Alaska Highway

A multi-day international road trip linking western Canada to Alaska on a historically famous route.

Time to Drive: Many travellers allow 4-7 days from start to finish, longer if you want hot springs, hikes and rest days.

Best Time to Go: Late spring to early autumn is the easiest window for weather, services and daylight. Expect peak crowds in mid-summer.

Getting there: Most people start at Dawson Creek in British Columbia and drive northwest via Whitehorse to Delta Junction in Alaska. The nearest major hubs for flights and car hire are usually Fort St. John (BC), Whitehorse (Yukon), Fairbanks (Alaska) and Anchorage (Alaska).

Costs: Fuel and accommodation can be expensive and distances between services can be long. Budget extra for food, snacks and a spare tyre plan.

Road conditions: The route is paved over its entire length, but expect frequent roadworks in summer, frost heaves, rough patches and gravel sections where repairs are underway.

The Alaska Highway (also called the ALCAN) begins at Dawson Creek in British Columbia and runs to Delta Junction in Alaska via Whitehorse in Yukon. Although completed in 1942 at roughly 2,700 km, realignments have shortened and straightened it over time; by 2012 it measured 2,232 km.

Built during World War II to connect the contiguous United States with Alaska through Canada, it opened to the public in 1948. Once legendary for its rough conditions, the highway is now fully paved, but it still feels remote, with long stretches of forest, rivers, and wide northern skies.

A practical way to experience it is to travel with the informal “historic milepost” culture in mind: many stops and stories are still referenced by milepost numbers, with Delta Junction noting “Historic Milepost 1422”. Some travellers also continue on to Fairbanks via the Richardson Highway (an unofficial extension in popular road-trip lore).

• Dawson Creek to Fort Nelson (distance varies by routing) - The classic opening leg leaves the “Mile 0” starting point and quickly turns into big northern driving. Stock up on supplies early and settle into long-distance pacing.
• Fort Nelson to Muncho Lake area (distance varies) - A quieter, more mountainous-feeling stretch with frequent pull-offs for viewpoints and wildlife scanning. Services are more limited, so keep your tank comfortably above half.
• Muncho Lake area to Watson Lake (distance varies) - A remote border-crossing run into Yukon that feels properly subarctic. Allow flexibility for roadworks and watch for changing surfaces.
• Watson Lake to Teslin (distance varies) - Lakes and forest dominate, with classic highway roadhouses spaced far apart. This is a good section to get into the habit of checking fuel at every reliable stop.
• Teslin to Whitehorse (distance varies) - The approach to the Yukon’s main city brings more traffic and more choices for food, repairs and rest days. Whitehorse is the best all-round resupply point on the route.
• Whitehorse to Beaver Creek (distance varies) - A long, sparsely populated section with a strong sense of distance. Build time for photo stops and be conservative with speed where the road surface buckles.
• Beaver Creek to Tok (distance varies) - Cross into Alaska and reset your expectations for services and road rules. Tok is a common overnight and logistics stop for drivers continuing deeper into the state.
• Tok to Delta Junction (distance varies) - The final run to the official terminus is an easy-feeling finish compared with earlier remoteness. At Delta Junction, the highway meets the Richardson Highway toward Fairbanks.

For most international road-trippers, the most straightforward season is roughly May to September, when snow and ice are least likely and most tourist services are operating. Mid-summer brings the longest daylight and the busiest accommodation.

Outside the main season, weather can change quickly and some stops may run reduced hours. Even in summer, be ready for hazards that are typical of far-north highways: wildlife on the road, sudden rain, smoke from wildfires in bad years, and surface damage from frost heaves.

Most drivers begin at Dawson Creek in British Columbia, which is the signed start of the Alaska Highway. If you are flying in, connections are commonly routed via larger western Canadian hubs, with Fort St. John often used as a practical regional airport for reaching the start by road.

You can also start from the north end: fly to Whitehorse and drive the highway in either direction, or fly to Anchorage or Fairbanks and join the route near Delta Junction or by driving to Tok. One-way international car hires can be limited or costly, so confirm border permission and drop-off rules before you book.

Check that you have appropriate travel documents for crossing the Canada-US border.

The route is a public highway; check locally for any tolls or fees on specific sections before you travel. If you are hiring a car or campervan, confirm in writing that cross-border travel into the United States and back into Canada (if relevant) is allowed, and ask about gravel-damage policies given the likelihood of construction zones and rough shoulders.

Common overnight bases along the corridor include Fort Nelson, Watson Lake, Whitehorse, Tok and Delta Junction, each offering a practical mix of motels or hotels and places to eat, refuel and do basic vehicle checks. Whitehorse is the most flexible choice if you want a rest day or need repairs.

In peak summer, it is wise to book ahead in smaller stops, especially if you want a specific property type (or a campsite with hookups for a campervan). If you prefer to keep plans flexible, start looking earlier in the afternoon so you are not searching late in the day with limited availability.