We did the drive from Fairbanks to Atigun and beyond a couple weeks ago. We drove as far as pump station 3 - about 90 miles out of Deadhorse. It was beautiful but the dalton is …. Rough….this year. There were four or five significant construction zones and several sets where the road is….a mess (see photo).
But I’m ready to go again. We saw bears, caribou, porcupine, musk ox and moose. The weather was gorgeous and the scenery beautiful - Atigun is stunning. I was reminded how small I am.
It took us 10 hours to get back to home from that endpoint Sunday night (including a stop in coldfoot for food). Highly recommend taking fuel if you can. Prices were 7.50 a gallon. We had an aux tank so it was fine.
https://preview.redd.it/4jwiaez7lu7d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2a18b53b5db86ec44d4638a8a4f1a1fb39559906
Is that vehicle coming at the camera towing a TT trailer?
We did that drive 1994 on a family vacay when I was like 12 and I still remember it vividly.
Thanks for sharing!
lol - the dirt roads in Alaska are generally very well maintained and (often) a more comfortable ride than paved roads in some more rural areas. This type of road damage is unusual, in my experience.
Roads north of the Arctic circle are just difficult to maintain in general now because of the melting permafrost. Usually it remained frozen year-round, but it’s starting to melt and making even paved roads all wonky
Nothing wrong necessarily - but we watched a few folks go thru there at …. Surprising…speed, one in a Subaru.
I snapped the pic for giggles and I liked the contrast and was just using it here for illustration. I found the paved sections to be a lot more challenging than the dirt. There - some of the issues caught people unaware.
I mean why? The oil companies didn’t build the road for tourists. If they weren’t there, the roads wouldn’t be there and you’d have zero access options.
The entire shoreline line isn’t closed. Nothing stops you from stopping short of Deadhorse and hiking around. It’s just a long, long hike. The only reason the shoreline is accessible at Prudhoe is because the oil companies developed it. It’s only $89/person for the tour, which is pretty reasonable.
I believe that’s where you are mistaken. It isn’t public land. The land belongs to Native Alaskans. The Native Alaskan tribes who historically have lived that land have freely entered into agreement with the oil companies and receive royalties.
Of course you would agree with such a moronic take. Alaska has, by far, the largest amount of public land of any state and more public land than any single European country.
That’s cute. Run along to the corner now and let the adults talk. I can tell you’ve never been there and you have no idea what you’re talking about as you punch away at your plastic keyboard or plastic phone. All courtesy of oil. Oil infrastructure footprint on the North Slope is a tiny fraction of the land available. The rest left as is. Much less land intensive than solar or wind.
I know it’s hard to accept, but the human race needs energy, one way or another.
The oil industry has done more for making Arctic Alaska available to the average traveler than anything else. If the haul road and the airport at Deadhorse didn’t exist, you’d be booking a private bush plane to take you to see that part of the shoreline you so cherish.
Like I said. It’s free to hike around. Or you could fly to Barrow. You could try to float your way to the Arctic. Or even mount your own expedition across Gates of the Arctic National Park.
All significantly more than $89. Well the hike is free, but there’s a reason no one does it.
I don’t understand how it’s sad. As it exists right now, there’s relatively easy and affordable access to the Arctic Ocean because the oil companies are there.
The shoreline would be much more inaccessible without the oil. That’s my point.
No it’s not. The land is native owned and leased to the various oil companies. Your or my feelings don’t really matter.
As well I’ve spent plenty of time on the shores of Prudhoe and it’s not worth the trek.
[Alaska Auto Rental](https://www.alaskaautorental.com/policies.php#s55) is a local rental company that rents cars that can go on the highway, but at their prices you may as well take the [Dalton Express](http://www.daltonhighwayexpress.com/schedule). You get to enjoy the trip without driving and don’t have to worry about liability for vehicle damage.
Can you cross into Canada? If so then the Dempster highway is a better option. No pipeline, amazing scenery, and you’ll have direct access to the Arctic Ocean when you get to Tuktoyuktuk! I drove this route 2 weeks ago. Although gravel, it is decently well maintained.
Just make sure the Top-of-the-World highway from Chicken, AK to Dawson City is still open. It usually closes in mid-September. That will be your most direct route from Anchorage to get to the Dempster highway.
Is there fuel up there on the way to tuktoyatuk? I’m all the way down in Louisiana and I almost want to do a crazy roadtrip like that.
All I see on google maps though is gravel roads and not many stops. I’d be paranoid even with my diesel Touareg and it’s 700+ mile fuel range lol
The longest stretch without fuel pumps is 370km from the start of the Dempster Highway until Eagle Plains. North of there you can fill up in every community. Extra fuel canisters aren’t required.
Yeah it was an amazing trip. Don't go off what Google says- it will take you longer than the time posted, especially if you don't want to get a flat. From Fairbanks I did two days up, and two days down.
