HIGHWAYS OF THE NORTH:

Mile-by-mile descriptions of highways in Alaska, Yukon Territory, western Northwest Territories, British Columbia and Alberta appear in The MILEPOST®. Summary descriptions of the major routes in the North are included here.

Road conditions in the North vary from poor to excellent. Most of the major routes are paved, although several highways are still gravel surfaced. Always watch for surface changes, even on paved highways; gravel breaks, cracks, dips, bumps, frost heaves, and potholes can surprise the unwary motorist. And always be on the alert for road construction. It is often joked that the North has 4 seasons: fall, winter, spring and road construction. Drive with headlights on at all times.

The Haines Highway starts in Alaska, passes through British Columbia and ends at Haines Junction, YT. Earl L. Brown Photo

Most of Alaska's road system lies within the Interior and Southcentral regions of the state. This highway system connects with the Alaska Highway through Canada. Southeast Alaska also has an extensive system of highways and logging roads, but most do not connect with one another and only two highways (the Haines Highway and South Klondike Highway) connect with the mainland highway system in Canada.

The main highway system within Alaska includes 200 miles of the Alaska Highway between the Canadian border and Delta Junction; the Parks Highway connecting Anchorage and Fairbanks; the Steese Highway from Fairbanks to Circle; the Elliott Highway from Fox to Manley Hot Springs; the Taylor Highway to Eagle; the Glenn Highway/Tok Cutoff between Tok and Anchorage; the Denali Highway between Paxson and Cantwell; the Richardson Highway from Valdez to Fairbanks; the Edgerton Highway/McCarthy Road to Chitina and the McCarthy/Kennicott area; the Seward Highway from Anchorage to Seward on the Kenai Peninsula; the Sterling Highway connecting the Seward Highway with Homer; and the Dalton Highway to Deadhorse/Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic coast. Not connected to the main highway system is the Copper River Highway from Cordova.

The South Klondike Highway winds through the rocky valley of Summit Lake Earl L. Brown Photo

The Yukon's highway system branches off the 577 miles of the Alaska Highway in the territory. The Campbell Highway junctions with the Alaska Highway at Watson Lake and also accesses North Canol Road (the South Canol Road junctions with the Alaska Highway at Johnson's Crossing). Tagish Road connects the Alaska Highway at Jake's Corner with Carcross, YT, as well as providing access to the scenic road to Atlin, BC. Just south of Whitehorse, the South Klondike Highway connects the Alaska Highway with the port of Skagway, AK. Just north of Whitehorse, the North Klondike Highway, referred to as the "Klondike Loop", connects the Alaska Highway with Dawson City, YT. From Dawson City, the Top of the World Highway heads west to the Taylor Highway in Alaska, which branches south back to the Alaska Highway (forming the so-called "Klondike Loop"). Also branching off the Klondike Highway are the Dempster Highway to Inuvik, NWT, and the Silver Trail to Elsa-Mayo-Keno and the Campbell Highway. At Haines Junction on the Alaska Highway, the Haines Highway connects the inland highway system with the port of Haines, AK. The Alaska Highway crosses into Alaska at Port Alcan northwest of Haines Junction.

Likely on Quesnel Lake is one of the Cariboo's many lakeside communities. Blake Hanna Photo

For major connecting routes to the Alaska Highway in Canada, see the West Access Route through British Columbia; the Cassiar Highway; the East Access Route through Alberta; and the Yellowhead Highway between Edmonton, Alberta, and Prince Rupert, BC.

The MILEPOST® also logs the highway system within western Northwest Territories, referred to as the Mackenzie Route, and the Liard Highway from Fort Nelson, BC, to its junction with the Mackenzie Highway.

For detailed descriptions of all Northern highways and their attractions, consult The MILEPOST®.

Alaska Highway

The Alaska Highway begins at Mile 0 in Dawson Creek, BC. The first 613 miles/987 km of the Alaska Highway are in British Columbia, where it is designated BC Highway 97. The highway travels in a northwesterly direction to the Yukon Territory border near Watson Lake, YT (Historical Mile 635). From there it continues as Yukon Highway 1, crossing 577 miles/929 km of Yukon Territory to Port Alcan on the Alaska border. The Alaska Highway crosses into Alaska at Historical Mile 1221.8, where it becomes Alaska Route 2. From this international border, it is 200 miles/322 km to Delta Junction, AK (Historical Mile 1422), the official end of the Alaska Highway, and 298 miles to Fairbanks, the unofficial end of the highway, at Historical Mile 1520. The 98-mile stretch of highway between Delta Junction and Fairbanks is part of the Richardson Highway from Valdez, although it is designated Alaska Route 2 and often treated as a natural extension of the Alaska Highway. (The Richardson Highway, Alaska Route 4, was originally known as the Richardson Trail and predates construction of the Alaska Highway by some 50 years.)

Kluane Lake relects snow-dusted mountains in October. Earl L. Brown Photo

The scenery along the Alaska Highway is spectacular. Between Fort Nelson, BC, and Watson Lake, YT, the Alaska Highway crosses the Canadian Rockies. Highlights along this stretch of the highway include: Stone Mountain Provincial Park (watch for stone sheep on the road); the beautiful Toad River area; pristine Muncho Lake; and Liard Hotsprings Provincial Park. Near Haines Junction, the Alaska Highway offers beautiful views of the snowcapped peaks of the Kluane Icefield Ranges. At Boutillier Summit (elev. 3,293), northbound travelers get their first glimpse of Kluane Lake, the largest lake in Yukon Territory. After crossing into Alaska at Port Alcan, the highway offers views of first the Wrangell-St. Elias mountains, then the Alaska Range between Tok and Delta.

Interpretive sites along the Alaska Highway--from scenic viewpoints with information panels to interpretive centers and historic sites--focus on everything from woolly mammoths and gold rush history to highway construction and Native heritage. Some of these stops are: Watson Lake's Northern Lights Centre; George Johnston Museum; Teslin Tlingit Heritage Centre; Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre; Yukon Transportation Museum; Silver City; and Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center.

HISTORY OF THE ALASKA HIGHWAY

Route numbers: BC Highway 97, Yukon Highway 1, Alaska Route 2

Connects: Dawson Creek, BC, to Delta Junction, AK

Length: 1,390 miles

Road surface: Paved

Road conditions: Fair to excellent.
DRIVING THE ALASKA HIGHWAY

Season: Open all year

Highest summit: Summit Lake, 4,250 feet

Attractions: The Alaska Highway has many well-known scenic and historic attractions, beginning with the Mile Zero marker in downtown Dawson Creek, BC, and ending with the End of the Alaska Highway display at Delta Junction, AK. Among the highway's famous sights are: Muncho Lake; Liard Hotsprings; Watson Lake Signpost Forest; the world's largest weathervane (a Douglas DC-3) at Whitehorse airport; the SS Klondike National Historic Site on the Yukon River in Whitehorse; Kluane Lake; and the Trans-Alaska pipeline crossing near Delta Junction.

