The Alaska Highway makes up 1,390 miles (2,236 km) of gorgeous roads through Canada’s British Columbia, Yukon, and, eventually, Alaska. Embarking on an Alaska Highway Roadtrip means journeying through some of Canada’s most breathtaking wilderness by day and camping at some truly incredible spots at night. In this article, we’ll share with you everything you need to know to go on an Alaska Highway Roadtrip—where to stop, the best time of year to drive, safety tips, and more!
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ℹ️ About the Alaska Highway
The Alaska Highway (also known as the ALCAN) was built in 1942 during World War II as a military route to connect the lower 48 to Alaska through Canada. Constructed in just eight months, it was a remarkable engineering effort through rugged wilderness to ensure safe supply lines.
Originally a rough, challenging road, the highway has since been fully paved and improved, making it the accessible road trip that it is today!
In June of 2025, we traveled the ALCAN ourselves, staying at some incredible spots that helped break up the driving into manageable segments. Depending on how long you linger at each stop, this trip can take anywhere from one to two weeks.
🚗 How to Get to the Alaska Highway
If you’re driving up from the US, the most common entry points into Canada are the Peace Arch crossing near Seattle or the Sweetgrass crossing from Montana. From there, you’ll head north through British Columbia, making your way toward Dawson Creek, KM 0 of the Alaska Highway. No matter where you enter, Dawson Creek is about a 2 to 3-day drive away from the US-Canadian border.
For those who need to fly to Dawson Creek, take a regional flight to Dawson Creek Regional Airport. From there, you can rent a car or RV to use during your road trip. Some companies might offer one-way rentals, which let you pick up your vehicle in Canada and drop it off in Alaska once you’re finished your road trip.
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🛣️ Know Before You Go: Alaska Highway Roadtrip
Below are some key things to know before setting out on the Alaska Highway to ensure a safe and enjoyable road trip.
1. Plan your fuel stops
Fuel stations can be far apart along the highway, sometimes well over 100 miles (160 km) between stops. Always fill up whenever you have the chance, and keep track of distances to the next station to avoid running low in remote areas. As a general rule of thumb, try to avoid letting your tank dip below half full.
2. Rest every ~2 hours from driving
If traveling with a partner, split the driving into shifts of about 2 to 2.5 hours each. This is what we did, and it helped keep us both alert while on long stretches of road. If you’re driving the Alaska Highway solo, we recommend stopping every 2 hours to rest for at least 15 minutes.
3. Prepare for no service
For the majority of our time on the road, especially when driving through British Columbia, we had little to no cell service. Unless you have something like Starlink set up, which came in really handy to continue working on this road trip, plan for this to be a largely off-grid adventure!
💡 For more information about how to pick the best Starlink model, check out our related article, The Best Starlink for Van Life!
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🏕️ Alaska Highway Roadtrip Itinerary
Below, we’ve mapped out all of our recommended overnight stops along the Alaska Highway, beginning at Mile 0 in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, and ending at Delta Junction—the official end of the road. Keep reading for detailed information on each stop, including driving times and distances between stretches.
🚗 Daily Driving Times: We’ve capped daily drives at 5 hours, leaving time to explore each destination in the afternoon. Use our driving estimates to combine stops for longer days or break them up further for shorter drives.
Stop #1: Mile 0 of Alaska Highway, Dawson Creek
Once you’ve made it to Dawson Creek, visit the Dawson Creek Alaskan Highway Visitors Centre to get the latest road conditions and travel updates. This is where we were informed of a huge wildfire blocking the road just a day’s drive ahead.
We decided to pivot and drive the Stewart-Cassiar Highway on the way up to Alaska, and the ALCAN on the way back down. Such last-minute route changes are fairly common along the Alaska Highway, so stay flexible and ready to adapt if necessary.
Before you leave town, make sure to stock up on any last-minute items you might need for the road trip. There is a Safeway and a Walmart in town, along with some smaller stores. When it comes to camping, Dawson Creek has an RV park, but it’s pretty basic. If you prefer to save your campsite fees for more unique spots, consider boondocking at the Walmart in town as we did.
Depending on your drive, you can also stop in Grand Prairie, Alberta, on the drive to Dawson Creek, a 1.5-hour drive away. We spent the night at the Rotary Club campground downtown and took advantage of their Costco and Planet Fitness.
If you’d like to go out to eat in Dawson Creek, we highly recommend stopping at Post and Row Brewing Co, where we had a great meal. Elliot got a P&R King of the North Cold IPA with a Spicy Chicken Burger, and Jen ordered a Wild Blueberry and Green Salad with Cajun Grilled Chicken and French Fries. Everything was delicious!
Before you go, don’t miss the chance to visit the Mile 0 sign, the Sticker Forest, and the iconic Alaska Highway Arch! A photo of your vehicle beneath the arch is a memory you’ll want to keep. Bring along a sticker if you have one to leave at the Sticker Forest, too!
