Top 8 Incredible Road Trips to Experience in Alaska

In a realm of remarkable wilderness, rugged roadside locations, and some of the globe’s most awe-inspiring wildlife, Alaska’s extensive highways present endless opportunities for daring motorists.

While road trips throughout the rest of the US are characterized by frequent gas stations and whimsical roadside attractions, Alaskan roads cater to a more audacious nature enthusiast. Welcome to a state where the most common pedestrians are moose and road signs sometimes double as targets. If you plan to drive here, ensure you have (or rent) a robust vehicle, familiarize yourself with tire replacement, and stock essential food supplies, playlists, and emergency kits. Below, we offer our recommendations for the finest road trips this beautiful state provides.

1. Seward Highway

Optimal road trip for a comprehensive introduction to Alaska
Anchorage–Seward; 127 miles

If you are new to the state, refine your Alaskan driving expertise on this relatively straightforward route from Anchorage to Seward along the frequently traveled Kenai Peninsula. Departing south from Alaska’s primary metropolitan area, the initial segment traces the tranquil shores of Turnagain Arm, a watershed bordered by 5000-foot peaks and subjected to the most significant tidal changes in the US.

Consider a diversion to the Cold War relic of Whittier from milepost 79, a locality where 90% of the inhabitants reside within a single high-rise structure. Enticing the inquisitive is an unusual museum, a breezy harbor, and the conspicuous Buckner Building ruins. Whittier is accessible through a 2.7-mile-long single-lane tunnel that alternates direction every 30 minutes.

Upon returning to the Seward Highway, the vistas amplify as you enter the Kenai Peninsula, showcasing a panorama of lakes, mountains, and glaciers reminiscent of a glossy publication. Numerous pull-offs serve as trailheads and photographic opportunities.

Detour: At the journey’s conclusion, Seward remains merely a starting point if you intend to visit the nearby Kenai Fjords National Park, a haven for blue-water kayakers and an accessible entry to the drive-up Exit Glacier, which serves as a significant indicator of climate change.

2. Top of the World Highway

Ideal road trip for desolate highways
Tok–Dawson City; 186 miles

This remote, winding highway ranks among America’s northernmost routes, crossing into Canada at a seasonal border station (open from May to September) amid stunning isolation. The only evidence of civilization along the way is the diminutive gold mining settlement of Chicken, with a population of seven, named for the founding fathers’ inability to accurately spell the local bird, ptarmigan. At the rustic Chicken Creek Cafe, Saloon & Mercantile Emporium, visitors can enjoy the finest cinnamon rolls north of the 60th parallel.

Wild and tough on tires, this rugged stretch of asphalt and gravel is only partially paved and lacks major services. For an authentic “”sourdough”” (old-timer) experience, purchase a gold pan in Delta Junction and test your fortune in the rocky shallows of the West Fork River (mile 49).

The Top of the World Highway concludes at the Yukon River, where a complimentary 24-hour car ferry transports vehicles across to Dawson City, once an industrious core of the 1897–98 gold rush that retains its Klondike-era charm.

Planning tip: Acquire any additional provisions in Chicken; they will be essential.

3. George Parks Highway

Prime road trip for visiting Denali National Park
Anchorage–Fairbanks; 358 miles

Smooth, quick, and well-kept, George Parks Highway was inaugurated in 1971, tracing the route of the Alaska Railroad, which had been constructed 50 years prior. In addition to providing swift year-round transit between the state’s two major metropolitan areas, the highway serves as the entryway to Denali National Park, an essential stop for anyone eager to witness Alaska’s magnificent wildlife in all its splendor.

The road’s most breathtaking view occurs at mile 163: a possible unobstructed glimpse of Denali, the mountain. On clear days, the towering 20,310-foot dome is one of America’s most awe-inspiring sights. Eleven miles farther north, the Parks Highway traverses a deep V-shaped valley known as Hurricane Gulch via an impressive arch bridge.

Another vital stop, for entirely different reasons, is the social epicenter of 49th State Brewing Company in Healy (mile 249), where visitors can savor craft beer, yak burgers, and participate in a bocce ball game adjacent to the “”magic bus”” featured in the Sean Penn film Into the Wild.

Planning tip: Secure accommodation in the service hub of Canyon (mile 237) and utilize a park bus to enter the interior of Denali National Park.

4. Nome-Council Road

Ultimate road trip for remote exploration
Nome–Council; 73 miles

So close to Russia that one can almost sense the stroganoff, the historic gold rush settlement of Nome is disconnected from Alaska’s primary road infrastructure. Instead, access is achieved by air, sea, or dogsled (the latter during the famous annual Iditarod). Upon arrival, road travelers can rent a vehicle at Dredge No 7 Inn and explore three desolate roadways, all of which culminate in expansive tundra.