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Atlin Road

This 58-mile/93.3-km all-weather road leads south to the pioneer gold mining town of Atlin overlooking beautiful Atlin Lake. To reach Atlin Road, turn south at Jake’s Corner, Milepost DC 836.8 on the Alaska Highway; drive 1.1 miles/1.8 km to the junction of Atlin Road (Highway 7) and Tagish Road (Highway 8); turn left (south) for Atlin. This is a popular side trip from the Alaska Highway. The lake and mountain scenery alone make it worth the trip.

Route number: Highway 7

Connects: Tagish Road Junction to Atlin, BC

Length: 58 miles

Road surface: 60 percent gravel, 40 percent paved

Road conditions: Atlin Road is a good road, usually in excellent condition, with some winding sections. Watch for slippery spots in wet weather.

Season: Open all year

Attractions: Atlin Lake; refurbished passenger ferry, the MV Tarahne; The Grotto on Warm Bay Road.

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Campbell Highway

Named for Robert Campbell, the first white man to penetrate what is now known as Yukon Territory, this all-weather, mostly gravel road leads 362 miles/583 km northwest from the Alaska Highway at Watson Lake, to junction with the Klondike Highway just north of Carmacks. The Campbell Highway is a scenic route through Pelly River country, past the silver-lead-zinc mines at Faro. It is also an alternative route to Dawson City, about 20 miles/32 km shorter than driving the Alaska Highway through to Whitehorse, then driving up the Klondike Highway to Dawson City.

The Robert Campbell Highway was completed in 1968 and closely follows sections of the fur trade route established by Robert Campbell. Campbell was a Hudson’s Bay Co. trader who was sent into the region in the 1840s to find a route west into the unexplored regions of central Yukon. Traveling from the southeast, he followed the Liard and Frances rivers, building a chain of posts along the way. His major discovery came in 1843, when he reached the Yukon River, which was to become the major transportation route within the Yukon.

Route number: Yukon Highway 4

Connects: Watson Lake, YT, to Klondike Highway near Carmacks

Length: 362 miles

Road surface: 85 percent gravel, 15 percent paved

Road conditions: Fair to good

Season: Open all year

Attractions: Canoeing, wildlife watching, hiking, fishing and other wilderness activities. The Campbell Region Interpretive Tourist Information Centre is located in Faro, which also has a 9-hole golf course.

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Canol Road

The winding South Canol Road turns off the Alaska Highway at Johnson's Crossing © Earl L. Brown, staff

The 513-mile-/825-km-long Canol Road (Yukon Highway 6) was built to provide access to oil fields at Norman Wells, NWT, on the Mackenzie River. Conceived by the U.S. War Dept. during WWII, the Canol (Canadian Oil) Road and a 4-inch-diameter pipeline were constructed from Norman Wells, NWT, through Macmillan Pass, past Ross River, to Johnson’s Crossing on the Alaska Highway. From there the pipeline carried oil to a refinery at Whitehorse. Only about 1 million barrels of oil were pumped to Whitehorse before the war ended in 1945 and the Canol Project was abandoned. The Canol Road was declared a National Historic Site in 1990.

The Canol Road between Johnson’s Crossing on the Alaska Highway and Ross River on the Campbell Highway (South Canol Road) and between Ross River and the YT–NWT border ( North Canol Road) is open to summer traffic. It is maintained to minimum standards. Services are available only at Johnson’s Crossing and Ross River.

Route number: Yukon Highway 6

Connects: Alaska Highway at Johnson's Crossing to YT-NWT Border

Length: 286 miles

Road surface: Gravel

Road conditions: Maintained to minimum standards. Narrow, winding road; 1-lane bridges; road surface slippery when wet; steep hills; blind corners. Not recommended for large RVs or trailers. Not recommended for any size vehicle in wet weather. Drive with headlights on at all times.

Season: Closed in winter

Highest summit: Macmillan Pass, 4,480 feet

Attractions: Fishing; camping; hiking the Canol Heritage Trail.

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Cassiar Highway

The Cassiar Highway junctions with Yellowhead Highway 16 in British Columbia and travels north 446 miles/718 km to junction with the Alaska Highway west of Watson Lake, YT. The Cassiar also provides access to Hyder, AK, and Stewart, BC, via a 38-mile/61-km side road from Meziadin Junction at Milepost J 96.2, and to Telegraph Creek via a 70-mile/113-km side road from Dease Lake junction at Milepost J 300.9

Alaska-bound motorists will save 132 miles/213 km by taking the Yellowhead–Cassiar route (744 miles/1,197 km long) instead of the all-Alaska Highway route (876 miles/1,410 km long.) The Cassiar Highway, which was completed in 1972, is a somewhat rougher road than the Alaska Highway, and has fewer (but sufficient) fuel and service stops along the way.

Route number: BC Highway 37

Connects: Yellowhead Highway 16 and the Alaska Highway

Length: 446 miles

Road surface: 80 percent paved , 20 percent gravel

Road conditions: Fair to good. Although much of the highway is asphalt-surfaced, keep in mind that seal coat is subject to deterioration from weather and traffic. Also, a few bridges are still single lane. Watch for potholes at bridge ends and slippery bridge decks. There are several 8 percent grades. Drive with headlights on at all times. On gravel stretches of highway watch for washboard and potholes. Gravel road may be dusty in dry weather and muddy in wet weather. Watch for logging and freight trucks on the highway. Exercise extreme caution when passing or being passed by these trucks; reduce speed and allow trucks adequate clearance.

Season: Open all year

Highest summit: Gnat Pass 4,072 feet

Attractions: The Cassiar offers outstanding scenery and good wildlife viewing (bears, caribou, Dall sheep). The Stewart/Hyder area has much to offer visitors, including Bear Glacier, Salmon Glacier, Fish Creek Wildlife Viewing Area and a toaster museum. Telegraph Creek Road is very scenic side trip, with spectacular views of the Grand Canyon of the Stikine River.

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Copper River Highway

The Copper River Highway leads 48.8 miles northeast from Cordova across the Million Dollar Bridge at the Copper River. Construction of the Copper River Highway began in 1945. Built along the abandoned railbed of the Copper River & Northwestern Railway, the highway was to extend to Chitina (on the Edgerton Highway), thereby linking Cordova to the Richardson Highway.

Construction was halted by the 1964 Good Friday earthquake, which severely damaged the highway’s roadbed and bridges. The quake also knocked the north span of the Million Dollar Bridge into the Copper River and distorted the remaining spans. The 48 miles of existing highway have been repaired and upgraded since the earthquake, with temporary repairs to the Million Dollar Bridge. Road work between the Million Dollar Bridge and the Allen River is planned as part of the development of the proposed Copper River hiking and biking trail connecting Cordova, Chitina and Valdez.

