The boundless spaces of the American continent inevitably inspire road travel and the great north is no exception. Alaska‘s long distances are perfect for driving for hours across unknown lands, admiring wild landscapes, and hoping to meet wild animals here and there. The desire to come across animals is fulfilled more often than one imagines.
Unfortunately, the rugged terrain and sparse population have meant that much of the state has no road connections. But fear not, the existing roads are more than enough to commit you to a multi-day trip to Alaska.
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Best time to drive in Alaska
If you’ve already read my article about Alaska’s climate, you may have realized that not every month of the year is ideal for traveling by car in this cold northern state. In winter, many roads are closed to traffic due to excessive snow or because they are too dangerous, considering that even some of the main routes are not paved.
While the roads in the city are kept clean, long drives for non-locals can be dangerous even along roads open to traffic. If you go to Alaska in winter, I suggest you to choose other means of transportation: have a look at the article dedicated to how to organize a trip to Alaska.
If you travel between May and September, you should have no problems and you can rent a car freely. Unless you plan to drive the Dalton Highway, or you are coming from Canada, the best place to fly to and rent a car from is Anchorage.
I have therefore thought of 3 possible itineraries that will allow you, depending on the days you have available, to discover the best of what Alaska has to offer. In my article on Anchorage instead, you can discover some short day trips that depart from the city, that you could perhaps integrate into your itinerary.
Itinerary 1: 7/8 days in Prince William Sound
Prince William Sound is one of the most interesting regions of Alaska, where land and sea form an indissoluble union with glaciers that plunge into the ocean and you can choose between hiking and kayaking along the coast every day. Looking at the map, one immediately realizes how this part of the gulf (about 31×69 miles in size) is full of fjords and islets, which make it the perfect habitat for numerous marine and terrestrial species.
But Man has also chosen these lands as his home since time immemorial: the tribes of the Ahtna, the Alutiiq and the Eyak have for centuries settled respectively in the areas of the St. Elias National Park, the south-western coast and the Copper River Delta. A drive through these lands will not leave you disappointed.
Days 1 and 2: Anchorage
The day of your arrival and the following day are dedicated to Anchorage. You can acclimatize and start to become familiar with the place. Find out here what you can do in the city along with some advice on where to sleep.
Day 3: along the Matanuska
Early in the morning hop in the car and leave Anchorage behind and head north on the Glenn Highway. In less than half an hour you’ll reach some interesting sites to choose from for your morning stop: Thunderbird Falls (which involves a 2-2.5 mile trek), and the village of Eklutna, where you can discover the culture of the natives. With a few minutes more drive, you’ll cross the Knik and Matanuska rivers, which join together right here.
The road then turns east following the course of the latter, which will be your companion for a long time. If you travel at the end of August, a little further on, in Palmer, you will find indications for the Alaska State Fair: a big fair full of events, which can be an interesting stop to discover and try local products and attend shows and concerts.
Following the course of the Matanuska River, the road crosses the valley that divides the Alaska Range from the Chugach Mountains, offering spectacular views from both sides. One of the most interesting areas to stop is the Matanuska Glacier State Recreation Site (about 2 hours from Anchorage), where the river springs from the glacier of the same name. Excursions on the river and glacier are organized nearby. If you don’t make stops in the morning, you can head straight here to devote the day to a hike.
With only 10 minutes more driving time, you instead reach a rest area (obviously called Glacier View) with a refreshment stand. The Lionhead Mountain Trail also branches off from here, a 1.2-mile trail on one of Alaska’s most famous rocks (the ‘Lionhead’) from where you can enjoy a breathtaking view from over 1750 feet overhanging the glacier.
Resuming the route, we cross an area where Dahll’s sheep roam in large numbers and it is very easy to spot them. When you reach the village of Glennallen (3h from Anchorage) you will have a scenic view of Mount Drum, which stands out in front of you at the end of the road. Here the Glenn ends with a T-junction on the Richardson Highway: turn right, heading south, and look for a place to stay overnight in one of the first villages, such as Copper Center.
Day 4: Wrangell-St.Elias National Park & Preserve
Spend a day visiting Wrangell-St.Elias, one of Alaska’s most beautiful parks. Halfway between Tazlina and Copper Center (about 10 minutes from each) you’ll easily find the park’s visitor center, where you’ll get all the information you need to embark on a day tour. Stay overnight in the same place as the night before so you have the full day available. Only a small part of this boundless territory can be visited without difficulty on foot. If you can afford it, board a tourist plane to see the mountain range from above.