The most scenic and worthwhile of these is the predominantly unpaved road leading to the semi-abandoned village of Council, which traces a stretch of coastline before curving inland and concluding at the Niukluk River. Along the way, one can observe remnants of the gold rush era, including dilapidated dredges, a rusted locomotive nicknamed “”The Last Train to Nowhere,”” and a 120-year-old roadhouse.

Planning tip: Bring fishing gear; the Niukluk River offers sizable grayling.

5. Glacier Highway

Optimal road trip for glacier exploration
Juneau–Point Bridget State Park; 36 miles

Characterized by jagged islands and profound fjords, the Alaskan panhandle lacks interconnecting roads. The only means to convey your vehicle to locations like Sitka or Juneau is through the Alaska Marine Highway ferry. If you intend to undertake this road trip, utilize our guide to ferry logistics. Once on the panhandle, drives are brief but vibrant in scenery. The traditional route north from the state capital Juneau is among the finest, showcasing the magnificent Mendenhall Glacier, a distinctive Catholic shrine, and a state park overlooking the expansive Lynn Canal, North America’s deepest fjord.

Continuing along the highway, the Shrine of St Thérèse at the road’s 23-mile marker is a 1930s beach-stone chapel situated on an appealing forested islet connected to the mainland by a causeway. The highway terminates at Point Bridget State Park, a tract of coastal rainforest penetrated by trails where playful sea lions bask in the surf.

Planning tip: The Mendenhall Glacier can occupy an hour or an entire day. The glacier’s half-mile-long face sheds icebergs into a lake named after it, which is overseen by a state-of-the-art visitor center. Surrounding trails, bears, and a thundering waterfall enhance the setting.

6. Glenn Highway

Superb road trip for extraordinary landscapes
Anchorage–Glennallen; 187 miles

In a state abundant with once-in-a-lifetime road trips, Glenn Highway is distinguished as one of Alaska’s foremost drives, cutting through mountain valleys that appear to have been sculpted by a celestial artisan. Initiating in Anchorage as Alaska’s sole divided freeway, the road narrows at mile 36 and enters Palmer, an agricultural region encircled by mountains known for their unusually large homegrown produce.

Traveling east, numerous glaciers cascade from the Chugach Mountains to the south, most notably the Matanuska. From this point, the road descends gradually through high terrain and forests leading to Glennallen, the gateway to Wrangell-St Elias National Park.

Planning tip: Historic roadhouses adorned with taxidermy animals punctuate this route and provide excellent lunch breaks, including the Eureka at the road’s namesake summit.

7. Richardson Highway

Premier road trip for engaging outdoor pursuits
Fairbanks–Valdez; 364 miles

The Richardson Highway is distinguished as Alaska’s oldest roadway. Initially created as a pack trail in 1898, it was expanded to a wagon road in 1910 and enhanced for automobile traffic in the 1920s, with paving completed in 1957.

Beginning in Fairbanks and proceeding southward, the highway is filled with breathtaking scenery. The stretch between Paxson and Gulkana is particularly enchanting. Under the ethereal summer light, wildflowers dance in the breeze while the towering Alaska and Chugach Mountains stand guard. As you navigate alongside dense forests, stark tundra, and foaming rivers, you will encounter Copper Center (ideal for rafting), Thompson Pass (which provides access to the Worthington Glacier), and narrow Keystone Canyon (a pivotal trail junction). At the journey’s end, Valdez is a quaint coastal town celebrated by outdoor sports aficionados, offering boat access to the massive calving glaciers of Prince William Sound.

Detour: In 1964, the original settlement of Valdez was obliterated by the second-strongest earthquake in recorded history. The local museum narrates this tragic tale.

8. Alaska Highway

Exceptional road trip for an iconic drive
Dawson Creek, British Columbia–Delta Junction; 1390 miles

If you plan to transport your vehicle to Alaska from Canada or the lower 48 states, your first encounter with the rugged “”49″” will likely be the historic Alaska Highway, commonly referred to as the Alcan. Celebrated as one of the most noteworthy road construction endeavors of the 20th century, this route was constructed through the wilderness in an unprecedented eight months and officially commences in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, skirting the periphery of the St Elias Mountains in the Yukon before reaching Alaska.

Noteworthy stops along the 200-mile Alaskan portion of the highway include Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge, a crucial migratory corridor for birds featuring four roadside observation areas, and Mukluk Land in Tok, an eccentric backwoods amusement park boasting everything from Santa’s rocket ship to an unsettling doll collection.

Planning tip: The Alcan is fully paved, well-maintained, and accessible year-round. Roadside facilities are comparatively adequate, although cellular coverage may be inconsistent. Ensure to reserve accommodations in advance.