Route number: Alaska Route 10

Connects: Cordova to Million Dollar Bridge

Length: 48 miles

Road surface: 25 percent paved, 75 percent gravel

Road conditions: Fair to good.

Season: Not maintained in winter beyond Milepost C 12.4. Snow may prevent access to many points along the highway well into spring.

Attractions: Hartney Bay and Alagnaik Slough (birdwatching); Chugach National Forest hiking trails; Childs Glacier viewpoint.

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Dalton Highway

The 414-mile Dalton Highway (often still referred to as the “Haul Road”) begins at Milepost F 73.1 on the Elliott Highway, 84 miles from Fairbanks, and ends—for the general public—at Deadhorse, a few miles from Prudhoe Bay and the Arctic Ocean. (Access to the Arctic Ocean is available only through commercial tour operators; private vehicles are not permitted on the oil field.) The Dalton Highway is unique in its scenic beauty, wildlife and recreational opportunities, but it is also one of Alaska’s most remote and challenging roads. It is approximately 1,000 miles of driving round trip between Fairbanks and Deadhorse, much of it on gravel. For those who don’t want to drive themselves, commercial tours are available.

The highway is named for James William Dalton, an arctic engineer involved in early oil exploration efforts on the North Slope. It was built as a haul road between the Yukon River and Prudhoe Bay during construction of the trans-Alaska pipeline, and was originally called the North Slope Haul Road. Construction of the road began April 29, 1974, and was completed 5 months later. The road is 28 feet wide with 3 to 6 feet of gravel surfacing. Some sections of road are underlain with plastic foam insulation to prevent thawing of the permafrost.

Services along the Dalton Highway are limited. There are no convenience stores or grocery stores along the Dalton Highway. Gas, food, phone and lodging are located at Yukon River Camp at the Yukon River Crossing (Milepost J 56); the Hot Spot Cafe (Milepost J 60.3); Coldfoot Camp at Coldfoot (Milepost J 175); and at Deadhorse/Prudhoe Bay. There is also lodging in Wiseman (turnoff at Milepost J 188.6).

The Bureau of Land Management manages 2.1 million acres of public land along the Dalton Highway. The BLM has a developed campground at Marion Creek (Milepost J 179.7) and primitive campsites at Mile 60 Dump Station, (Milepost J 60.4), Arctic Circle Wayside (J 115.3) and Galbraith Camp (J 274.7).

Route number: Alaska Route 11

Connects: Elliott Highway junction to Deadhorse/Prudhoe Bay, AK

Length: 414 miles

Road surface: 75 percent gravel, 25 percent paved

Road conditions: Road conditions vary depending on weather, maintenance and time of year. On recently rehabilitated sections, you may find good paved road. On some sections of gravel road, the washboard can be severe. There are several steep (10 to 12 percent) grades. Watch for road construction. Stop only at turnouts. Carry spare tires; flat tires are a common occurrence on this road. Keep in mind that towing fees by private wrecker service can be costly. Watch for ruts, rocks, dust in dry weather, potholes in wet weather and trucks and road maintenance equipment at all times. The volume of truck traffic hauling materials between Fairbanks and Prudhoe Bay varies, but always give trucks the right-of-way. Slow down, and pull over to the side of the road when meeting oncoming trucks. Soft shoulders and abrupt drop-offs from gravel roadway to tundra; pull over with care.

Season: Open All year

Steepest grade: 12 percent

Highest summit: Atigun Pass 4,800 feet

Attractions: Trans-Alaska Pipeline, Yukon River Crossing at Milepost J 56; tors at Finger Mountain Wayside, Milepost J 98.1; Arctic Circle Wayside at Milepost J 115.3; Coldfoot Camp; Wiseman Museum; Atigun Pass in the Brooks Range; Arctic Ocean tour at Deadhorse.

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Dempster Highway

The Dempster Highway snakes across a fall landscape. Earl L. Brown Photo

The Dempster Highway (Yukon Highway 5, NWT Highway 8) begins about 25 miles/40 km east of Dawson City, YT, at its junction with the Klondike Highway and leads 456 miles/734 km northeast to Inuvik, NWT. Construction of the Dempster Highway began in 1959, under the Road to Resources program. It was completed in 1978. A 5-year major reconstruction program on the highway was completed in 1988.

Facilities are still few and far between on the Dempster. Full auto services are available at Klondike River Lodge at the Dempster Highway turnoff on Klondike Highway. Gas, propane, food and lodging, and car repair are also available at Eagle Plains Hotel, located at about the halfway point on the Dempster. Gas, food and lodging are also available in Fort McPherson. Gas up whenever possible.

The Dempster is open year-round, but summer travel gives visitors long hours of daylight for recreation. The highway is fairly well-traveled in summer: A driver may not see another car for an hour, and then pass 4 cars in a row. Locals say the highway is smoother and easier to drive in winter, but precautions should be taken against cold weather, high winds and poor visibility; check road conditions before proceeding in winter. Watch for herds of caribou mid-September to late October and in March and April.

There are 2 ferry crossings on the Dempster, at Milepost J 334.9 (Peel River crossing) and J 377.9 (Mackenzie River and Arctic Red River crossings). Free government ferry service is available 15 hours a day during summer (June to mid-October). Cross by ice bridge in winter.

Route numbers: Yukon Highway 5, NWT Highway 8

Connects: Klondike Highway to Inuvik, NWT

Length: 456 miles

Road surface: Gravel

Road conditions: The Dempster is a mostly gravel road. The first 5miles/8 km are seal-coated, and the last 6 miles/10 km are paved. There are stretches of clay surface that can be slippery in wet weather. Summer driving conditions on the Dempster vary depending on weather and maintenance. Generally, road conditions range from fair to excellent, with highway speeds attainable on some sections. But freezing winter weather and heavy truck traffic can erode both road base and surfacing, resulting in areas of rough road. It is strongly recommended motorists carry at least 2 spare tires while traveling the Dempster.

Season: Open all year

Highest summit: North Fork Pass 4,265 feet

Attractions: The Dempster offers hiking, camping, fishing and spectacular photo opportunities. It also has a reputation as a birder’s paradise. Popular attractions are the Arctic Circle crossing sign at Milepost J 252; the Lost Patrol Gravesite in Fort McPherson and the Igloo Church in Inuvik.

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Denali Highway

The 134-mile-long Denali Highway links Paxson at Milepost V 185.5 on the Richardson Highway to Cantwell at Milepost A 210 on the Parks Highway. Winter snow closes the highway to through traffic from about October to mid-May.

The first 21 miles of the Denali Highway from Paxson and the first 3 miles from Cantwell are paved. The remaining 110 miles are gravel. (Continued paving of the Denali Highway has been proposed.) The condition of the gravel portion of the Denali Highway varies, depending on highway maintenance, weather and the opinion of the driver.

