longest distance between gas stations alaska highway

You can combine the Yellowhead and Cassiar Highways instead of the Alaskan Highway to get through Canada on your way to Alaska. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. I hit the brakes. Although the Alaska Highway was completed on October 28, 1942 and was celebrated at Soldiers Summit on November 21st (and broadcast by radio, the exact outdoor temperature censored due to wartime concerns), the highway was not usable by general vehicles until 1943. Day 1. Additionally, in case of emergency, its a good idea to have a full gas can with you. The frozen ruts destroyed all four of my tires and buying replacement tires in Canada cost over $900. I haul RVs to Anchorage from IN Yes the roads can be a B.., but common sense, caution and a good vehicle with good tires can make it most any time of the year. In the end, I basically saw the forecast for Whitehorse, sunny and seventy, and hightailed it there. ), Connects: Dawson Creek, BC, to Delta Junction, Alaska This highway runs between US 95 and Denio, NV. Im starting to think the smell of our toilet attracted them *facepalm.*. Banff, Lake Louise, Icefields Parkway, and Jasper are incredible but can be crowded and overwhelming. Strictly speaking, the Alaska Highway starts at the Mile 1 marker in Dawson Creek, on the eastern edge of British Columbia, and travels north and west for 2,242km (1,393 miles) to Delta Junction, in Alaska, passing through the Yukon along the way. Report inappropriate content LeBiscuit D Los Angeles. It can freeze overnight starting mid-September up there so icy roads are possible in the mornings. When I was planning our trip I thought I didnt want to drive more than 250 miles per day, which would be about 5 hours a day, and therefore figured it would take me 6 days of driving. Of that, 1,048 km are in British Columbia, 907 km in the Yukon, and 477 km in Alaska. A gas station operates at the junction of Highway 37 and the Alaska Highway in summer . While Dawson City just felt a bit too touristy for me, I was bummed that we werent prepared to drive the Dempster Highway. Of course, if you include 2 lane highways, there's even more desolate sections of roadway in the US. When you click through these links we receive a small commission at no charge to you. at Beaver Creek, Yukon; north then west from Dawson Creek (an advance group started from Fort Nelson, British Columbia after traveling on winter roads on frozen marshland from railway stations on We have driven the Alcan before but not sure if we should get them for driving in May or not. It is important to plan ahead and make sure you have enough fuel to reach the next station. Alaksa Marine Hiway MV Malaspina. The trip between the Canadian border to Fairbanks, Alaska, is a stretch of nearly 1,500 miles, and the trip from Seattle, Washington, to Fairbanks is a whopping 2,313 miles. The Alaskan Highway is a completely paved road and open all year, although you do need to carry chains from October through April. One old log bridge can still be seen at the Aishihik river crossing. Good luck! The road itself is . If you have posted the videos on YouTube, would you provide the links? Hopefully our F150 does fine. Thank you. I believe the longest distance in Baja is about 250km, and that includes a few stops consisting of "a guy with a barrel by the side of the road". SW Colorado to Fairbanks, leaving Durango Colorado December 9th if able to stay on plan. The Alaskan Highway doesnt start at the US/Canadian border. Take a backpacking trip and sleep beneath glaciers. The longest stretch of "no fuel" is about 100 miles, but most of the Alaska Highway and the Cassiar have fuel every 50 miles or less. Keep in mind that some vehicles (especially older cars) have trouble starting in such cold weather. Our Height will be 13 maximum. the Northern Alberta Railways); both east and west from Whitehorse after being ferried in via the White Pass and Yukon Route railway. is the place to drive in summer for long daylight hours, unspoiled wilderness and unlimited fishing, hiking and outdoor enjoyment. Before the Parks Highway was completed in the early 1970s, the Denali Highway was the only . Unfortunately though, there was a horrible incident only a month after we finished our trip where some people who had broke down on the side of the road were murdered. Length of Time: 5 to 6 hours without stops. We had two flat tires . One thing I do tell friends when they ask me about if I felt safe driving the Alaskan Highway is that some of the smaller towns felt very poor and run down and as always, you should let your instincts guide you. This increases the cost of the gasoline before it even reaches the gas stations. It is not mandatory to have studded tires in BC, but here is what it says on the BC.gov.ca