Days 5 and 6: Valdez
The Richardson Highway runs parallel to the pipeline from Prudhoe Bay to the port of Valdez. It takes, two hours to get from Copper Center to Valdez and I recommend a stop on the shore of Willow Lake and the Worthington Glacier State Recreation Site. Valdez is worth a visit, in particular for the suggestive Valdez Glacier Lake: the lake that forms immediately below the glacier due to its melting, and where you can see the icebergs falling off.
In town don’t miss the Whitney Museum with its walrus ivory carvings. You can stay overnight in Valdez and devote the next day to a boat trip to the Columbia Glacier (one of the largest in Alaska) or perhaps a shorter kayaking trip around Valdez.
Columbia Glacier Cruise from Valdez
Day 7: Cordova and the Copper Delta
Please note: for the next 2 stops you need to travel by sea and you need to be strategic in your planning: on checking the ferry schedules you will notice that, unfortunately, the Aurora ferry (the one that serves the ports of Cordova, Valdez, and Whittier) runs every 2-3 days depending on the month, this means that you will have to organize your itinerary according to the departure of the ferries themselves. The only other alternative (other than going backwards all the way and driving over 5 hours) is to fly from Valdez airport to Anchorage in about 40 minutes. To shorten the itinerary by 1 day and have more variables in your choice you can also consider skipping this leg and taking the ferry to Whittier from Valdez, availability permitting.
Cordova is one of the homelands of salmon, being located at the mouth of the Copper River, and the large delta is definitely worth a day of touring. If you come here in May, you’ll come across the migration of millions of waders, to which a festival is dedicated: the Copper River Delta Shorebird Festival.
Day 8: Across Prince William Sound
From Cordova, you can take a ferry to Whittier, a western port on the Kenai Peninsula. The crossing takes several hours (7 from Cordova, 6 if from Valdez), but it’s worth it for both the scenery and the chance to spot whales right from the ferry. After disembarking at the port of Whittier, you will be back in Anchorage with a drive of an hour and a half.
Itinerary 2: 10 Days in Prince William Sound and Kenai Peninsula
One of the reasons why it is worth visiting Alaska is the Kenai Peninsula, a paradise for bird-watchers and favorite habitat of elk that graze undisturbed in large swampy areas, but above all home to the most beautiful fjords of the American continent (I have already spoken of them in my Top 10 Alaska). Easily reachable from Anchorage by car, and in part also thanks to the railroad, the Kenai Peninsula is also a perfect match for a larger road trip, like the one I suggested in the previous paragraph.
Days 1-5: Anchorage-Valdez
Consider the previous tour up to Valdez, an ideal stop to visit the spectacular glaciers of Prince William Sound.
Days 6-7: Seward
It takes about 6 hours by ferry from Valdez to Whittier, but you’ll find that it’s not long enough to take in the unique scenery of one of North America’s most scenic gulfs. From Whittier, you can reach Seward in a couple of hours driving along the Seward Highway, perhaps the most spectacular road in Southern Alaska.
Kenai Lake is just one of the scenic spots where a stop is inevitable. The town is small but lively, particularly in the marina area. In addition to the pleasant walks along the waterfront, it is worth renting a kayak to paddle around and visit the Alaska SeaLife Center: a museum and research institute among the best in the state, and certainly the most quoted to discover the secrets of the Alaskan sea.
Day 8: Kenai Fjords
Book a day tour to explore the Kenai Fjords, one of the wonders of Alaska. You won’t regret it!
- Kenai Fjords National Park Cruise: This is a full-day cruise along the spectacular Kenai Fjords and its glaciers where you will also have the opportunity to see some of the local wildlife such as whales, killer whales and sea lions in their natural habitat.
- Half-day cruise between Kenai Fjords and Resurrection Bay: if you don’t have a whole day to dedicate to the cruise, this could be the best solution for you since the whole excursion will last only three and a half hours, allowing you to see the best that the area has to offer.
Day 9: Kenai National Wildlife Refuge
If one of the reasons you came to Alaska is moose, devote a day to this park, where there are several hiking trails and, most importantly, you get around by canoe. The Kenai national wildlife refuge canoe trail is considered the best in the state, and not without reason. It will take you about a 2-hour drive from Seward, and I also suggest a quick ride to the nearby town of Kenai, famous for its Russian Orthodox community. In the evening, head to Homer, only a 1h 30 minute drive away.
Day 10: Homer and the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge
Homer is the town of shellfish and, like so many other Alaskan towns, lives off the sea. Why stop here? Because it is a privileged point to discover the colonies of seabirds, millions of specimens of dozens of different species. The most comfortable and agile way to enjoy this reserve is to participate in one of the free activities organized by the rangers, including the search for shellfish and sea creatures (tidepooling) or the simple Beluga Slough Trail walk.