The highway becomes narrower and more winding west of Maclaren Summit (elev. 4,086 feet). This is the second highest highway pass in the state, and represents the only significant grade on the highway.

When the Denali Highway opened in 1957, it was the only road link to Denali National Park and Preserve (then Mount McKinley National Park) until the completion of the Parks Highway in 1972. (Prior to 1957, the national park had been accessible only by railroad.)

Route number: Alaska Route 8

Connects: Paxson to Cantwell, AK

Length: 134 miles

Road surface: 85 percent gravel, 15 percent paved

Road conditions: The Denali Highway was not maintained by the Dept. of Transportation in summer 2002, resulting in some rough road (potholes, washboard and washouts), particularly on the west end of the highway for about the first 20 or 30 miles out of Cantwell. Road surfacing on this highway normally ranges from good gravel to rough and rocky. Washboard can develop quickly. This can be a dusty drive for motorists—and a very dusty ride for bicyclists—in dry weather.

Season: Closed in winter

Highest summit: Maclaren Summit 4,086 feet

Attractions: The Denali Highway has great scenery, ORV and mountain biking trails, fishing, hunting, good bird watching and interesting geography. It also provides access to the Delta River canoe trail at Tangle Lakes.

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East Access Route

Henderson Lake Park in Lethbridge. Blake Hanna Photo

The East Access Route is one of the 2 major access routes (the other is the West Access Route) to the Alaska Highway. The MILEPOST® log divide this route into 3 sections: Great Falls to Sweetgrass, MT, at the Canadian border; Coutts, AB, at the Canadian border to Edmonton; and Edmonton to Dawson Creek, BC. Total driving distance from Great Falls, MT, to Dawson Creek, BC, via Valleyview is 867 miles/1,394 km.

This was the only access route to Dawson Creek, BC, the start of the Alaska Highway, when the Alaska Highway opened to civilian traffic in 1948, although it differed from today’s route. Instead of driving from Edmonton to Dawson Creek via Whitecourt and Valleyview via today’s Highway 43 (completed in 1955), motorists had to drive north from Edmonton via Highway 2, then west to High Prairie, then south to Grande Prairie, AB, a route traced in the “Historic Athabasca Route” log.

Routes numbers: Interstate-15, Alberta highways 2, 3, 4, 43

Connects: Great Falls, MT, to Dawson Creek, BC

Length: 867 miles

Road surface: Paved

Season: Open all year

Attractions: The Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller; Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump; Reynolds-Alberta Museum; Fort Macleod; Leduc No. 1 Well Historic Site; Devonian Botanic Garden; Fort Edmonton Park; West Edmonton Mall; Historic Athabasca Route.

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Edgerton Highway/McCarthy Road

The Edgerton Highway is a scenic paved road leading 33.5 miles east from its junction with the Richardson Highway to Chitina and the start of the McCarthy Road. The gravel McCarthy Road leads 59.5 miles east from Chitina and dead ends at the Kennicott River, about 1 mile west of the settlement of McCarthy. Total driving distance from the Richardson Highway turnoff to the end of the McCarthy Road is 93 miles.

There is no vehicle access across the Kennicott River from the McCarthy Road. The river is crossed by 2 pedestrian bridges. It is a 15-minute walk to McCarthy, where visitors can catch a shuttle to Kennicott.

The Edgerton Highway, known locally as the Edgerton Cutoff, is named for U.S. Army Maj. Glenn Edgerton of the Alaska Territorial Road Commission.

The McCarthy Road follows the right-of-way of the old Copper River & Northwestern Railway. Begun in 1907, the CR&NW (also referred to as the “can’t run and never will”) was built to carry copper ore from the Kennecott Mines to Cordova. It took 4 years to complete the railway. The railway and mine ceased operation in 1938.

The McCarthy Road is recommended for the adventurous traveler and only in the summer.

Route number: Alaska Route 10

Connects: Richardson Highway to McCarthy, AK

Length: 93 miles

Road surface: 40 percent paved, 60 percent gravel

Road conditions: Good to excellent on Edgerton Highway section. Poor to fair on the McCarthy Road depending on weather and maintenance. Maximum speed is about 25 mph on the McCarthy Road. Motorists with large vehicles or trailers should exercise caution on the McCarthy Road, especially in wet weather. Watch for old railroad spikes in the roadbed. Also watch for potholes, soft spots and severe washboard.

Season: Edgerton Highway open all year; McCarthy Road is not maintained in winter

Attractions: Copper River dipnet fishery at Chitina; Wilderness activities and natural history programs in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve; tours of Kennicott Mill; day-hike to Root Glacier.

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Elliott Highway

Half of the Elliot Highway is still gravel and vehicles can get dusty. Kris Graef Photo

The Elliott Highway leads 152 miles from its junction with the Steese Highway at Fox (11 miles north of Fairbanks) to Manley Hot Springs, a small settlement with a natural hot springs near the Tanana River. The Elliott Highway provides access to the Dalton Highway to Prudhoe Bay. The highway was named for Malcolm Elliott, president of the Alaska Road Commission from 1927 to 1932.

This is a great drive to a pocket of pioneer Alaska. The road travels the ridges and hills, providing a “top of the world” view of hundreds of square miles in all directions.

The first 73.1 miles of the Elliott Highway are paved to the Dalton Highway junction; the remaining 78.9 miles to Manley are mostly gravel, with a couple of sections of improved and/or chip-sealed road. From Fox to the Dalton Highway junction, the Elliott Highway is a series of long upgrades and down grades, as the road winds through the White Mountains. From the Dalton Highway junction to Manley, the road is narrow and winding, with some steep grades and blind hills and curves.

Gas is available on the Elliott Highway at Milepost F 5.5 (Hilltop, 24-hour), F 66 (North Country Mercantile) and at Manley. If you are headed up the Dalton Highway, the first gas stop on that highway is at the Yukon River crossing, Milepost J 56 (56 miles north of junction with the Elliott).

Watch for large trucks on the Elliott Highway between Fairbanks and the Dalton Highway junction.

Route number: Alaska Route 2

Connects: Fox to Manley Hot Springs, AK

Length: 152 miles

Road surface: 50 percent paved, 50 percent gravel

Road conditions: Depends on weather and maintenance. The gravel portion of the highway is slippery when wet and subject to potholes and ruts.

Season: Open all year

Attractions: Minto Lakes, a popular duck hunting area; historic Manley Roadhouse and nearby hot springs; access to winter-use trailheads in the White Mountains National Recreation Area; Grapefruit Rocks climbing area.