website about having proper tires for the winter : It is the responsibility of the operator of a vehicle to understand the conditions on roads they regularly drive and equip their vehicle for those conditions. There were four main thrusts in building the route: southeast from Delta Junction, Alaska toward a linkup Also, gas in Alaska is measured in gallons, and in Canada, in liters. I have only had to wait 1 day one time when the highway had a bad washout in BC. I think this is the longest stretch on a major highway in Ontario w/o gas. But many people who arent visiting Fairbanks choose to take the Tok cutoff which takes you down to Anchorage. South Dakota appears to have no stations off I-29 between Brookings and Watertown (I don't remember any and Gasbuddy confirms), a distance of about 45 miles. reserve)] I will be towing an MB G-Wagen [I am planning to install An ~ 50 gal. I am hoping to make the trip from Denver to Anchorage April or May. Additionally, its worth noting that gas prices in remote areas can be higher than in urban areas. Tip for border crossing: I almost always time the crossings to be later in the evening just in case the wait is long. TIL that a 106-mile portion of I-70 in Utah has no gasoline or exits. Very likely not. The Alaskan Highway ends at Delta Junction, AK, which is right before Fairbanks. North of Coldfoot, there is a 240-mile (386-km) stretch of road with no gas stations, restaurants, hotels, or any other basic services until the Prudhoe Bay oilfield at Deadhorse. There are four main routes that you can take to get to the start of the Alaskan Highway: West Access Route: The West Access Route takes you from Seattle through Vancouver BC, Cache Creek, Williams Lake, and Prince George BC. Top tips and advice for EV road trippers in 2022. on the mainland - well, information is just too sporadic to be able to make an accurate determination. Still recommend not pulling a trailer at that time frame? While there are places you can stop along the way, the Alaskan Highway section only took us a total of 5 driving days, but this doesnt include the detour we took driving the Golden Circle and to Valdez, plus, 3 of those were only half days of driving. The Alaska Highway is plowed in the winter by both the Canadian and the Alaskan governments, so it is in good condition and driveable year-round. Highway descends gradually over the 300 miles to Fairbanks along the Tanana River. I checked the government website and all I saw was it is the responsibility of the operator to understand the conditions on the roads and equip their vehicles for those conditions. It sits right on the turquoise lake that was still partially covered in ice and is surrounded by snow capped mountains. (Example: During a February 2012 trip, some gas stations were sold-out of fuel which made it 200 miles between fill-ups! In Yukon and BC I hit 3 bad snow storms. You should also check my other post about the road conditions on the Alaska Highway: Is The Alaska Highway PAVED? Alaska Highway. In general, you should expect to pay around 15 20% more for gas along the ALCAN. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. The rec centers were definitely life savers some days. Author of bestseller books on Amazon about Route 66 & Alaska Highway. The next day I really didnt have the intention of driving so far, but there really wasnt anything that amazing to stop for except for the 17 bears we saw along the highway. For us, when we are on long road trips in our motorhome, we tend to average only 80kph (50mph). One huge misconception about driving this highly regarded northern highway has graduated from the long gone history from the days of old. The road was winding and snaked through various tunnels and bridges, while taking you alongside the railroad tracks and all their bridges and tunnels. I was too worried that even if we tried to sleep there wed freeze overnight so we drove on towards Muncho Lake. Could be icy north of Prince George next week. Dont confuse this with Dawson City which is near Alaska and north of Whitehorse. I needed more of a reason to take on the challenge of driving 7000 miles round trip. Fill up at every gas station and have full survivor gear. More than 100 years ago, gold was the reason people headed north. Another reason is that Alaska has a small population density, so there is less demand for gasoline, so refineries and wholesalers charge more for gasoline to compensate for the higher cost of business. My son, his dog and I drove from Anchorage to Denver the second week in November, 2016. Another night we camped right on the water and saw many sea otters playing right in from of the campground. Fort St John and Whitehorse are the two biggest cities, both having Walmarts, in case you need to restock along the way, as well as many options