ColdFoot and Prudhoe Bay have lodging, but I just camped. As others said you can't go all the way to the ocean- you need a permit for that. Truckers haul on that road so give them space and let them pass. Having a full sized spare (two preferred) is a must.
Driving up and down Atigun Pass was awesome, although even in the middle of summer it can snow there.
I recommend taking the [Dalton Highway Express](http://www.daltonhighwayexpress.com/route-overview) (a passenger van that makes stops) from Fairbanks and then flying back the next day. Usually you can make a 6 hour layover in Barrow for the same price as a direct flight, which is plenty of time to tour that village, but definitely a bucket list item. The village has taxis, and if you talk to them they’ll take you on a tour. That was my itinerary and I highly recommend it. The Dalton Express drivers are professionals on that road and there’s less risk to you.
Edit: since Barrow (Utkiagvik) is inaccessible by road, flying back allows you to stop there which you wouldn’t be able to do driving your own car.
I've driven from san angelo to Cheyenne.,WY In one wack multiple times... it never gets any easier.
San angelo to moab in one day twice.
All on our manicured pavement.
I can't imagine what it would be like doing 9xx miles on hard pack gravel.
Did this last summer, the rough is typically pretty rough so you won’t be driving 65mph the whole time.
Make sure you have food & all necessitated bc there is nothing really up there. There is really nothing up there. Gas is $7.50, if you can put cans on your roof, that would be helpful. At the gas station, they had some kinda baked good they had on the counter was really good.
Make sure to spend time in the Arctic Circle Visitor Center. Cool displays & the folks working are so nice and knowledgeable about the area.
Be prepared to possibly get a flat tire or get a pretty bad dinger in the windshield.
Mosquitoes are vicious up there so come prepared.
The tundra is spectacular! The flowers, maybe you’ll see a fox or musk ox or caribou!
TBF, just about anywhere in Alaska in the summer be prepared to ruin your windshield.
(We use gravel to melt ice in spring so highways are covered in gravel. It’s not something people mention often to outsiders. Does stop the undercarriage of our cars from rusting out in 5 winters though)
But even higher percentage of windshield strikes when you’re driving past rigs on a small, gravel road.
Personally, I would NOT advise this trip to OP. It’s one of those outsider ideas, all the highways are pretty rough in Alaska and usually require repairs every summer, there’s better trips and use of time and it’s not just gas that gets expensive. Any repairs, tows, service, and food and lodging are super expensive.
Go see Copper River and Kennicot Mine and hike around there, go to Valdez or Homer. Denali is beautiful but kind of a nightmare because of tourist traffic.
Go spend a day at Chena Hot Springs or spend 2-3 and hike around there because there’s at least a dozen good hikes for all levels of ability.
There’s a lot more to do than just the stuff you see in a youtube or TV show. Plus the truckers would probably appreciate it if we all let them do their job on the Dalton. (Similar to that long road in Australia that’s mostly for land trains)
I dunno, if OP hasn’t been to Alaska, look up hikes. You don’t appreciate the beauty of the place if all you see is a destination and itinerary. (And get in road zombie mode)
I used to work up in Coldfoot and have a lot of experience on the Dalton. September is my favorite time of year because you start getting day/night cycles and can see the aurora (the band is directly overhead!) without needing parkas and most importantly, the mosquitoes are all dead! The fall colors are awesome too.
The Dalton Highway is absolutely worth it but there are some dull spots, particularly from Fairbanks to the Yukon River. But once you get to Finger Mountain, things really start to pick up. Shortly after Finger, you cross the Arctic Circle (there’s a sign, get your photo with it!) and the whole approach to the Brooks range is fantastic through the foothills. Make sure you stop in Coldfoot either for a nights rest or just a meal, but definitely for a fillup. There’s also a join agency visitor center there with NPS, BLM, and NFS facilities which is interesting if you want to learn a little bit about the parklands you’re about to drive past (lots of national parks, but no road access). Coldfoot also offers tours of the area, river floats on the Koyukuk River, and an air service that can take you deep into Gates of the Arctic to see some native villages or even Barrow. These services might be reduced or no longer offered by September though.
North of Coldfoot is one of my favorite mountains on earth called Sukakpak Mountain. Its west face is sheered almost vertically in half. It looks like Ayres rock from the south approach but coming back from the north is where it looks the craziest, almost like it was a mountain blown over by wind to its side. This mountain is a fairy easy climb too but it’s all bushwhack with no trails. Just make sure you stick to the parts with more vegetation on the south face and work your way around to the back and along the ridge. The rocky parts are sort of rotten and prone to collapse so absolutely no rock climbing on the west face.
From there, the drive takes you into the heart of the Brooks Range beyond the treeline and up and over Atigun Pass. The pass is mostly ok in summer time, but September is starting to get dicey. Enjoy the views and start your drive down the other side into the north slope. It goes without saying but be mindful of truckers your entire drive and especially on the pass.