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Glenn Highway/Tok Cutoff

The Glenn Highway/Tok Cutoff (Alaska Route 1) is the principal access route from the Alaska Highway west to Anchorage, a distance of 328 miles. This paved all-weather route includes the 125-mile Tok Cutoff, between Tok and the Richardson Highway junction; a 14-mile link via the Richardson Highway; and the 189-mile Glenn Highway, between the Richardson Highway and Anchorage. In 2002, the 130-mile stretch of the Glenn Highway between Anchorage and Eureka Summit was declared a National Scenic Byway.

It is a full day’s drive between Tok and Anchorage, although there are enough attractions along the way to recommend making this a 2- or 3-day drive. There is some spectacular scenery along the Glenn Highway with mountain peaks to the north and south. Several popular side roads branch off this highway, including: Nabesna Road, which also provides access to Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve; Lake Louise Road to Lake Louise Recreation Area; the Hatcher Pass Road, connecting the Glenn and Parks highways to Independence Mine State Historical Park; and the Old Glenn Highway, an alternate route between Palmer and Anchorage that provides access to the Knik River and the Bodenburg Butte area, with its original Matanuska Colony Farms.Route numbers: Alaska Routes 1 and 4

Connects: Tok to Anchorage, AK

Length: 328 miles

Road surface: Paved

Road conditions: Fair to good. The highway between Tok and Glennallen has a few very narrow sections with no shoulders. Watch for frost heaves, dips and bumps. Winding road without shoulders between Matanuska Glacier and Palmer; also watch for road construction on this stretch.

Season: Open all year

Highest summit: Eureka Summit 3,322 feet

Attractions: Gulkana River fishing; Lake Louise; Sheep Mountain; Independence Mine/Hatcher Pass Road; Matanuska Glacier (views, glacier trekking); rafting the Matanuska River; Musk Ox Farm; Palmer State Fair; Eagle River Nature Center.

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Haines Highway

Viewpoint of Kathleen Lake at Milepost H 139.2 Haines Highway. Earl L. Brown Photo

The paved 152 mile/244 km Haines Highway connects Haines, AK (on the state ferry route), at the head of Lynn Canal with the Alaska Highway at Haines Junction, YT. Allow about 4 hours driving time. The road is usually snow-free by May.

Noted for the grandeur and variety of its alpine scenery, the Haines Highway leads from coastal forests near Haines through the Chilkat Eagle Preserve up over the backbone of the St. Elias Mountains, skirting Tatshenshini–Alsek Wilderness Provincial Park, and running along the eastern border of Kluane National Park Reserve.

Part of what is now the Haines Highway was originally a “grease trail” used by the coastal Chilkat Indians trading eulachon oil for furs from the Interior. In the late 1880s, Jack Dalton developed a packhorse trail to the Klondike goldfields along the old trading route. The present road was built in 1943 as a military access highway during WWII to provide an alternative route from the Pacific tidewater into Yukon Territory.

Route numbers: Alaska Route 7, BC Highway 4, Yukon Highway 3

Connects: Haines, AK, to Haines Junction, YT

Length: 152 miles

Road surface: Paved

Road conditions: Good

Season: Open all year

Highest summit: Chilkat Pass 3,493 feet

Attractions: Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve

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Hudson's Hope Loop

A scenic side trip for Alaska Highway travelers, BC Highway 29 forms a loop between the John Hart Highway (Highway 97) at Chetwynd and the Alaska Highway (also Highway 97) near Fort St. John. This 2-lane scenic drive provides year-round access to the town of Hudson's Hope, W.A.C. Bennett Dam, Peace Canyon Dam and Moberly Lake.

Route number: BC Highway 29

Connects: Chetwynd, BC, to Alaska Highway

Length: 87 miles

Road surface: Paved

Road conditions: Good

Season: Open all year

Steepest grade: 10 percent

Attractions: W.A.C. Bennett Dam,13.5 miles/21.7 km west of Hudson's Hope; B.C. Hydro’s Peace Canyon dam, 4 miles/6.4 km south of Hudson’s Hope on Highway 29; and Moberly Lake Provincial Park, 12 miles north of Chetwynd.

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Klondike Loop

The “Klondike Loop” refers to the 323-mile/520-km-long stretch of Yukon Highway 2 (the North Klondike Highway, also sometimes called the “Mayo Road”), from its junction with the Alaska Highway north of Whitehorse to Dawson City; the 79-mile/

127-km Top of the World Highway (Yukon Highway 9); and the 96 miles/154 kms of the Taylor Highway (Alaska Route 5) that connect with the Alaska Highway near Tok.

Alaska-bound motorists turn off the Alaska Highway north of Whitehorse (Milepost DC 894.8); follow the Klondike Highway to Dawson City; ferry from there across the Yukon River; drive west via the Top of the World Highway into Alaska; then take the Taylor Highway south back to the Alaska Highway near Tok (Milepost DC 1301.7). Total driving distance is 498 miles/801 km. (Driving distance from Whitehorse to Tok via the Alaska Highway is approximately 396 miles/637 km.)

All of the Klondike Highway between the Alaska Highway junction and Dawson City is asphalt-surfaced. The Top of the World Highway—a truly scenic route—is seal-coated on the Canadian portion with some hills. It is gravel on the U.S. side with some steep grades and winding sections that can be slippery in wet weather. The Taylor Highway is narrow gravel road with some steep, winding sections and washboard south to Chicken. From Chicken south to the Alaska Highway the highway is chip seal and pavement.

Both the Taylor and Top of the World highways are not maintained from mid-October to April and the arrival of snow effectively closes the roads for winter. Yukon Highway 2 is open year-round.

Travelers should be aware that the Top of the World Highway (reached by ferry from Dawson City) may not open until late spring.

Route Numbers: Yukon Highways 2 and 9, Alaska Route 5

Connects: Alaska Highway junction in YT with Alaska Highway in Alaska

Length: 498 miles

Road surface: Pavement, seal coat and gravel

Road conditions: Good on Yukon Highway 2; fair on Yukon Highway 9; poor to good on Alaska Route 5. Routes 9 and 5 and be slippery when wet and have narow, winding sections.

Season: Yukon Highway 2 open all year, Yukon Highway 9 and Alaska Route 5 closed in winter

Attractions: Yukon Game Farm Wildlife Preserve; Takhini Hot Springs; Lake Laberge; Yukon River; Fort Selkirk; Dawson City, YT, and the Klondike gold fields

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Liard Highway

The Liard Highway begins about 17 miles/27 km north of Fort Nelson on the Alaska Highway and leads northeast through British Columbia and Northwest Territories for 243 miles/391 km to junction with the Mackenzie Highway (NWT Highway 1).

The Liard Highway, also called the Liard Trail or “Moose Highway” (after the road sign logo), is named for the Liard River Valley through which it runs for most of its length. The Liard is a relatively straight 2-lane road through white and black spruce, trembling aspen and balsam poplar forest.

