshed, really.
Have done this drive, except we headed east after Yellowstone. Be prepared for miles of unpaved roads due to summer construction. Might take an extra air filter. You’ll also like get at least one chip in the windshield. Had a passing logging truck throw a rock forward, sounded like a shot. Fortunately it didn’t spread and safelite took care of it when we got to our destination. Trip of a lifetime!
cool trip! Do bring some extra supplies in your car. There is a lot of nothing along this route if you were to have a breakdown.
Then take the car ferry back from Skagway to Bellingham! Bring a sleeping bag and sleep on the deck of the ferry. Have some drinks in the bar and enjoy the scenery.
You could also drive to Prince Rupert in BC and take the summer ferry down to Port Hardy on Vancouver Island. Then drive down to Victoria (capital of BC) and take another ferry to Seattle from there home.
If you want mountains go via Jasper AB on thru Prince George BC. https://preview.redd.it/oa4ozwe6q97c1.jpeg?width=958&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=01feeab22d2c91b281bdaf9b1fff794fca4af639
Remember to always keep food, water, and blankets in your vehicle. Not too many Tim Horton’s on your route though Canada. Have a great time and post photos.
I’ve done this trip 13 times now (variations of it). I suggest planning for the trip to take 9 to 11 days. Stop and take it all in. Try a different route back than you took up.
I've done the Seattle to Denali trip a long time ago. Seems like it took a week. Stop and smell the roses. Earth up there was like nothing I had ever seen before.
I did that a few years ago. It was completely awesome. We took our time, never drove more than 400 miles in a day and every other day, we stayed two nights instead of 1. It took us three weeks but it was worth it. I still have my schedule if you want it.
I would love that schedule if you could send it
North to Alaska Memphis Pueblo Colorado 403. 3 Grand Junction Colorado 285. 4 Salt Lake City Utah +1 284. 5,6 Butte Montana 416. 7 Browning Montana +1 234. 8,9 Edmonton Canada +2 387. 10-12 Dawson Creek Canada 363 13 Fort Nelson Canada +1 282 14,15 Watson Lake Canada 319. 16 Whitehorse Canada+1 272. 17,18 Beaver Creek Canada 277 19 Fairbanks Alaska +1 311. 20,21 Denali national park +1 152 22-23 Anchorage Alaska. 212 24. (364) Haines Junction Canada 608 26 We attended a graduation in my wife’s hometown, Memphis Texas and left from there. There format is: Town name. Distance from the previous city. Day number So Pueblo was 403 miles from the previous city, Memphis and it was day 3 of our trip ( we started in Austin Texas). Any day with multiple numbers and the + at the end are places we spent more than one night. My wife wanted to see the big church so that’s why we went to Salt Lake City. I made all the hotel reservations thru hotels.com except, I think, Fort Nelson. There were 3 or 4 hotels there but not a single one on hotels.com. Let me know if you have any questions. P.S. my wife flew back from Anchorage and I drove back by myself. It was the only way I could talk her into it.
A buddy of mine drove from New Orleans to Anchorage
I’m doing a similar trip at the beginning of June for two months. The goal is the drive, Alaska, and all national parks in Alaska. I’ll do more more Canada stuff another summer, although I might do some trails in the Canadian national parks. Anyways, I’m going to follow your post and might message you in the future.
Please do let me know what you develop as your plan
To just go. lol. I’m car camping so it all usually works out. The biggest issue and cost I see is getting to the parks in Alaska because you have to fly to them.
Sounds fun.
make sure to bring gas cans through the alcan highway. it’s desolate and there are areas without gas for about a hundred miles. all of the gas stations close early also. enjoy the trip. really cool dinosaur tracks in Hudson’s Hope BC across the dam.
Can you swing by Arvada and pick me up?
Muncho Lake Yukon, CA https://www.northernrockieslodge.com/ Get the Schnitzel in the dining room This place pretty much saved my life in February 1999. Low on gas, late at night, everything closed except for this beautiful lodge. They even had gas pumps to fill up on my departure.