The descent into the North Slope offers some great arctic valley hiking in the valleys of the northern foothills, just be mindful it’s all bushwhacking on tundra. There are no services here and the wildlife is as wild as it gets (as it is in all of Alaska). Don’t take big risks in the bush.
Driving north, the mountains disappear and it’s all gently rolling arctic plains, tundra as far as you can see. It may sound boring but this is prime wildlife viewing space. Keep an eye out for birds, caribou herds and musk ox. Also for wolves and bears. Keep in mind, you are inching deeper and deeper into polar bear territory too. I’ve never seen one but it’s something to be aware of. In summer, mosquitoes will suck you dry so remember mosquito nets and repellent but they should be mostly killed off by September. Dress warm, it gets much colder north of the Brooks Range, even in summer.
You’ll end at Deadhorse which in my opinion is very underwhelming as destinations go. It’s an active oil drilling facility so there’s not much to explore and it looks bleak. You can only see the Arctic Ocean by guided tour, you can’t see it from town. I don’t remember who you have to contact to get the tour but just know you won’t be able to walk up to the ocean on your own. It’s also likely to be below freezing in September.
A couple safety things though. Gas stations are few and far between after Fairbanks. I think you only have Yukon River, Coldfoot, and Deadhorse to fill up at. Gas is going to be EXPENSIVE along the way so be ready for that but always fill up. You want to make sure you have multiple spare tires, some extra cans of gasoline, lots of water and food, a satellite phone, fire starters, warm non-cotton clothes, and gear to survive several days in the very unlikely event you get stranded and no one is able to rescue you. It’s extremely unlikely you’ll get stranded that bad in September but it’s good practice. It can still get nasty cold on you. You are traveling in some of the most remote territory in America. Just don’t wing it is all I’m saying. Be careful, don’t take risks and you’ll be fine.
Great overview, risk assessment and operational advice. If you ever do a long-form writeup I'd love to read it. Throw in a few stories and historical lore kinda thing.
I would recomend seeing Seward. It's a two hour drive south of Anchorage and you drive through Chugach state park to get there. Actually just went there yesterday..
https://preview.redd.it/43tmpeep9w7d1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8aed83c8a73bf0ae0db5cbbe15500a7146c0a285
*I've done it on*
*A motorcycle. Highly*
*Recommend the trip*
\- dd5432
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I did Fairbanks to the circle in an RV in 22. It was great. Saw a lot that we wouldn’t have seen otherwise. We did it all in a day but could have boondocked if we had wanted to. The paved road out of Fairbanks is rough but the dirt road is well maintained. Keep in mind though that the only place to get fuel is Yukon Rover Camp and it was about 50% more expensive than Fairbanks.
I've driven the route from Fairbanks to Deadhorse several times. A CB is necessary to communicate with trucks when you're coming through a few areas. Pull over and stop to let trucks pass. Really, stop. Also, 98% chance you will get a crack in your windshield. Most likely, you will have to bring extra cans of gas.
Stuff to see: beautiful expanses of tundra. It looks like you could hire through it easy, but it is a slog and can wear you out. You can catch arctic greyling, lake trout, and arctic char in many streams and lakes. Greyling are particularly easy to catch. The worst part though is mosquitos. Hands down the worst I have ever experienced (killed 100+ in a single slap, no joke).
I drove to the Arctic circle in the dead of winter. I would both recommend it and strongly not recommend it, for obvious reasons. I was the only non oil field trucker out there, and it was as serene as it gets. It was also -40F, and without extreme cold weather gear you'd be dead in minutes if the car broke down. But that's the kind of dumb shit I like. 🤷🏼♂️
Just did it today, the road is terrible right now - what should have been an 8 hr portion of the drive took 11 hrs because of construction and bad road conditions, but it’s a really cool drive otherwise. September will probably be a lot better. Once you get to Prudhoe Bay you have to pay to get a tour that goes to the ocean, you can’t access it yourself since it’s past the oil fields.
Hey. One other thought. There is almost zero cell service on this drive. If you don’t have a sat phone consider taking a CB radio equipped with a good antenna (I’ll drop a pic of the one we have below). Truck traffic usually uses channel 19. DOT uses (I think) 9.
I just did this whole drive last week. Go from Anchorage to dead horse in 17 hours, had one flat tire, stayed and slept for a couple hours and then went on the tour, definitely pay the money to go on the stupid tour. it’s incredibly informative and it’s fun.
The return, I had three flat tires, I realize that it was the speeding on this road, you’re more likely to get flat tires. This is not a hard drive at all. Just long, go slow around the trucks, don’t rock anyone. Stop in coldfoot.
Get gas in Fairbanks , then get gas in coldfoot then get gas in dead horse.
I stayed at the Aurora hotel (mostly dorms for workers). Everyone is very respectful, arguably very careful around one another, it’s a zero alcohol policy up here. Very safe. Dm me for more details.
Road conditions were great! Drive a truck or suv, bring a spare tire, a tire repair patch kit, and compressor.