for food and lodging. In the cities it is usually around $3 American/gallon. click here to read our Canada National Parks Road Trip Itinerary. Whitehorse is part of the Golden Circle which encompasses Whitehorse, Carcross, Skagway, Haines and Haines Junction. Heading that way now with a 30 ft toy hauler. We arrived in Dawson Creek only a few minutes before the visitor center closed, which I was thankful for so that the kids could get their Driving the Alaskan Highway certificate and so we could grab brochures to help us plan what detours we wanted to take. The furthest distance between two gas stations is just over 110 miles and each one is marked in The Milepost book. I found a cool website (http://images.drivebc.ca/bchighwaycam/pub/html/www/index-Northern.html) that has webcams along the route. If you are wondering what is the longest distance between gas stations in the Continental US is, I think I found it last week. Copyright 2023 AlaskaTrekker | All Rights Reserved, http://images.drivebc.ca/bchighwaycam/pub/html/www/index-Northern.html. So in Grand Prairie, we paid about $1.20 per liter times 4 is $4.8, and 3/4 or that = $3.60 per gallon, which wasnt much different than what we paid in the States. Alaska Highway Motorcycle The 10 BEST TIPS For Riding a Motorbike on the ALCAN How to prepare? You can Bring long guns (shotguns, rifles etc) and up to 5000 rounds of ammo. Where the Alaska Highway Ends The Alaskan Highway ends at Delta Junction, AK, which is right before Fairbanks. This is the ultimate travel guide and pocket reference for anyone wishing to experience the adventure and wonder of THE ALASKA HIGHWAY! Im going to post some videos to YouTube about our trip it was amazing and I would do it again . Next, take at least one full day to drive Icefields Parkway. The Cassiar Highway junctions with Yellowhead Highway 16 at Milepost PG 298, Skeena River bridge, and travels north to junction with the Alaska Highway at Milepost DC 626.2, 13.3 miles/21.4 km west of Watson Lake, YT. The distance between gas stations on the Alaska Highway (also known as the Alcan Highway) can vary depending on the specific location. Never let gas tank get below half full, and you may need to get a block heater installed and carry an extension cord. BTW- the gas station at the Cassiar Highway junction had some of the cheapest gas on the entire drive and gas in general along the Cassiar is a bit more expensive. Stay at the lodge on Lake Mac Donald and enjoy gorgeous sunrises, sunsets, and boating. Bridges, which progressed during 1942 from pontoon bridges to temporary log bridges, were replaced with steel bridges where necessary only. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to drive the Alaska Highway? The drive sounded extra daunting since our home base is San Diego, which meant over two thousand miles of driving before we even started the Alaskan Highway. It did get busier from Dease Lake down to the Yellowhead Highway junction. But you'll still want to top off when the opportunity presents itself (Baie-Comeau, Manic 5, Relais Gabriel, Labrador City, Churchill Falls, HV-GB, Port Hope Simpson, Red Bay). Your actual mileage will vary, however, and if you spend enough time on the road you're guaranteed to run into traffic delays or detours. I cannot find any information about bringing that through Canada. Today it's a small fishing community with about 2800 permanent residents and doubles in the summer with . Finding and Pricing Gas While I drove this by myself with my kids, if Victor had been with us, he wouldve needed to find a gym along the way to get his swoll on (I couldnt say it with a straight face). This part had no centerline and no shoulder and I wouldve hated to break down along this section because I think we only passed a handful of other cars between Watson Lake and Dease Lake. Service hours are short and after 5pm it is pretty much credit card only. Today I will answer for these questions. A post shared by Adventure Travel Family (@nomadswithapurpose) on May 29, 2019 at 3:47pm PDT. Good luck with your trip. The easing of the Japanese invasion threat resulted in no more contracts being given to private contractors for upgrading of specific sections. While the Alaskan Highway provides so many opportunities to learn about history, its not the driving force in my life right now. This is a great hike and camping near here or even just spending a day on Kathleen Lake would be a great addition to your itinerary. Many stations have very long distances between them. It really depends on your style of travel and what you are driving. Without those detours, I couldve easily done it in 3 daysDawson Creek to Muncho Lake, Muncho to Whitehorse, and Whitehorse to Delta Junction. I have driven the AK Hwy 68 times over the past 13 years. All of the big towns have