In the afternoon, you can leave to return to Anchorage (it will take 4 hours by car), or you can choose to spend another night here and leave at leisure the next day. The town of Homer also has an airport that can be used to get to Anchorage in about forty minutes, although it probably won’t be very convenient compared to continuing the trip by car.
Itinerary 3: 10 days in central Alaska from Anchorage to Fairbanks
If what you’re looking for are long roads across endless moors, you can make a loop from Anchorage that touches the northern stronghold of Fairbanks. This will give you a taste of mountains, forests and wilderness like you’ve never seen before.
Days 1-3: From Anchorage to the Richardson Highway
Consider Route 1 to the edge of the Wrangell-St.Elias National Park & Preserve, the point where the Glenn Highway intersects the Richardson Highway, which connects Fairbanks with the southern port of Valdez. The mountain scenery here is incredible, and a stop on the slopes of the mountain range is worth the stop. However, if you plan one or more hikes, add days to the itinerary.
Day 4: Head to Fairbanks on the Richardson Highway
Early in the morning take the Richardson road north: with the pipeline as your faithful companion. It takes about 5 hours of driving to reach Fairbanks, but there are many points along the way where it may be worth stopping to stretch your legs and maybe take some pictures.
A couple of examples are the Richardson Monument (coordinates here) or the Rainbow Ridge: a mountain ridge so named for the red and green colors of its volcanic rocks (it’s clearly visible from this point on). You’ll only need the afternoon to visit the small town of Fairbanks and the ice sculpture museum.
Days 5 and 7: To the Arctic Circle or other excursions from Fairbanks
The city lends itself as an excellent base for many interesting excursions or activities. So I suggest you spend a couple of nights here and here are some suggestions of things to do.
- For an adventurous trip, but that will surely remain as a lasting memory, take the first part of the impressive Dalton Highway, but consider that if you want to reach the Arctic Circle you will have to drive for 5 hours and then return (in the linked article above, you will find information on the possibilities of overnight stays along the road); if you want to simplify things you can join an organized tour.
- For something less long, you can opt for a day at the Chena Hot Springs: natural hot springs, just over 1 hour from Fairbanks. The road through the tundra is well worth the drive and soaking in the steaming waters, while outside even in summer the air is cold, is definitely a good feeling.
- A third option to consider is a visit to Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge: an 800+ acre oasis right next to the town houses, where thousands of migratory birds congregate in the spring and fall.
Many other experiences will help you to enjoy your stay in Fairbanks: a sled dog ride or a visit to the Museum of the North; a walk in the world’s northernmost botanical garden or in the Large Animal Research Station, where musk oxen and caribou await you.
If the most popular proposals do not satisfy you, you can always improvise yourself as a prospector and venture into an abandoned mine: along the Steese Highway you will find the signs for Gold Dredge No. 8, an old mine now accessible by a short railroad, where you can try your luck sifting for gold.
Days 8 and 9: Denali National Park
The Parks Highway connects Fairbanks with Anchorage, but halfway you will find one of the best stops you can make in Alaska: Denali National Park, where I recommend you spend at least a couple of days, considering that the first one will not be complete because of the trip.
Before arriving, make a stop in Nenana: this village of 400 inhabitants has little to offer besides the Alfred Starr Nenana Cultural Center (a museum that tells the story of the natives), but it is interesting for its location. From here, across the Yukon and Tanana rivers, boats depart to supply the more distant villages during the thaw period.
During the months of February and March, people place bets (300,000 lottery tickets are sold each year) on the exact time when the ice will melt, freeing Nenana; the topical moment is identified by a tripod placed on the shore, which makes a clock stop when it falls.
Another suggested stop is the small Healy, where you can see the bus used for the movie Into the Wild. To plan a visit to the park in detail, I refer you to my guide on how to visit Denali National Park.
(June 2020 update: Unfortunately, due to constant distress calls from inexperienced tourists trying to get to this location, the bus has been permanently removed. At the time of writing this update, a possible new location has not yet been decided.)
Day 10: Return to Anchorage
It takes about 4 hours to get to Anchorage and to make a stop a little past the halfway mark, I recommend Talkeetna, a quaint little town famous for having a cat as its mayor! With 900 residents, it has practically more animals than people and is located on the end of a background-free road that branches off the highway, nestled at the point where the Talkeetna River flows into the Susitna.
If you arrive here hungry, stop by the West Rib Pub & Grill and sample one of the signature musk ox burgers! If you have more time, you can book a tour on the Hurricane Turn: a train that shuttles between the town and the picturesque Hurricane Gulch, crossing a bridge that is definitely not for those who suffer from vertigo.