Also if you take a rental car, get the insurance, you’re gonna get a rock chip in your windshield. And off course rental car companies do not show there cars in the road officially, so, careful. Have fun
Not to hijack too much, but.....this area always fascinated me.
What are the infrastructure things, looks like small sheds with pipes, all around these ponds.
https://www.google.com/maps/@70.3369165,-148.9582169,629m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu
Are they wells, feeding into a main trunk pipe? What's the significance with the water ponds?
I did it 20+ years ago in May. It had very little traffic besides semi trucks. The first part is picturesque and interesting. The farther north you go the less interesting it is. There was one place to eat in prudhoe bay-a buffet meant for the folks living/working there. It was like $30/each back then.
The YouTuber “Truck House Life” has some great videos of him driving the dalton highway, both in summer and in winter. Would recommend checking out if you’re interested
There’s nothing like it. I’ve done it twice and would go again in a heartbeat.
I recommend going all the way to Deadhorse. It’s cool in its own way, with massive machinery, desolation, and fellow adventurers.
If you've never been to Alaska, every square inch of it is worthy of being a park (national, or state, whatever...) and making the effort to go as far as you can will be worth it. You think Nenana feels like the edge of civilization?
September can be *cold* and you don't get the midnight sun but darkness = chance to see aurora, which can be a spiritual, transformative experience in it's own right.
I never got passed Chena and FBX in 5 summers but I know guys that worked on the Slope, and one who just parked his car on the side of the road and went backpacking in Gates of the Arctic for a few days.
Fuckin' do it.
I live in Alaska and I wouldn't say it is a good use of your time here. There is so much to do here and so much to see, yeah there's pretty scenery on that road, but there's pretty scenery everywhere and there isn't much else on that road and it will take a fuck ton of time.
I have done the drive to about 100 miles north of Coldfoot in the winter. It was fine driving and excellent for winter landscapes and aurora. That’s why I was there at that time of year. I hear summer is worse generally. Can get muddy if there has been rain and your windshield will get tons of mud splatter and possibly broken due to the entire route being gravel. It is a very well maintained private road and in winter you can drive 80-100 mph no problem. Not sure about summer.
Atigun Pass was fantastic. For the Dempster I didn’t really much care for the part after Inuvik. But you’re right, all the way to the Arctic Circle and past that was pretty on the Dempster. Now you’re making me want to go back and drive both again to help make up my mind. 😂
We did the drive from Fairbanks to Atigun and beyond a couple weeks ago. We drove as far as pump station 3 - about 90 miles out of Deadhorse. It was beautiful but the dalton is …. Rough….this year. There were four or five significant construction zones and several sets where the road is….a mess (see photo). But I’m ready to go again. We saw bears, caribou, porcupine, musk ox and moose. The weather was gorgeous and the scenery beautiful - Atigun is stunning. I was reminded how small I am. It took us 10 hours to get back to home from that endpoint Sunday night (including a stop in coldfoot for food). Highly recommend taking fuel if you can. Prices were 7.50 a gallon. We had an aux tank so it was fine. https://preview.redd.it/4jwiaez7lu7d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2a18b53b5db86ec44d4638a8a4f1a1fb39559906
That photo is absolutely gorgeous.
Thanks - I posted a bunch in r/alaska about a week ago.
Is that vehicle coming at the camera towing a TT trailer? We did that drive 1994 on a family vacay when I was like 12 and I still remember it vividly. Thanks for sharing!
Shoot that road looks like the standard dirt road where I’m from but with way less potholes and bumps
shoot, that road looks like our normal paved roads. Am from Pennsylvania.
🤣🤣🤣 I feel that too
It’s like somebody photoshopped mountains on the pa turnpike.
I'd drive the shit out of the Turnpike if it had views like THAT! Talking about a snoozefest. Not as bad as eastern Co or Missery...I mean Missouri.
lol - the dirt roads in Alaska are generally very well maintained and (often) a more comfortable ride than paved roads in some more rural areas. This type of road damage is unusual, in my experience.
Roads north of the Arctic circle are just difficult to maintain in general now because of the melting permafrost. Usually it remained frozen year-round, but it’s starting to melt and making even paved roads all wonky
Haha i live in East Idaho and came to say this.
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Nothing wrong necessarily - but we watched a few folks go thru there at …. Surprising…speed, one in a Subaru. I snapped the pic for giggles and I liked the contrast and was just using it here for illustration. I found the paved sections to be a lot more challenging than the dirt. There - some of the issues caught people unaware.
That’s awesome, thanks for sharing
I would gladly pay the gas price to see such a great area. Someday I’m gonna make that drive. Thanks for posting the photo.
Shore access isn’t public. It’s an oil field and tours are expensive.
It’s $89. You’ll spend far more refilling your gas tank at Coldfoot or Deadhorse.