💡 If your timing aligns, we highly recommend fitting in a day trip to Chetwynd for the International Carving Competition (usually held around mid-June for 5 days). We figured we’d mention it as the dates usually align with many people’s start date, and it’s just an hour’s drive away.
Stop #2: Fort Nelson (5 hours, 282 miles, 454 km)
A 5-hour drive away from Dawson Creek is Fort Nelson, where we recommend making your first stop. Fort Nelson doesn’t have a lot going on besides their Visitor Center and Heritage Museum, so we just stayed at the Triple G Hideaway Campsite, right on the edge of town, and moved on in the morning. We didn’t get any photos here.
If you want to drive 1-2 hours further, you can spend the night in Muncho Lake, Summit Lake, or Tetsa River Lodge. This is where the Alaska Highway gets super pretty. Even if you don’t spend the night at the Tetsa River Lodge, you have to try their cinnamon buns! We made pit stops at Muncho Lake and the Tetsa River Lodge after leaving Fort Nelson in the morning.
Stop #3: Liard River Hotsprings (4 hours, 190 miles, 305 km)
Next up is Liard River Hot Springs, one of our favorite stops on the Alaska Highway! This hot spring is the second-largest in all of Canada and is just around 4 hours away from Fort Nelson.
We recommend spending the evening you arrive bathing in the natural hot springs, and the next day exploring the area’s trails, plus a bit more time in the hot springs. We don’t blame you if you want to stay a second night here!
There is no water or electricity at this campground, so plan to boondock. We stayed for just one night and paid $26 for access to the Provincial Park Campground, which includes the $5 day pass to the springs. You can also reserve a room inside their lodge if you’d like to treat yourself! We recommend booking everything online a day or two out, at a minimum, to secure your spot.
Stop #4: Watson Lake (2.5 hours, 129 miles, 208 km)
Just 2.5 hours from Liard River Hot Springs lies Watson Lake. It may not be the most scenic town on your trip, but it’s definitely worth a stop. Pay a visit to the Yukon Visitors Centre. We watched an informative video about the area and picked up helpful details as we officially entered the Yukon Territory of Canada. The Visitors Centre is located inside the Northern Lights Centre.
The most exciting thing in town is definitely the Signpost Forest. Here, you can bring your own homemade sign and add it to the thousands of other signs left behind by fellow ALCAN travelers! Some people seem to even leave behind their own license plates!
We opted to stay at their Downtown RV Park, which offers a comfortable overnight stay with hot showers. It was nothing fancy, but it was located right in downtown, had hookups, and was right next to Watson Lake Foods, a surprisingly large grocery store.
Stop #5: Whitehorse (5 hours, 272 miles, 437 km)
Next up is Whitehorse, Yukon. As this is the capital of the entire Yukon territory, it’s an excellent place to stock up on anything and rest halfway through your trip. We took advantage of everything there was to do here and ended up staying for three nights!
While in Whitehorse, we enjoyed a few of the hiking trails, the scenic river walk, and exploring the local parks. Our favorite trail was definitely the easy, 1-hour Whitehorse Millennium Trail, which took us over a bridge, through forests, and past a river.
As far as restaurants go, we enjoyed two bowls of ramen with bao buns at Wood Street Ramen and also got coffee one morning at Baked Cafe & Bakery. This coffee shop was also a fantastic spot if you needed to get any computer work done!
Over the course of 3 nights, we decided to split our stays between two spots, Hi Country RV Park for one night and Riverside Free RV Parking for the last two to save some money. Here’s a bit more info about each:
- Hi Country RV Park: We paid to stay here the first night. It’s just a few minutes out of town and is a nice and quiet RV Park with all your essential amenities.
- Riverside Free RV Parking: We stayed here for free for the next two nights to rest a bit more halfway through the trip. When you visit, make sure to check whether there have been any local rule changes. Be respectful and keep it to two nights maximum if you visit.
Before leaving, we took advantage of the Canadian Tire in town (the first we had seen in a while) and picked up DEF for our diesel van.
💡 If you’re looking to relax in some hot springs a bit more, Eclipse Nordic Hot Springs is just outside of Whitehorse!
Stop #6: Haines Junction / Kluane National Park (1.5-2.5 hours, 96-142 miles, 155-228 km)
After Whitehorse, you’ve got just a 1.5 to 2.5-hour drive to Kluane National Park, depending on where you want to stay the night. This incredible Canadian National Park borders Wrangell-St. Elias National Park in Alaska, just across the border.
As we also ended up visiting Wrangell-St. Elias, later on in our journey, it was neat to see both sides of what is essentially one large park, if it weren’t for the US-Canadian border cutting it in half.
We chose this wild camping spot because it was right outside Sheep Creek Trail, which we wanted to start hiking along first thing in the morning. This ended up being one of our favorite hikes we’ve ever done! The views just kept getting better and better the more we hiked. It’s a challenging 7 to 8-hour round-trip climb and descent, but so worth it if you’re able. We think the photos speak for themselves.