Food, lodging, gas and diesel are available at Fort Liard. Gas, food and lodging are also available at the Mackenzie Highway junction. It is a good idea to fill up your gas tank in Fort Nelson.

Although the Northwest Territories portion of the Liard Highway parallels the Liard River, there is limited access to the river. The Liard Highway does offer good views of the Liard River Valley and the Mackenzie Mountain Range. Fishing the highway streams is only fair, but watch for wildlife such as moose, black bear, wood bison and grouse.

Route numbers: BC Provincial Highway 77, NWT Highway 7

Connects: Alaska Highway to Mackenzie Highway

Length: 244 miles

Road surface: Chip seal and gravel

Season: Open all year

Steepest grade: 10 percent

Attractions: Fort Liard Native Crafts, Blackstone Territorial Park.

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Mackenzie Route

Named for explorer Alexander Mackenzie, who in 1779 navigated Great Slave Lake and sailed to the mouth of the Mackenzie River seeking a trade route for the Hudson’s Bay Co., the Mackenzie Route is an adventure for modern explorers. It is not a trip for the impulsive. While there are accommodations, gas stations and other services in cities and settlements along the highways, long distances require that motorists plan in advance.

The Mackenzie Route covers the following highways: Alberta Highway 35 and NWT Highway 1 to Fort Simpson (Mackenzie Highway) and the extension to Wrigley; Highway 2 to Hay River; Highway 3 to Yellowknife; Highway 4 (Ingraham Trail); Highway 5 to Fort Smith; and Highway 6 to Fort Resolution. Allow at least 2 weeks to travel the entire route. For visitor information on travel in the Northwest Territories, visit www.nwttravel.nt.ca.

In summer, the Northwest Territories government provides free ferry service for cars and passengers across the Mackenzie River to Fort Providence, across the Liard River to Fort Simpson and across the Mackenzie River to Wrigley. In winter, traffic crosses on the ice. The Mackenzie Highway begins at Grimshaw, AB. There are several routes to Grimshaw to choose from. The Valleyview–Peace River route to the Mackenzie Highway via Highways 49 and 2 is a popular choice, with a driving distance of 101 miles/162 kms.

Route numbers: Alberta Highway 35, NWT Highways 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Connects: Grimshaw, AB, to Western NWT

Length: 1,225 miles

Road surface: 60 percent paved, 40 percent gravel

Season: Open all year

Attractions: Nahanni National Park (Ram Plateau, Virgina Falls); Wood Buffalo National Park; Louise Falls; Lady Evelyn Falls; Great Slave Lake; Yellowknife.

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Parks Highway

The Parks Highway was called the Anchorage?Fairbanks Highway after its completion in 1971, and renamed the George Parks Highway in July 1975 in honor of George A. Parks (1883?1984), the territorial governor from 1925 to 1933. Abbreviated to the "Parks" Highway over the years, it is designated Alaska Route 3. The entire route runs 362 miles through some of the grandest scenery that Alaska has to offer.

The Parks Highway junctions with the Denali Highway (Alaska Route 8) at Cantwell at Milepost A 210. The entrance to Denali National Park is located at Milepost A 237.4 on the Parks Highway, approximately 27 miles north of Cantwell and 125 miles south of Fairbanks.

The Parks Highway is a good 2-lane paved road with passing lanes provided on improved sections. Pass with care on this highway: moderate S-curves and heavy foliage reduce sight distance. Be alert for road construction, moose and local cross traffic. Motorists who plan to drive the highway during the winter should check highway conditions before proceeding.

The Parks Highway provides the most direct highway access to Denali National Park and Preserve (formerly Mount McKinley National Park) from either Anchorage or Fairbanks. Mount McKinley—also called Denali—(elev. 20,320 feet) is visible from the highway, weather permitting. There are several formal viewpoints along the Parks Highway with McKinley/Denali views.

Route numbers: Alaska Routes 1 and 3

Connects: Anchorage to Fairbanks, AK

Length: 362 miles

Road surface: Paved

Road conditions: Good 2-lane paved road, with passing lanes on improved sections. Sections of moderate S-curves. Long, winding grades near Fairbanks.

Season: Open all year

Highest summit: Broad Pass 2,300 feet

Attractions: Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Headquarters; Little Susitna River; Talkeetna; Alaska Veterans Memorial; Byers Lake; Denali National Park; Ester Gold camp.

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Richardson Highway

The Richardson Highway was Alaska’s first road, known to gold seekers in 1898 as the Valdez to Eagle trail. Today's Richardson Highway extends 366 miles from Valdez on Prince William Sound to Fairbanks in the Interior of Alaska. It is a popular corridor for southbound travelers from Anchorage and Fairbanks, headed either for the Copper River dip-net fishery near Chitina, or for the fishing at Valdez. The Richardson is a scenic route, offering magnificent views of the Chugach Mountains and Alaska Range.

The Richardson Highway also offers good views of the trans-Alaska pipeline. The trans-Alaska pipeline carries oil 800 miles from Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic Ocean to the pipeline terminus at Port Valdez. There are formal viewing points with interpretive signs at Milepost V 64.7 (Pump Station 12), Milepost V 216 (Denali Fault), Milepost V 243.5, and the Tanana River Pipeline Crossing at Milepost V 275.4.

The Richardson Highway passes many fine salmon streams, such as the Gulkana and Klutina rivers, as well as other productive lakes and streams. Check the “Copper Basin Roadside Fishing Guide,” available from Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game offices, for details. On the Internet, check weekly sport fishing updates for the Interior region (either Upper Copper/Upper Susitna Area or Arctic/Yukon management areas for the Richardson Highway) at www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/statewide/html/sf_home.htm.

Route number: Alaska Routes 4 & 2

Connects: Valdez to Fairbanks, AK

Length: 366 miles

Road surface: Paved

Road conditions: Good

Season: Open all year

Highest summit: Isabel Pass 3,280 feet

Attractions: Trans-Alaska Pipeline; Worthington Glacier; Gulkana River; Paxson Lake; Rika's Roadhouse; Harding Lake; Chena Lake Recreation Area.

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Seward Highway

The 127-mile-long Seward Highway connects Anchorage with the community of Seward on the east coast of the Kenai Peninsula. (Driving time is about 3 hours.) The Seward Highway has been called one of the most scenic highways in the country. It was designated a National Forest Scenic Byway in 1998, and an All-American Road in 2000, one of 15 roads recognized for outstanding scenic, natural, historic, cultural, archaeological and recreational qualities.

View of Whittier harbor from hiking trail off Salmon Run Road. David L. Ranta Photo

Leaving Anchorage, the Seward Highway follows the north shore of Turnagain Arm through Chugach State Park and Chugach National Forest, permitting a panoramic view of the south shore and the Kenai Mountains on the Kenai Peninsula. The Seward Highway provides access to Girdwood and Alyeska ski resort via the Alyeska Highway; to Hope via the Hope Highway; to Whittier and to Portage Glacier via the Whittier/Portage Road; and to Seward, gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park. The Seward Highway junctions with the Sterling Highway 90 miles south of Anchorage. The Sterling Highway leads to Soldotna, Kenai and Homer.