gas stations and there are a few gas stations in between but they will cost a lot more. We had a full-size mattress in the back of the van and a 20 below sleeping bag and was very warm all night every night . Cant help you with the details on your RV but the first question Canadian customs will ask is Do you have any firearms with you? Copyright 2023 Nomads With A Purpose | Trellis Framework by Mediavine. However, the Burwash-Koidern section is still a problem, as the new highway built there in the late 1990s continues to experience frost heave. The highway winds through the Yukon for about 885 km (550 miles) and crosses into Alaska at mile 1221 (km 1964). Due to the highway's isolation and rough surface, you must do some planning before you go. We didnt see a single bear in Alaska. Your email address will not be published. Depending on how you get to Dawson Creek, the start of the highway, you will probably pass through the very large cities of Prince George or Calgary, which will be great places to stock up in. You can combine all 5 towns into a great road trip and see the worlds smallest desert, go over the White Pass, which could easily be one of the worlds best mountain passes, and immerse yourself in gold rush history. Sure, Liard Hot Springs sounded amazing, but Id never drive thousands of miles to visit it when Idaho is filled with epic hot springs that are way less crowded. The truth is, it would require a hell of a lot of recklessness to actually run out of gas. We intend to drive from Fairbanks via Whitehorse to Dawson City the last 2 weeks in April. How Long It Takes To Drive The Alaskan Highway, Recommended Stops Along the Alaska Highway, 3 | Eat Cinnamon Rolls at Tetsa River Lodge, Recommended Detours off of the Alaska Highway, Alternate Routes: Driving the Cassiar Highway, Why I Chose To Drive To Alaska and Not Fly To Anchorage, Watch This YouTube & Subscribe To Our Channel, Total Fuel Cost= $3,800 USD + $300 USD Ferry, Golden Circle: Guide to Whitehorse, Skagway, and Haines, A post shared by Adventure Travel Family (@nomadswithapurpose), Tips for Camping in Glacier National Park. Central Access Route: This route starts in Ellensburg, WA and will take you through Kamloops. If you made it this far, CONGRATS because you are going to have an epic trip up the Alaska highway with all the info you just read. A lot of people (including myself) take this route instead of staying on the 93. But to be on the safe side, as mentioned above, drive on the upper half of your fuel tank. There are many great overlooks and hikes to do along the road or click here to sign up for the Colombia Icefields Tour and do the Glacier Skywalk. You can take the ferry from Whittier (near Anchorage along the road to Seward) over to Haines and connect up with the ALCAN via the Haines Highway. Camping at Strawberry Flats campground, which is at mile market 437 when driving from Dawson Creek, was certainly a highlight for us mountain lovers. 109 miles (175 km) of the highway are sealed. Big Delta State Historical Park and turn off to Rika's . Now, if you have money to throw on some excursions in Alaska, Im sure you can pay to see some incredible wildlife. The Cassiar runs north-south and connects the Yellowhead Highway with the Alaskan Highway near Watson Lake. From Glennallen, take Alaska Route 4 (AK-4, also called Richardson Highway) south towards Valdez. Not a common drive for members of this forum. We only stopped to take a picture of it from the rest area because we had plans to visit Exit Glacier in Kenai Fjords and Portage Glacier near Whittier. Additionally, some stations may have limited hours of operation, so its important to plan accordingly and make sure you have enough fuel to reach the next station if a station is closed or has limited hours. When it closed at 9 pm, we drove just a bit further to a rest area to sleep for the night. Before you start planning your trip down the Alaska Highway, get The MILEPOST: Alaska Travel Planner. There was a stretch in south Texas along the King ranch that was a long one without gas. I wish it had a few more pull offs because it is way more scenicthan the Alaskan Highway. However this time Ill be making the drive end of October, 1st week of November. However, I would tell everyone to prioritize time on the Kenai Peninsula. Get a copy of the "Milepost" it says where pretty much every fuels stop in the North is located. You . Strawberry Flats is one of the most gorgeous campgrounds Ive ever stayed at. Whitehorse was amazing and I highly recommend at least 2 days here. I truly hope I helped you plan an amazing Alaska Highway road trip! Its important to plan ahead and make sure you have enough fuel to reach the next station in case one is closed or has limited hours of operation. All other sections are substantially shorter. I