If you want to spend more time in the area (which we hope to do next time we’re up here), you can also stop a bit earlier on the highway at Haines Junction. Here, you’ll find a small downtown, a few more established campgrounds, and the Kluane National Park Visitor Center. We visited the Thechàl Dhâl Visitor Centre, which was closer to where we were camping.
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Stop #7: Tok, Alaska (5 hours 40 minutes, 290 miles, 467 km)
Today’s the day you cross into Alaska! Today’s a longer driving day, especially if you’re coming from Haines Junction, 50 minutes further back on the Alaska Highway than where we camped. The border crossing is located about a 4-hour drive from Haines Junction. Once you’ve crossed, you have just under 2 hours to go until you reach Tok.
Once in Tok, we recommend staying at the Tesoro in town for free. We arrived late in the evening, fueled up, and gave the van a free wash and water refill. We parked to the side of the gas station and left first thing in the morning. This was a great, convenient spot for van life, but not as exciting as some of the other places we camped along the route.
💡 Just past town is Mukluk Land, a quirky amusement park that’s a fun stop, especially if you’re travelling with kids.
Stop #8: Delta Junction (1 hour 50 minutes, 107 miles, 172 km)
You’re finished! Delta Junction is the official end of the Alaska Highway. Make sure to take a photo next to the sign and relish in your accomplishment!
We also recommend chatting with the volunteer in the Delta Junction Visitor Center & Museum. He’s been driving up to Alaska for many years and can give you recommendations for more things to do in Alaska. You can also get an official Alaska Highway Certificate here to commemorate your journey!
🗺️ Map of the Alaska Highway
Below, we’ve not only pinned the places we recommend stopping at while driving the Alaska Highway, but also all the driving route and main points of interest we mentioned in this article. Feel free to save this map to use during your road trip!
How to use this map: We have saved the locations from this guide on this map. You can save this map to your Google Maps by pressing the star icon. In your Google Maps, click the menu icon and then Saved Maps, where this map will appear.
🔍 How to Find More Stops Along the Alaska Highway
Beyond the stops we have shared above, the Alaska Highway is dotted with countless other places to rest, camp, and explore. To discover even more hidden gems and plan your route on the fly, we highly recommend using iOverlander. This handy app lets you search for campgrounds, services, and traveler tips in real time. It will come in handy if you decide you want a shorter driving day, or if a specific campground we listed here has filled up.
☀️ Best Time for an Alaska Highway Road Trip
The best time to set out on an Alaska Highway road trip is anywhere between late May and early September, when Canadian/Alaskan weather is at its mildest, the days are at their longest, and services are open. We traveled in June and enjoyed pleasant temperatures, blooming landscapes, and plenty of daylight to enjoy the stunning scenery and wildlife.
That being said, the Alaska Highway is plowed throughout the winter months, making a winter road trip a possibility. You’ll enjoy fewer crowds, gorgeous snow-covered landscapes, and no bugs! But, as it is winter, you’ll need to be well-prepared for icy roads, shorter daylight hours, and below-freezing temps. Make sure to equip your vehicle with winter tires and chains, carry emergency supplies, and prepare for limited services.
⛺ What to Pack for the Alaska Highway
Besides your typical clothing, food, and personal items, we’ve listed what to pack for an Alaska Highway Roadtrip that you might not initially think of.
- Tire Repair Kit: Although the Alaska Highway is paved and regularly maintained, we did pass quite a few potholes in some very remote sections, so a tire repair kit is essential in our book.
- Garmin inReach: Since investing in a Garmin inReach, we’ve carried it with us on all of our hikes to make sure we can always send messages, navigate with its GPS, and have an SOS button just in case.
- Bear Spray: You can purchase bear spray and bring it across the border. Canada and Alaska are the center of bear country, so it’s a necessary safety precaution.
- Canadian Dollars: Make sure to withdraw Canadian Dollars before or at the beginning of your trip. There were a few places during the trip where we preferred to pay in cash.
- Dog Documentation: If you’re travelling with your pup, like we are, be prepared to declare them at the border. Bring along a copy of their rabies vaccination and any food in its original packaging. The border back into the US also has a few extra requirements, which you can read about here.
- Bug repellent: Bugs can be intense in Canada and Alaska during the summer, so we recommend bringing heavy-duty bug spray and a Thermacell bug shield. They aren’t called the Canadian Airforce for no reason…
- Passport: As you’ll be crossing the border between the US and Canada, make sure to bring your passport and a copy, just in case.
- Binoculars & Cameras: Bring a pair of binoculars if you have them, and your best camera, to capture any wildlife you spot while driving!
- Camping Gear: If you plan to sleep in a tent while on the road, and not in an RV or van, bring your tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pads, pillows, and any cooking gear like a Jetboil Stove.
🚫 What NOT to bring! When crossing the US-Canada border, make sure to avoid bringing any prohibited items such as pepper spray, weapons, meat and dairy products, or fresh produce to comply with regulations.
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- Where to Camp on the Alaska Highway: Road Trip Guide
- The 3 Routes for Driving to Alaska in Your Car
- 5 Tips For Planning Your Trip to Alaska (& Must-See Spots)
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