The first 9 miles of the New Seward Highway are a major Anchorage thoroughfare (4-lane divided freeway), connecting South Anchorage with downtown. South of Anchorage, the Seward Highway is a paved, 2-lane highway with passing lanes. There are no gas stations on the Seward Highway between Milepost S 90 (Girdwood turnoff) and Milepost S 6.6, just outside Seward.

The highway is open all year. Some sections of the highway are subject to avalanches in winter. Check locally for winter road conditions and avalanche road closures.

Bicyclists take advantage of the Seward Highway's bike trails. David Foster Photo

Bike trails along the Seward Highway include a 3-mile trail between Indian and Bird; a 6-mile trail between Girdwood and Bird Point; and an 8-mile bike trail (the Sixmile Trail) between the Hope Highway junction and the Johnson Pass Trailhead.

Route numbers: Alaska Routes 1 and 9

Connects: Anchorage to Seward, AK

Length: 127 miles

Road surface: Paved

Season: Open all year

Highest summit: Turnagain Pass 988 feet

Attractions: Chugach National Forest hiking trails; Turnagain Arm viewpoints; Indian Valley ine National Historic Site; Mount Alyeska; Crow Creek Mine National Historic Site; Portage Glacier; Turnagain Pass Recreation Area; Exit Glacier; Seward; Kenai Fjords National Park .

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Silver Trail

The Silver Trail leads northeast from Milepost J 211.8 Klondike Highway to Mayo, Elsa and Keno City. It is approximately 140 miles/225 km round-trip to Keno City and an easy day trip for motorists. The road is asphalt-surfaced to Mayo, and well-maintained gravel from Mayo to Keno City. Gas is available only at Stewart Crossing and Mayo.

The Silver Trail to Mayo follows the Stewart River through what has been one of the richest silver mining regions in Canada. The Silver Trail region encompasses the traditional lands of the Na Cho N’y’ak Dun First Nations.

Route number: Yukon Highway 11

Connects: Klondike highway to Keno City, YT

Length: 69 miles

Road surface: 50 percent paved, 50 percent gravel

Season: Open all year

Major attraction: Binet House; Keno City Mining Museum.

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South Klondike Highway

WP&YR tracks wind around Bernard Lake on the South Klondike Highway Earl Brown Photo

The 98.9 mile/159 km South Klondike Highway (also known as the Skagway–Carcross Road) connects Skagway, AK, with the Alaska Highway at Milepost 874.4, south of Whitehorse. The highway between Skagway and Carcross (referred to locally as the Skagway Road) was built in 1978. The highway connecting Carcross with the Alaska Highway (referred to locally as the Carcross Road) was built by the U.S. Army in late 1942 to lay the gasoline pipeline from Skagway to Whitehorse.

The South Klondike Highway is a 2-lane highway offering some spectacular scenery. There is a steep (12 percent) 11.5-mile/18.5-km grade between Skagway and White Pass.

The South Klondike Highway is 1 of 2 highways connecting ferry travelers with the Alaska Highway (the other is the Haines Highway out of Haines). South Klondike Highway, like the Haines Highway, crosses from Alaska into British Columbia, then into Yukon Territory.

Connects: Skagway, AK, to Alaska Highway in Yukon

Length: 99 miles

Road surface: Paved

Road conditions: Good

Season: Open all year

Steepest grade: 12 percent

Highest summit: White Pass 3,292 feet

Attractions: Tutshi Lake; Carcross; Rainbow Lake.

Steese Highway

The Steese Highway connects Fairbanks with Chena Hot Springs (61 miles) via Chena Hot Springs Road; the town of Central (128 miles); Circle Hot Springs (136 miles) via Circle Hot Springs Road; and with Circle, a small settlement 162 miles to the northeast on the Yukon River and 50 miles south of the Arctic Circle. The scenery alone makes this a worthwhile drive. It is especially colorful in late August and early September when the trees turn.

The Steese Highway begins in Fairbanks as a 4-lane expressway, then narrows to 2 lanes of pavement. At Milepost F 44, it becomes a wide gravel road into Central at Milepost 127.5, where there is a short stretch of paved road. From Central to Circle, the highway is a narrow, winding gravel road. The highway has 3 summits: Cleary Summit (2,233 feet), Twelvemile Summit (3,190 feet), and Eagle Summit (3,685 feet). Eagle Summit has an unobstructed view of the midnight sun at summer solstice (June 21).

The Steese Highway was completed in 1927 and named for Gen. James G. Steese, U.S. Army, former president of the Alaska Road Commission.

Route number: Alaska Routes 2 and 6

Connects: Fairbanks to Circle, AK

Length: 162 miles

Road surface: 30 percent paved, 70 percent gravel

Road conditions: Fair to good

Season: Open all year

Highest summit: Eagle Summit 3,624 feet

Attractions: Pipeline Viewpoint; Historic Gold Dredge No. 8; Gold Rush Gold Camp; Fort Knox Gold Mine; Chatanika Gold Camp; Davidson Ditch; Nome Creek Valley; Felix Pedro Monument and Discovery Claim; Chatanika River and Chena River recreation areas; Chena and Circle Hot Springs; Yukon River.

Sterling Highway

The Sterling Highway (Alaska Route 1) begins 90 miles south of Anchorage at its junction with the Seward Highway and travels 143 miles west and south to the community of Homer. The Sterling Highway is a paved, mostly 2-lane highway, with few passing lanes and some short sections of improved 4-lane highway. The Sterling Highway is open year-round.

Several major Kenai Peninsula side roads junction with the Sterling Highway, including Skilak Lake Loop Road, Swanson River Road, Kenai Spur Highway, Kalifornsky Beach Road, Cohoe Loop Road and Anchor River Beach Road.

From its junction with the Seward Highway at Tern Lake, the Sterling Highway passes through Chugach National Forest and Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. The Kenai Mountains are home to Dall sheep, mountain goats, black and brown bears, and caribou. The many lakes, rivers and streams of the Kenai Peninsula are famous for their sportfishing. The highway also provides access to the Resurrection Pass Trail System in Chugach National Forest.

From Soldotna south, the Sterling Highway follows the west coast of the peninsula, providing access to clamming and fishing in Cook Inlet. There are beautiful views of peaks on the Alaska Peninsula.

Route number: Alaska Route 1

Connects: Seward Highway to Homer, AK

Length: 143 miles

Road surface: Paved

Road conditions: Fair to good

Season: Open all year

Attractions: Russian River; Kenai River; Kenai National Wildlife Refuge; Russian Orthodox Churches; Homer Spit; Seldovia; Halibut Cove.