believe the longest stretch between Gas Stations is in Nevada. M38A1. This highway provides direct access to Denali National Park and Preserve which contains Denali, the tallest mountain in North America. Here are some related question people asked in various search engines. The Cassiar Highway offers outstanding scenery and good wildlife viewing, especially of black bears in the spring. It is an invaluable 768 page book that documents the entire trip including every gas station and motel along the way. You won't run out of gas as long as you plan ahead, but it can be expensive at times. There are pit toilets and well water but not much else for amenities. And if you like knives, the store has a rad collection of knives for sale. You definitely want to read our blog Golden Circle of Yukon + Alaska: Guide to Whitehorse, Skagway + Haines to get detailed information about Whitehorse and to help you decide if adding the Golden Circle to your itinerary is worth it. Yes, there are gas stations along the Alaska Highway, but they can be spaced out and some may close during the winter months. There are actually a lot of recreation centers along the way, but not all of them were the best in terms of workout facilities. If you want off-the-beaten-path adventure, wildlife and gorgeous Alaskan scenery, I highly recommend checking out Valdez. I was so torn on whether we should drive our RV, which is in poor conditions to say the least, all the way up the Alaskan Highway or just fly to Alaska and rent an RV to explore Alaska. Right before you get to Prince Rupert you can turn onto highway 37, which is the Cassiar Highway. There arent many stores along this route nor gas stations, so it would be a good idea to stock up before you drive this in case you want to stall for a few days along the way. With the exception of the Yukon, where there are signs that explicitly say No Overnight Camping, there were plenty of dirt pullouts and rest areas to sleep at. And at least 12 to 16 hours of driving each way. American debit and credit cards are accepted everywhere along both the Canadian and the Alaskan portions of the highway, so you neednt worry about exchanging currency. Cant wait. I hope you now know more about gas stations along the Alaska Highway. So multiply that total range by 0.75 to give yourself a quarter-tank reserve between fill-ups. For us it wasnt a question of should we go there? Any advice for us, number of spare tires to bring & so on. In retrospect, I wouldve stayed an extra night at Strawberry Flats and done a nearby hike that day. With this trip, I had my entire RV packed to the brim with necessities and non-necessities that made me feel prepared and I liked that sense of independence and security. Planning on making the trip from Anchorage to Haines to catch the ferry in December/early January. (U.S) Gasoline Fuel Transfer Tank to use for fueling the G-Wagen. Ha! . Blogs that appear on this website may contain affiliate links. Ive got a 2017 4Runner and studded tires. Especially pulling a 34 ft trailer! The Milepost is a book with mile-by-mile highway logs for 30 major routes and 60 side trips to and in Alaska. Logged live from sunny San Diego. Teslin to Whitehorse was only three hours of driving for us. The road was originally built mostly by the US Army as a supply route during World War II. Weve been traveling with our 5 kids in a 30 foot class C RV for the last 4 years and have seen most of the Western USA and a large part of British Columbia. Theres a reason the destination is Alaska. I really had no interest in Fairbanks for this trip and even though I was curious about Dawson City, I felt like I had had enough touristy things when we did the Golden Circle. While we were eating lunch, a couple in the RV next to us started getting in a very loud altercation and it took less than a minute for us to grab our belongings and get the heck outta there. Even though there are places you can stop along the way, theres nothing thats that really worth stopping for plus, the hikes and bike rides I planned on doing werent going to be fun because it was raining on and off most days. Honestly, most of this was in Whistler and Squamish. Liard Hot Springs is a gorgeous and relaxing as all the hype makes it out to be and its extra fantastic when you think about how few other things there are to do along the highway nearby. ABOUT THE AUTHORS Any interested in caravanning? Gas Stations Along Alaska Highway Bob Jameson - Kenai, Alaska. So if youre planning on stopping at motels on the way, call before your trip to verify that they will be open. And from the midpoint (the town of Coldfoot) to the end of the road (Deadhorse), you won't find gas stations, restaurants, rest stops, or hotelsin fact, you won't find services of any kind over this entire 240-mile stretch. What type