In a land of mind-boggling wilderness, rugged roadside pit stops and a Serengeti's worth of big fauna, Alaska's epic highways offer unlimited possibilities.
Alaskan highways appeal to a more adventurous wilderness enthusiast than the rest of the US. Most of the jaywalkers are moose, and road signs are used for target practice. Bring a sturdy vehicle, know how to change a tire, and stock up on food and emergency supplies if you drive here.
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It's 127 miles from Anchorage to Seward.
If you want to learn how to drive in Alaska, you can take the relatively easy route from Anchorage to Seward. The first section of Turnagain Arm is to the south of Alaska's main metro area.
There is a detour to the Cold War anachronism of Whittier from milepost 79. There's a museum, a harbor, and the ruins of a building. There is a single lane tunnel that alternates flow every 30 minutes.
Back on the highway, you can see lakes, mountains, and glaciers as you travel through the peninsula. Pull-offs serve as a good place to take selfies.
If you want to see blue-water kayakers and an easy access point for the drive-up Exit Glacier, you need to take a detour.
Alaska is a great base for these trips.
It's 186 miles from Tok toDawson City.
One of America's most northerly roads crossing into Canada at a seasonal border post is an undulating highway over rolling hillcrests. Chicken is a pin-prick gold mining settlement so named because its founding fathers couldn't figure out how to spell the local bird. The best cinnamon buns can be found north of the 60th parallel.
This rough ribbon of asphalt and gravel is only partially paved and lacks major services. If you want to experience an old-timer's experience, buy a gold pan in Delta Junction and go fishing in the West Fork River.
At the end of the Top of the World Highway, there is a free car ferry that will take you to the once bustling hub of the 1897 gold rush.
You will need sustenance if you don't stock up on Chicken supplies.
There are 358 miles between Alaska and Fairbanks.
The George Parks Highway was opened in 1971 parallel to the route of the Alaska Railroad. The highway provides quick year-round passage between the state's two main metro areas, as well as being the gateway to the national park, which is an important stop for anyone looking to see Alaska's big fauna.
There is a chance of a cloud-free view of the mountain at mile 163. One of the most awe-inspiring visions in America can be seen on a clear day. The park's highway crosses a deep V-shaped valley called Hurricane Gulch.
The social hub of 49th State Brewing Company is located in the same area as the "magic bus" used in the Sean Penn film Into the Wild.
The service center of Canyon is where you can get a park bus to take you to the interior of the national park.
Alaska's national parks are being introduced.
Nome is 73 miles long.
The former gold rush outpost of Nome is not connected to Alaska's main road network. Access is provided by air, sea or dogsled. Once in town, road-trippers can rent a car and explore three desolate roads, all of which are dead end in sweeping tundra.
The road that leads to the semi-abandoned village of Council is the most scenic, as it tracks a portion of the coast before ending on the Niukluk River. There are dredges, a locomotive dubbed "The Last Train to Nowhere" and a 120-year-old roadhouse that can be seen along the way.
A planning tip is to bring fishing tackle.
There is a state park in Juneau that is 36 miles long.
The Alaskan Panhandle is made up of jagged islands and deep fjords. The only way to get your car from one place to another is on the ferry. The drives are short but interesting when you get there. The Mendenhall Glacier, an unusual Catholic shrine and a state park overlook the Lynn Canal, which is the deepest fjord in North America.
The Shrine of St Thérse is located at the road's 23 mile mark and is a 1930s beach stone chapel. The highway ends at a state park where sea lions play in the surf.
The Mendenhall Glacier can be filled an hour or a day. The lake overlooked by the visitor center is named after the glacier. There are trails and bears in the area.
Glennallen is 182 miles.
The Glenn Highway runs through mountain valleys that look like they were carved by an extra-terrestrial Michelangelo, making it one of Alaska's premier roads. Palmer is an agricultural community ringed by mountains known for its freakishly large crops.
There are many glaciers spilling off the Chugach Mountains to the south. Glennallen is the gateway to Wrangell-St Elis National Park.
The roadhouses decorated with taxidermic animals dot this route and make great lunch stops.
The best way to see Alaska's stunning coast is by ferry.
The distance from Fairbanks to Valdez is 368 miles.
The Richardson is one of Alaska's oldest roads. It was upgraded from a pack trail to a wagon road in 1910 and then to an automobile road in the 1920s. Adding paving was done in 1957.
The highway starts in the north and goes south. There is a section between Paxson and Gulkana that is really fascinating. The huge humps of the Alaska and Chugach Mountains are visible in the summer light. You can raft through Copper Center, Thompson Pass and narrow Keystone Canyon, which are all along the river. At the end of the road is a small coastal town that is revered by outdoor sports enthusiasts and has boat access to the huge glaciers of Prince William Sound.
The original settlement of Valdez was destroyed by an earthquake in 1964. The tragic story is told in the museum.
Delta Junction is 1390 miles away.
If you want to bring your car to Alaska from Canada or the Lower 48, you will most likely find the Alaska Highway, also known as the Alcan. The road, which was hacked and blasted through the wilderness during World War II in an unprecedented eight months, was hailed as a great road-building initiative of the 20th century.
There are a number of worthwhile stops on the Alaskan section of the route, including a transportation corridor for birds with four roadside viewing areas, and a strange backwoods theme park.
The Alcan is open year-round. Phone coverage can be spotty, but roadside services are good. It's a good idea to book ahead for overnight lodgings.
The article was first published about a year ago.
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