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Tagish Road

This 33.8-mile/54.4-km road connects the Alaska Highway with the South Klondike Highway. It leads south from the Alaska Highway junction at Jake’s Corner (Milepost DC 836.8) through the settlement of Tagish to Carcross. It is good gravel road from the Alaska Highway junction to Tagish, asphalt-surfaced between Tagish and Carcross.

Tagish Road was built in 1942 to lay a gas pipeline during construction of the Alaska Highway.

If you are traveling South Klondike Highway between Skagway and Whitehorse, Tagish Road provides access to Atlin Road and also makes a pleasant side trip. This is also a very beautiful drive in the fall; good photo opportunities.

Connects: Alaska Highway at Jake's Corner to Carcross, YT

Length: 34 miles

Road surface: 40 percent gravel, 60 percent paved

Season: Open all year

Attraction: Tagish River

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Taylor Highway

The Taylor Highway is a beautiful "top of the world" drive. Earl Brown Photo

The 160.3-mile Taylor Highway (Alaska Route 5) begins at Tetlin Junction on the Alaska Highway, approximately 11 miles southeast of Tok, and ends at the small town of Eagle on the Yukon River. This is a beautiful “top of the world” drive, and Eagle is well worth a visit. In summer, the highway also provides river runners with access to the Fortymile River National Wild and Scenic River system. The Taylor Highway is not maintained from mid-October to April, and the arrival of snow effectively closes the road to vehicle traffic for the winter, although it is open to snowmobiles.

The Taylor Highway also forms part of the "Klondike Loop" from Canada, connecting with the Top of the World Highway (Yukon Highway 9) via the Boundary Spur Road from Jack Wade Junction (Milepost TJ 95.7). Dawson City-bound travelers keep in mind that the U.S. and Canadian customs offices at the border are open from about mid-May to mid-September.

Route number: Alaska Route 5

Connects: Alaska Highway at Tetlin Junction to Eagle, AK

Length: 160 miles

Road surface: 40 percent paved, 60 percent gravel

Road conditions: The first 60 miles of the Taylor Highway, between the Alaska Highway junction and Chicken, are paved with some winding sections and hills. Between Chicken and Eagle, the Taylor Highway is a narrow, winding, gravel road with many steep hills and some hairpin curves. The gravel portion of highway has sporadic soft spots during breakup or after heavy rains and surfacing ranges from good to poor depending on maintenance. Rough spots are often flagged. Shoulders are generally narrow and may be unstable.

Season: closed in winter

Steepest grade: 9 percent

Attractions: Historic Chicken; Pedro Dredge No. 4; Mosquito Fork Dredge hiking trail; Jack Wade No. 1 Dredge; Fortymile River boat tours; Eagle; Fort Egbert; Yukon River.

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West Access Route

Williams Lake is the name of both the town and body of water. Blake Hanna Photo

The West Access Route links Interstate 5, Trans-Canada Highway 1 and BC Highway 97 to form the most direct route for West Coast motorists to Dawson Creek, BC, and the start of the Alaska Highway.

Side trips and secondary routes along the West Access Route include Highway 26 to Barkerville, a provincial historic town dating back to the 1860s; the scenic Chilcotin Highway to Bella Coola; and Highway 29, the Hudson’s Hope Loop to the Alaska Highway. The West Access Route also junctions with Yellowhead Highway 16 to Prince Rupert.

The West Access Route log is divided into 4 sections: Seattle to the Canadian border and Abbotsford (120 miles); Abbotsford to Cache Creek (170 miles); Cache Creek to Prince George (277 miles); and Prince George to Dawson Creek via the Hart Highway (250 miles).

Route numbers: Interstate-5, Trans-Canada Highway 1, BC Highway 97

Connects: Seattle, WA, to Dawson Creek, BC

Length: 817 miles

Road surface: Paved

Road Conditions: Good

Season: Open all year

Highest summit: Pine Pass, 3,068 feet

Attractions: Minter Gardens; Fraser River Canyon/Hell's Gate; Historic Hat Creek Ranch; Cottonwood House Historic Site; Barkerville; Chetwynd chain saw sculptures.

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Yellowhead Highway 16

Yellowhead Highway 16 is a major east–west route that extends from Winnipeg, MB, through Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia to the coastal city of Prince Rupert. (The highway connecting Masset and Queen Charlotte on Graham Island has also been designated as part of Yellowhead Highway 16.) The MILEPOST® logs Yellowhead Highway 16 from Edmonton, AB, to Prince Rupert, BC, which is a distance of 898 miles/1,444 km.

Yellowhead Highway 16 terminates at Prince Rupert, BC, where travelers may connect with the Alaska Marine Highway System north to southeastern Alaska cities, and the British Columbia ferry system south to Port Hardy on Vancouver Island.

Yellowhead Highway 16 is a very scenic highway, passing through mountains, forest and farmland. Visitor services are readily available in towns along the way, and campsites may be found in towns and along the highway at both private and provincial park campgrounds.

Route number: Trans-provincial Highway 16

Connects: Edmonton, AB, to Prince Rupert, BC

Length: 898 miles

Road surface: Paved

Season: Open all year

Highest summit: Obed Summit 3, 819 feet

Attractions: Jasper National Park; Mount Robson; Fort St. James; Moricetown Canyon; 'Ksan Historical Village; North Pacific Historic Fishing Village; New Museum of Northern British Columbia; Queen Charlotte Islands.

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·	Alaska Highway
·	Atlin Road
·	Campbell Highway
·	Canol Road
·	Cassiar Highway
·	Copper River Highway
·	Dalton Highway
·	Dempster Highway
·	Denali Highway
·	East Access Route
·	Edgerton Highway/ McCarthy Road
·	Elliott Highway
·	Glenn Highway/ Tok Cutoff
·	Haines Highway
·	Hudson's Hope Loop
·	Klondike Loop
·	Liard Highway
·	Mackenzie Route
·	Parks Highway
·	Richardson Highway
·	Seward Highway
·	Silver Trail
·	South Klondike Highway
·	Steese Highway
·	Sterling Highway
·	Tagish Road
·	Taylor Highway
·	West Access Route
·	Yellowhead Highway 16

	All About the Alaska Highway
·	History of the Alaska Highway
·	Driving the Alaska Highway
·	When to Go
·	Crossing the Border
·	Services & Sights
·	Highway Length
·	By Cruise Ship
·	Travel by Ferry
·	Wildlife Viewing
·	Glaciers

·	Anchorage, AK
·	Dawson City, YT
·	Denali National Park
·	Fairbanks, AK
·	Glaciers
·	Hunting & Fishing
·	Inside Passage
·	Kenai Peninsula
·	Mount McKinley
·	Prince William Sound
·	Trans-Alaska Pipeline
·	Whitehorse, YT
·	Wildlife Viewing