Mid-winter is the best time to start planning your Alaska RV trip. We are beginning to outline our next summer RV adventure, even though it is the first week of December, the year prior. Every year at about this time, I start getting questions about our Alaska RV trip and how to plan it. Making an Alaska RV trip won’t be easy, but it is so rewarding. Going to Alaska is easily the trip we made that requires the most planning.
Across Canada
Getting across Canada for your Alaska RV trip is a huge step. Since the number of potential starting points in the Lower 48 is so varied, I am going to start a quick outline. Nearly all routes, beginning in April, will go through Edmonton, Alberta. We planned our trip going north through Canada, in Montana, in the middle of May. I don’t recommend getting to Edmonton until the middle of May, given the potential for cold weather (including snow) as you work your way north.
Summer workers going to Alaska are the exception to the start in the middle of May advice. Usually, they travel fast, with a mission to cross Canada as quickly as possible. My advice doesn’t pertain to them. Instead, my objective is to enjoy my trip. The earliest RVers heading to Alaska are those arriving at the beginning of May and planning to work over the summer. These same RVers travel long distances and are not interested in slowing down. They are usually expected to arrive in early May and not depart until Labor Day.
Make sure to check the “carry chain” laws for crossing Canada if you are planning an Alaska RV trip before May or staying in Canada after September. Canada Carry Chain Laws
All routes go north on the Alaska Highway.
The Alaska Highway heading north starts in Dawson Creek. Starting at Whitehorse, you have a choice to make. Are you going to Dawson City, or are you going to stay on the Alaska Highway and go through Haines Junction? There is a third option that routes around Whitehorse and starts north, starting at Watson Lake and going through Carmacks on the way to Dawson City, but in early in the year, this route will not be as well-traveled as the Alaska Highway. Here is a link to my article about planning an Alaska RV trip across Canada on your way to Alaska. How to Plan (and Take) an Epic RV Trip Across Canada to Alaska
Getting to Dawson Creek
Later in the year, there is an excellent route through British Columbia called the Cassiar Highway. We took the Cassiar Highway southbound on our return from Alaska. If you go north on the Cassiar Highway on your Alaska RV trip, expect snow, maybe even on the road. Here is the link about that trip, starting in Watson Lake and crossing into the Lower 48 in Vancouver. Cassiar Highway
Closed Campgrounds
Except in the cities, on an Alaska RV trip, closed campgrounds are a very real possibility north of Edmonton before mid-May.
You will go to Tok
The first town in Alaska, on the Alaska Highway, is Tok. You again have a decision to make. We stayed on the Alaska highway and went to Fairbanks. Our friends instead made a left turn in Tok and went to Seward. In Alaska, Tok is at the starting point of a giant circle. You will choose to travel the circle clockwise by making a left turn or travel the circle counterclockwise by staying on the Alaska Highway.
When returning from your Alaska RV trip, again, you will go to Tok, regardless of your direction of travel. I have a lot more to say about planning our Alaska RV trip in this article. How to Plan (and Take) an Epic RV Trip Through Alaska
If you are not going to make the entire trip around the circle on your Alaska RV trip, I would recommend turning left in Tok and heading south. Doing this will save you lots of miles. By doing this, you will miss Fairbanks and probably Denali, but you could get to the Kenai earlier in the summer.
Clear skies are the exception.
Expect rain on your Alaska RV trip. It rains a lot in Alaska during the summer. You should especially expect rain if you travel the loop through Alaska clockwise. This route, clockwise, will put you in the rainiest areas earlier in the year. This would be a good reason to route your trip around Alaska in a counterclockwise direction.
Expect lots of daylight both in Canada and after you get to Alaska. This makes the rain a little more tolerable. We didn’t go far enough north to have 24 hours of sunlight, not that you’d see it with the cloud cover.
You are not going alone.
If you make your Alaska RV trip starting in the middle of May, you will be traveling with hundreds of other travelers. Everyone making an RV trip to Alaska will go at the same time. There will be a large influx of travelers from the United States into Canada in May and June, followed by a significant southbound movement of the same travelers in August and September.
Most travelers on an Alaska RV trip arrive in Alaska during the first week of June. Nearly all travelers, including summer workers, leave Alaska on or before Labor Day on their southbound journey.
The main reason we made reservations well in advance was that we were in a group of six RVs, all wanting to stay “downtown” with full hookups. The more RVs in your group, on an RV trip to Alaska, the earlier you will want to make reservations.
Stay flexible
We had to replan due to extensive fires and smoke that caused road closures near Slave Lake on our Alaska RV trip. We had two choices: go north of Slave Lake or go west towards Jasper National Park. On our RV trip to Alaska, we chose to head to Jasper National Park to avoid the smoke and fires. After we got to Dawson Creek, a steady rain put a damper on the fires and smoke.
There is only one road starting at Dawson Creek, so everyone going north on an Alaska RV trip will travel through Dawson Creek, Fort Nelson, Watson Lake, Whitehorse, and Haines Junction, then into Tok (Alaska).
Reservations, from Dawson Creek all the way to Tok, (1500 miles) are a great idea.
Rough roads are expected.
Expect an average speed of 35 mph from Koidern (Destruction Bay) to Tok. Go slow so you don’t spend your summer hoping for repairs in a remote area. The mechanics in Alaska are very busy in the summer because tourists don’t heed this advice.
Go slow so you don’t spend your summer hoping for repairs in a remote area.
In June, things quiet down, but Canadian tourists (not going to Alaska) start filling the parks in Canada. Tourists arrive in the middle of May. We had reservations to stay multiple days in Calgary and Edmonton.
Don’t miss these places.
In Alaska, make sure to visit Seward and Valdez, and make reservations. When Alaskans go on vacation, they go to the Kenai Peninsula. Don’t miss it. Alaska’s Playground is the Kenai Peninsula
We also loved seeing Denali, but it wasn’t easy to get a good view of the mountain. Denali is the big mountain in the clouds.
See the bears at Katmai National Park. My 100 Best Grizzly Bear Pictures at Katmai National Park
Places we won’t be going back to
The fact is that you can’t avoid them, but they are just cities. Anchorage and Fairbanks are low on my revisit list. Since we dedicated so much time to seeing Denali, we won’t do that again, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go.
The hardest place we went to, but was totally worth it, was the Kennecott Mine. I am delighted we made the trip, but I won’t do it twice. Kennecott died when the last train departed, never to return.
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About our links
As you are aware, our blog’s income is zero, which enables us to remain independent and tell the truth. We do not get income or commissions. No, we don’t make paid endorsements. We don’t make recommendations; instead, we will tell you what we like (or dislike). The links are only provided as a quick reference to help our readers.
Links
How to Plan (and Take) an Epic RV Trip Across Canada to Alaska
How to Plan (and Take) an Epic RV Trip Through Alaska
Alaska’s Playground is the Kenai Peninsula
Denali is the big mountain in the clouds.
My 100 Best Grizzly Bear Pictures at Katmai National Park
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Happy Holidays and safe travels
Harley
You two sure know how to do Alaska. It’s so stunning there. Thanks for sharing…
Tina
We visited a Kennecot mine south of Salt Lake City, Utah many years ago. I wonder if it’s the same company/family.