Our Favorite Road Trips in Alaska

There’s nothing quite as freeing as hitting the open road in Alaska, with majestic mountains, peaceful coastline, lush forest, or flat tundra streaming past your car or RV windows. The state is connected by 17,000 miles of public road and over a dozen scenic highways, spanning from the Haines & Klondike Highways in the Inside Passage to the famed Dalton Highway in Alaska's Arctic region.

Thanks to Alaska's vast size (it's larger than Texas, California, and Montana combined), you could drive for days and still only see a relatively small section of the state. In fact, even with thousands of miles of road to drive, the majority of Alaska is still only accessible by boat or plane. The state's varied landscapes change as you drive — past large swaths of national parks and public lands, mountain ranges, forests, glaciers, rivers and lakes, and tundra, along with endless opportunities to view wildlife including moose, bears, Dall sheep, eagles, and even beluga whales (viewable in Cook Inlet along the Seward Highway). 

So where can you go on Alaska's highways? We’ve outlined a few of our favorite road trips here. Though all of these drives could be made in a day, we recommend planning at least 2-3 days to experience the amazing sights and charming towns along the way. 

From Fairbanks to Anchorage

Distance: 360 miles one way
Driving time: 6 1/2 hours

Alaska’s two largest cities anchor the ends of this road trip. Denali National Park and Preserve sits between them, making this drive along the Parks Highway one of the most popular routes in the state. Leave plenty of time to explore things to do in Fairbanks before you hit the road to Denali, just two hours south. Spend your time in the park looking for Denali’s "Big 5" (bear, moose, wolves, Dall sheep, and caribou).

Spend at least a day hiking, fishing, ATVing, ziplining, rafting and more around Denali, and then head south to Talkeetna. Wander the charming Main Street of this small town and take advantage of local adventures like flightseeing over Denali, river trips, hiking, ATV tours, and more. On the final leg of the tour through the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, make a short detour to Palmer, a farming community that dates back to 1935. Pick some berries at a local farm, go hiking at Hatcher Pass, or visit the Knik Glacier. The drive ends in Anchorage, where countless more activities await. 

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From Anchorage to the Kenai Peninsula

Distance: 300 miles one way
Driving time: 5 1/2 hours

Head south from Anchorage on the Seward Highway for one of the prettiest coastal drives in the state; it’s a designated National Scenic Byway and an All-American Road. There are plenty of pull-offs for photo opportunities, beluga spotting, or hiking trails. Less than an hour in, you’ll reach the turnoff for Girdwood, a small resort town with great hiking and restaurants. And just a little later, you’ll discover the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and Portage Glacier.

Head farther south and you’ll hit the end of the road in Seward, gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park. Take a scenic day cruise into the park to view glaciers, whales, sea lions, puffins, and more, or head out on a fishing charter, glacier trek, or kayaking tour. The next day, you'll head back north on the Seward Highway for about 40 minutes and then west on the Sterling Highway, where the Kenai River (and its king salmon) beckons from the towns of Soldotna and Kenai. Keep driving and you’ll hit Homer, the artsy fishing town packed with restaurants and galleries. Head to the Homer Spit to find a halibut fishing charter or a boat ride to Kachemak Bay State Park. 

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From Fairbanks to Valdez

Distance: 360 miles one way
Driving time: 6 1/2 hours

The Richardson Highway, previously known as the Valdez-Fairbanks Trail, was one of the most important access routes during the Fairbanks gold rush and can still transport travelers back in time. As you head south from Fairbanks, stop at Rika’s Roadhouse in Big Delta State Historical Park for the first glimpse into the early 1900s. Sullivan Roadhouse serves as a museum to the pioneer days in Delta Junction. Continue the history lesson in Copper Center at the George I. Ashby Memorial Museum.

In Copper Center, stop at the Visitor Center for Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, our country’s largest national park. The last leg of the drive to Valdez is incredibly scenic, with Thompson Pass, Worthington Glacier, and roadside waterfalls along the way. Set along Prince William Sound with a dramatic mountain backdrop, Valdez is an adventure town offering fishing, hiking, kayaking, glacier and wildlife boat tours, and so much more. 

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From Anchorage to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park

Distance: 305 miles one way
Driving time: 6 1/2 hours

This road trip takes you from Alaska's biggest city into the heart of it's largest national park. Head north from Anchorage along the scenic Glenn Highway. Once you pass the town of Palmer, you're treated to panoramic views of mountains, the Matanuska River, and glaciers, with plenty of pull-offs along the way for photo-ops. Stretch your legs on a glacier trek on the Matanuska Glacier - one of the most accessible glaciers in Alaska. In the small town of Glennallen you'll connect with the Richardson Highway and head to Copper Center, home to the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park Visitor Center - a must-visit before heading into the park. Veer from the Richardson to the Edgerton Highway, which leads to the historic town of Chitina. From here, the true adventure begins as you embark on the slow drive down the 60-mile (unpaved) McCarthy Road into the heart of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. 

When you reach the end of the road, you’ll know you found a gem. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park is a land of superlatives: the largest national park in the country, home to the largest and longest glaciers and volcanoes in North America, and home to the historic mining town of Kennicott, now a ghost town. Kennicott Mines National Historic Landmark is a must-see, with restored buildings that transport you back into the area's mining history. Stay in the charming town of McCarthy for access to adventures in the park including backpacking and hiking, whitewater rafting, glacier trekking, flightseeing, and more.

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