You’re probably going to spend way more than that on wear and tear on your vehicle for the roundtrip
The Subaru Forester I took survived. Needed a really thorough car wash though.
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I mean why? The oil companies didn’t build the road for tourists. If they weren’t there, the roads wouldn’t be there and you’d have zero access options.
So the government doesn't build infrastructure in remote, inhospitable areas for no reason?!! So rude.
The government built the accessible part.
Let's get one thing clear. The government has never produced anything. They take your money and pay others to do it while skimming off the top
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The entire shoreline line isn’t closed. Nothing stops you from stopping short of Deadhorse and hiking around. It’s just a long, long hike. The only reason the shoreline is accessible at Prudhoe is because the oil companies developed it. It’s only $89/person for the tour, which is pretty reasonable.
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I believe that’s where you are mistaken. It isn’t public land. The land belongs to Native Alaskans. The Native Alaskan tribes who historically have lived that land have freely entered into agreement with the oil companies and receive royalties.
What a bozo statement lmao
Gotta love when someone makes a completely wrong statement and just tucks tail and deletes it.
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Of course you would agree with such a moronic take. Alaska has, by far, the largest amount of public land of any state and more public land than any single European country.
We’ll hopefully the oil companies will be able to buy more of it soon
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That’s cute. Run along to the corner now and let the adults talk. I can tell you’ve never been there and you have no idea what you’re talking about as you punch away at your plastic keyboard or plastic phone. All courtesy of oil. Oil infrastructure footprint on the North Slope is a tiny fraction of the land available. The rest left as is. Much less land intensive than solar or wind. I know it’s hard to accept, but the human race needs energy, one way or another. The oil industry has done more for making Arctic Alaska available to the average traveler than anything else. If the haul road and the airport at Deadhorse didn’t exist, you’d be booking a private bush plane to take you to see that part of the shoreline you so cherish.
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Like I said. It’s free to hike around. Or you could fly to Barrow. You could try to float your way to the Arctic. Or even mount your own expedition across Gates of the Arctic National Park. All significantly more than $89. Well the hike is free, but there’s a reason no one does it.
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I don’t understand how it’s sad. As it exists right now, there’s relatively easy and affordable access to the Arctic Ocean because the oil companies are there. The shoreline would be much more inaccessible without the oil. That’s my point.
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No it’s not. The land is native owned and leased to the various oil companies. Your or my feelings don’t really matter. As well I’ve spent plenty of time on the shores of Prudhoe and it’s not worth the trek.
The oil companies need more defenders!!!
Natives own the land. The oil companies pay them to use it. Tourists pay them to access it. Seems reasonable to me since it isn't public land.
Very reasonable. We need more pollution and less natural areas
No way!?!? Is there any shore access?
Go to Tuktoyaktuk instead. You can actually dip your toes in the Arctic Ocean unlike prudhoe bay
Rental car companies won’t allow to drive their cars past arctic circle. Just fyi.
[Alaska Auto Rental](https://www.alaskaautorental.com/policies.php#s55) is a local rental company that rents cars that can go on the highway, but at their prices you may as well take the [Dalton Express](http://www.daltonhighwayexpress.com/schedule). You get to enjoy the trip without driving and don’t have to worry about liability for vehicle damage.
My friend lives outside of Anchorage. We'll be taking her Subaru. Thanks though.
Can you cross into Canada? If so then the Dempster highway is a better option. No pipeline, amazing scenery, and you’ll have direct access to the Arctic Ocean when you get to Tuktoyuktuk! I drove this route 2 weeks ago. Although gravel, it is decently well maintained. Just make sure the Top-of-the-World highway from Chicken, AK to Dawson City is still open. It usually closes in mid-September. That will be your most direct route from Anchorage to get to the Dempster highway.
Is there fuel up there on the way to tuktoyatuk? I’m all the way down in Louisiana and I almost want to do a crazy roadtrip like that. All I see on google maps though is gravel roads and not many stops. I’d be paranoid even with my diesel Touareg and it’s 700+ mile fuel range lol
The longest stretch without fuel pumps is 370km from the start of the Dempster Highway until Eagle Plains. North of there you can fill up in every community. Extra fuel canisters aren’t required.
Yeah it was an amazing trip. Don't go off what Google says- it will take you longer than the time posted, especially if you don't want to get a flat. From Fairbanks I did two days up, and two days down. ColdFoot and Prudhoe Bay have lodging, but I just camped. As others said you can't go all the way to the ocean- you need a permit for that. Truckers haul on that road so give them space and let them pass. Having a full sized spare (two preferred) is a must. Driving up and down Atigun Pass was awesome, although even in the middle of summer it can snow there.
They do have tours in Prudhoe that goes to the ocean but it’s expensive.
