See Denali National Park, Mount McKinley, Fairbanks, and for the brave, the Arctic Circle–a new definition of “scenic route.”
Driving the stretch of Alaska north to south is definitely not a proposition for the faint-hearted. We’ll take it in three detailed stages. Start off simple in Anchorage, and take Route 3 north. You’ll experience the grandeur of the nation with a selection of fine scenery. Prepare to spend some time at Denali National Park, home of Mount McKinley, the highest peak in North America. A pit stop in Fairbanks will end this run for most first timers. If you want to push the limits a little more, pick up Route 2 to the Dalton Highway north out of Fairbanks for the next destination: the Arctic Circle. Once you get out of town, the road turns to gravel, but when you take a vehicle to Alaska, you’ve already made the decision to forsake such lavishness as a nice paint job. A marker at the Arctic Circle makes an amazing turnaround point for a round trip out of Fairbanks, and a photo-op to show your friends back home. A word of warning regarding Alaska: it’s pretty touristy. While it is “the last frontier,” you’ll find the highways filled with rented RVs all summer, and an extensive infrastructure of gift shops pandering to that crowd. With this in mind, once you traverse the Arctic Circle you are, as they say, “out there.” Before setting off across the tundra, we encourage you to check with local authorities regarding services and road conditions, if any. Reports differ on whether private vehicles are allowed through. In other words, never expect a nice warm motel bed at the end of a hard day’s drive. But if you’re up for a few hundred miles of gravel, once you cross the Continental Divide and the Brooks Range in Northern Alaska, it’ll definitely change your definition of “scenic route” for the rest of your life.
Starting Point:
Anchorage, AK
Distance of Drive:
865 Miles
Must Eat:
Sea Galley
4101 Credit Union Drive, Anchorage, AK 99503
Phone: 907-563-3520
Call ahead to confirm hours of operation.
Good Stop For: Crab Legs
Best Time of Year for Drive:
Late spring to early fall (It’s a must to check with locals for road conditions).
Points of Interest on Drive:
Denali National Park
The Arctic Circle
Mount McKinley
Tagged with: Alaska • best time:spring and fall
Filed under: Best Road Trips