of weather should we expect? What Are ALCAN Road Conditions Like? Dease Lake with the Alaska Highway. Next time I will just fly up but I am so glad I drove it once for five big reasons: Once I was in Alaska, I loved that I had my RV with me and all the things I needed for this adventure. Check out our blog 15 Things to Do on the Kenai Peninsula: Alaskas Best Destination for help planning that part of your itinerary. What is the farthest distance between gas stations? It's a beautiful drive! Don't confuse this with Dawson City which is near Alaska and north of Whitehorse. Its also worth noting that some gas stations in remote areas of the Alaska Highway may only accept cash or travelers checks, so its a good idea to have some cash on hand. I plan on carrying two (2) firearms, a rifle & a shotgun + send a pistol up to AK (as a retd LEO there are now CCDW Issues to resolve in any U.S. location but Canada is not a handgun-friendly nation. Just south of Ely where the 6 connects with 318 there is a small town called Lund (one gas station) then nothing for about 105 miles to Ash Springs. Additionally, some of the gas stations along the Alaska Highway may be closed during the winter months or have limited hours of operation. I asked many people, most of whom happened to be retired, who all raved about how great it was. Dawson Creek, BC is 700 miles north of the US/Canadian border. Is there a way I can contact you regarding an upcoming trip? So what are some of the longest (100+ miles) stretches of highway between gas stations in Texas ? The Alaskan Highway passes through a few major cities but mostly through really small towns. One of our bikes had a safe range of 140 mile range the first trip we did to Prudhoe (Vulcan 1500). Gas stations are not that rare. In Ontario it's 130 miles between Hearst & Longlac on Hwy. From a financial standpoint, it saved me a good chunk of money by paying the gas to drive there and back instead of flying 7 people up and renting an RV. When we drove back, even though it was via the Cassiar and Yellowhead Highways, it only took us three days of drivingAnchorage to Whitehorse, Whitehorse to Dease Lake, and Dease Lake to Prince George. When we pulled into Watson Lake we were exhausted and ready to stop for the day, but I didnt like the vibe there and so we drove on to an area where I felt safer. With stops, this can take a full day. My kids will remember seeing 17 bears on May 17th for the rest of their lives. Truly there was a time when finding gas stations along the Alaska Highway was something one really had to be ready to take into consideration. Could be anything at that time of year. Expect to pay about 20% more for gasoline along the route. While Watson Lake and Tok are very small (were talking one block long) but big enough to fuel up, grab a bite, and find a place to stay if needed. In Alaska, the distances and signs are posted in miles and miles per hour. You may want to also join us on Instagram and follow our travels.. We took our time getting going from Muncho Lake since the scenery at Strawberry Flats was so incredible. Alaska Hwy fuel stopsAlaska Hwy fuel stops - distance, Miles approx, to next fuel stop, north bound. Length: 1,387 miles It was a Sunday so it was a bit crowded and if you can coordinate getting here mid week or at least not mid-day, you will enjoy the experience much more. The Alaska Highway is the road connecting Alaska with the rest of North America. Finally, Alaska is a state with harsh weather conditions, which makes the maintenance of pipelines and drilling more expensive. The streets are very warm so Id say its a 99% chance of being just fine and beautiful with fresh green leaves along the way. But we travel on a budget and seeing this many bears for free was worth the cost of gas and long boring sections of open road. I liked that it was reasonably priced, the showers were hot and free, there was a little store in the reception area that sold beer, and there was a dishwashing station. The longest distance in the continental US between gas stations is apparently 179 miles on NV/OR 140 between Winnemucca NV and Lakeview OR. 450 - Junction 37 Services - 60 miles - Junction with Alaska Highway Stewart BC - station open set hours only - at end of Hwy 37A . Seward is located about 120 miles south of Anchorage along the Seward Highway. I drove the Alcan February 15, 2017 . By the time you get to Whitehorse (and then to the border and eventually to Anchorage or Fairbanks or Denali) and you spend a few days sitting still, allowing the vibration of the road to finally stop pulsating through your body, you actually start reminiscing about the solitude that the ALCAN provides and the peace you felt in those few days escape from the consumer driven rat race of the world. Loomian Legacy Value List, Articles L