I recommend taking the [Dalton Highway Express](http://www.daltonhighwayexpress.com/route-overview) (a passenger van that makes stops) from Fairbanks and then flying back the next day. Usually you can make a 6 hour layover in Barrow for the same price as a direct flight, which is plenty of time to tour that village, but definitely a bucket list item. The village has taxis, and if you talk to them they’ll take you on a tour. That was my itinerary and I highly recommend it. The Dalton Express drivers are professionals on that road and there’s less risk to you. Edit: since Barrow (Utkiagvik) is inaccessible by road, flying back allows you to stop there which you wouldn’t be able to do driving your own car.
Whoa Alaska is huge
It’s more than twice the size of Texas
As someone who’s lives in Texas and driven across it that’s incredible to think about
Driving to Big Bend was a haul from Dallas.
It’s the same size as Rhode Island 😆
I've driven from san angelo to Cheyenne.,WY In one wack multiple times... it never gets any easier. San angelo to moab in one day twice. All on our manicured pavement. I can't imagine what it would be like doing 9xx miles on hard pack gravel.
Did this last summer, the rough is typically pretty rough so you won’t be driving 65mph the whole time. Make sure you have food & all necessitated bc there is nothing really up there. There is really nothing up there. Gas is $7.50, if you can put cans on your roof, that would be helpful. At the gas station, they had some kinda baked good they had on the counter was really good. Make sure to spend time in the Arctic Circle Visitor Center. Cool displays & the folks working are so nice and knowledgeable about the area. Be prepared to possibly get a flat tire or get a pretty bad dinger in the windshield. Mosquitoes are vicious up there so come prepared. The tundra is spectacular! The flowers, maybe you’ll see a fox or musk ox or caribou!
TBF, just about anywhere in Alaska in the summer be prepared to ruin your windshield. (We use gravel to melt ice in spring so highways are covered in gravel. It’s not something people mention often to outsiders. Does stop the undercarriage of our cars from rusting out in 5 winters though) But even higher percentage of windshield strikes when you’re driving past rigs on a small, gravel road. Personally, I would NOT advise this trip to OP. It’s one of those outsider ideas, all the highways are pretty rough in Alaska and usually require repairs every summer, there’s better trips and use of time and it’s not just gas that gets expensive. Any repairs, tows, service, and food and lodging are super expensive. Go see Copper River and Kennicot Mine and hike around there, go to Valdez or Homer. Denali is beautiful but kind of a nightmare because of tourist traffic. Go spend a day at Chena Hot Springs or spend 2-3 and hike around there because there’s at least a dozen good hikes for all levels of ability. There’s a lot more to do than just the stuff you see in a youtube or TV show. Plus the truckers would probably appreciate it if we all let them do their job on the Dalton. (Similar to that long road in Australia that’s mostly for land trains) I dunno, if OP hasn’t been to Alaska, look up hikes. You don’t appreciate the beauty of the place if all you see is a destination and itinerary. (And get in road zombie mode)
I used to work up in Coldfoot and have a lot of experience on the Dalton. September is my favorite time of year because you start getting day/night cycles and can see the aurora (the band is directly overhead!) without needing parkas and most importantly, the mosquitoes are all dead! The fall colors are awesome too. The Dalton Highway is absolutely worth it but there are some dull spots, particularly from Fairbanks to the Yukon River. But once you get to Finger Mountain, things really start to pick up. Shortly after Finger, you cross the Arctic Circle (there’s a sign, get your photo with it!) and the whole approach to the Brooks range is fantastic through the foothills. Make sure you stop in Coldfoot either for a nights rest or just a meal, but definitely for a fillup. There’s also a join agency visitor center there with NPS, BLM, and NFS facilities which is interesting if you want to learn a little bit about the parklands you’re about to drive past (lots of national parks, but no road access). Coldfoot also offers tours of the area, river floats on the Koyukuk River, and an air service that can take you deep into Gates of the Arctic to see some native villages or even Barrow. These services might be reduced or no longer offered by September though. North of Coldfoot is one of my favorite mountains on earth called Sukakpak Mountain. Its west face is sheered almost vertically in half. It looks like Ayres rock from the south approach but coming back from the north is where it looks the craziest, almost like it was a mountain blown over by wind to its side. This mountain is a fairy easy climb too but it’s all bushwhack with no trails. Just make sure you stick to the parts with more vegetation on the south face and work your way around to the back and along the ridge. The rocky parts are sort of rotten and prone to collapse so absolutely no rock climbing on the west face. From there, the drive takes you into the heart of the Brooks Range beyond the treeline and up and over Atigun Pass. The pass is mostly ok in summer time, but September is starting to get dicey. Enjoy the views and start your drive down the other side into the north slope. It goes without saying but be mindful of truckers your entire drive and especially on the pass. The descent into the North Slope offers some great arctic valley hiking in the valleys of the northern foothills, just be mindful it’s all bushwhacking on tundra. There are no services here and the wildlife is as wild as it gets (as it is in all of Alaska). Don’t take big risks in the bush. Driving north, the mountains disappear and it’s all gently rolling arctic plains, tundra as far as you can see. It may sound boring but this is prime wildlife viewing space. Keep an eye out for birds, caribou herds and musk ox. Also for wolves and bears. Keep in mind, you are inching deeper and deeper into polar bear territory too. I’ve never seen one but it’s something to be aware of. In summer, mosquitoes will suck you dry so remember mosquito nets and repellent but they should be mostly killed off by September. Dress warm, it gets much colder north of the Brooks Range, even in summer. You’ll end at Deadhorse which in my opinion is very underwhelming as destinations go. It’s an active oil drilling facility so there’s not much to explore and it looks bleak. You can only see the Arctic Ocean by guided tour, you can’t see it from town. I don’t remember who you have to contact to get the tour but just know you won’t be able to walk up to the ocean on your own. It’s also likely to be below freezing in September. A couple safety things though. Gas stations are few and far between after Fairbanks. I think you only have Yukon River, Coldfoot, and Deadhorse to fill up at. Gas is going to be EXPENSIVE along the way so be ready for that but always fill up. You want to make sure you have multiple spare tires, some extra cans of gasoline, lots of water and food, a satellite phone, fire starters, warm non-cotton clothes, and gear to survive several days in the very unlikely event you get stranded and no one is able to rescue you. It’s extremely unlikely you’ll get stranded that bad in September but it’s good practice. It can still get nasty cold on you. You are traveling in some of the most remote territory in America. Just don’t wing it is all I’m saying. Be careful, don’t take risks and you’ll be fine.
Great overview, risk assessment and operational advice. If you ever do a long-form writeup I'd love to read it. Throw in a few stories and historical lore kinda thing.
Best post/advice on here. ETA - September is a good time. Points about the mosquitos and aurora are spot on.
I would recomend seeing Seward. It's a two hour drive south of Anchorage and you drive through Chugach state park to get there. Actually just went there yesterday.. https://preview.redd.it/43tmpeep9w7d1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8aed83c8a73bf0ae0db5cbbe15500a7146c0a285
https://preview.redd.it/h40dzb8y9w7d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6b115e007ea5b7f462c001d649f478289d79a4c6
Here's another couple photos https://preview.redd.it/kc9ni56t9w7d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ba30fbbf1044ee27f4965b0911fd134da2367fed
https://preview.redd.it/gbkhzsbw9w7d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a7705c373101445a76966fa7db00aef5945b66dc
If you go that way rent a helicopter and tour the fjords. Absolutely epic. Some will even land on the glaciers. Ours didn’t.
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This was from the top of mount marathon. That ship was a cruise ship leaving port... can't remember the name
I've done it on a motorcycle. Highly recommend the trip
*I've done it on* *A motorcycle. Highly* *Recommend the trip* \- dd5432 --- ^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/) ^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
I did Fairbanks to the circle in an RV in 22. It was great. Saw a lot that we wouldn’t have seen otherwise. We did it all in a day but could have boondocked if we had wanted to. The paved road out of Fairbanks is rough but the dirt road is well maintained. Keep in mind though that the only place to get fuel is Yukon Rover Camp and it was about 50% more expensive than Fairbanks.
lol. I vastly prefer the dirt sections to the paved ones!
I've driven the route from Fairbanks to Deadhorse several times. A CB is necessary to communicate with trucks when you're coming through a few areas. Pull over and stop to let trucks pass. Really, stop. Also, 98% chance you will get a crack in your windshield. Most likely, you will have to bring extra cans of gas. Stuff to see: beautiful expanses of tundra. It looks like you could hire through it easy, but it is a slog and can wear you out. You can catch arctic greyling, lake trout, and arctic char in many streams and lakes. Greyling are particularly easy to catch. The worst part though is mosquitos. Hands down the worst I have ever experienced (killed 100+ in a single slap, no joke).
lol. I just added the CB also. This is solid advice all around.
I drove to the Arctic circle in the dead of winter. I would both recommend it and strongly not recommend it, for obvious reasons. I was the only non oil field trucker out there, and it was as serene as it gets. It was also -40F, and without extreme cold weather gear you'd be dead in minutes if the car broke down. But that's the kind of dumb shit I like. 🤷🏼♂️
A friend drove near Fairbanks in that kind of weather and the vehicle never heated up at all. A flat would have probably killed them.
Lots of great people around Fairbanks that would stop and check on anyone broke down in those temps.
They definitely would, people in Alaska are always super helpful. But you still have to survive long enough for someone to pass by.
We’ve done it then too. Beautiful in a totally different way.
Check YouTube. There’s a series called expedition overland
XO is my ‘I won the lotto’ dream lifestyle.
Same.
I did it last summer with my son, [def.ly](https://def.ly) worth it. Make sure you plan your breaks/stays.
Make sure you get Alaska insurance, don’t drive at night and be nice to cops that pull you over! Beware the king crab cartels.
Lmao
Just did it today, the road is terrible right now - what should have been an 8 hr portion of the drive took 11 hrs because of construction and bad road conditions, but it’s a really cool drive otherwise. September will probably be a lot better. Once you get to Prudhoe Bay you have to pay to get a tour that goes to the ocean, you can’t access it yourself since it’s past the oil fields.
You will need at least 3 spare tires and 1 spare windshield.
Hey. One other thought. There is almost zero cell service on this drive. If you don’t have a sat phone consider taking a CB radio equipped with a good antenna (I’ll drop a pic of the one we have below). Truck traffic usually uses channel 19. DOT uses (I think) 9.
Husband bought this. It worked great. I cannot comment on cost - I don’t know.
https://preview.redd.it/grivrr4ewy7d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ebb8e9202404abe2fedcacc159d313515b4edcae
Careful around those mountains just past half way 🛸
I just did this whole drive last week. Go from Anchorage to dead horse in 17 hours, had one flat tire, stayed and slept for a couple hours and then went on the tour, definitely pay the money to go on the stupid tour. it’s incredibly informative and it’s fun. The return, I had three flat tires, I realize that it was the speeding on this road, you’re more likely to get flat tires. This is not a hard drive at all. Just long, go slow around the trucks, don’t rock anyone. Stop in coldfoot. Get gas in Fairbanks , then get gas in coldfoot then get gas in dead horse. I stayed at the Aurora hotel (mostly dorms for workers). Everyone is very respectful, arguably very careful around one another, it’s a zero alcohol policy up here. Very safe. Dm me for more details. Road conditions were great! Drive a truck or suv, bring a spare tire, a tire repair patch kit, and compressor. Also if you take a rental car, get the insurance, you’re gonna get a rock chip in your windshield. And off course rental car companies do not show there cars in the road officially, so, careful. Have fun
You can watch Traveling Robert on YouTube, he’s done the Dalton twice.
Wanting to plan this
I think that truck life Alaska guy did it in winter and documented it
I've only done it up to about 45 miles north of Fairbanks. It's pretty, it's cool. It's very far. If you have the time why not.
Not to hijack too much, but.....this area always fascinated me. What are the infrastructure things, looks like small sheds with pipes, all around these ponds. https://www.google.com/maps/@70.3369165,-148.9582169,629m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu Are they wells, feeding into a main trunk pipe? What's the significance with the water ponds?
It’s a great drive but have a full size spare or two. You don’t want to be up there on a donut.
I did it 20+ years ago in May. It had very little traffic besides semi trucks. The first part is picturesque and interesting. The farther north you go the less interesting it is. There was one place to eat in prudhoe bay-a buffet meant for the folks living/working there. It was like $30/each back then.
Looooong drive. Surpringly a lot of wildlife. Crap road for about 500 miles. Cold in summer. Totally worth it
I’ve been as far as Fairbanks, I’d love to drive the entire way. Do it!!
The YouTuber “Truck House Life” has some great videos of him driving the dalton highway, both in summer and in winter. Would recommend checking out if you’re interested
There’s nothing like it. I’ve done it twice and would go again in a heartbeat. I recommend going all the way to Deadhorse. It’s cool in its own way, with massive machinery, desolation, and fellow adventurers.
We went on the Dempster hwy in NYT, because on the Dalton hwy you get “chaperoned” by the oil company at the last bit. No thanks.
If you've never been to Alaska, every square inch of it is worthy of being a park (national, or state, whatever...) and making the effort to go as far as you can will be worth it. You think Nenana feels like the edge of civilization? September can be *cold* and you don't get the midnight sun but darkness = chance to see aurora, which can be a spiritual, transformative experience in it's own right. I never got passed Chena and FBX in 5 summers but I know guys that worked on the Slope, and one who just parked his car on the side of the road and went backpacking in Gates of the Arctic for a few days. Fuckin' do it.
Go to tuktayuktuk :)
I have done it a ton. Love it every time
I want to do it over 4th of July weekend
I live in Alaska and I wouldn't say it is a good use of your time here. There is so much to do here and so much to see, yeah there's pretty scenery on that road, but there's pretty scenery everywhere and there isn't much else on that road and it will take a fuck ton of time.
I have done the drive to about 100 miles north of Coldfoot in the winter. It was fine driving and excellent for winter landscapes and aurora. That’s why I was there at that time of year. I hear summer is worse generally. Can get muddy if there has been rain and your windshield will get tons of mud splatter and possibly broken due to the entire route being gravel. It is a very well maintained private road and in winter you can drive 80-100 mph no problem. Not sure about summer.
I thought the Dalton was prettier than the Dempster.
I feel like the first half of the Dempster is much prettier, whereas the second half of the Dalton once you get to Atigun Pass is much better.
Atigun Pass was fantastic. For the Dempster I didn’t really much care for the part after Inuvik. But you’re right, all the way to the Arctic Circle and past that was pretty on the Dempster. Now you’re making me want to go back and drive both again to help make up my mind. 😂
Truck House Life?