The freedom of the open road: miles of highway stretching before you, beautiful scenery in every direction, and the opportunity to stop wherever you like to take in the sights and explore. Add an RV to the mix and you have the ultimate independent road trip adventure. Hitting the road on an RV trip in Alaska allows you to get off the beaten track and relax in your own home away from home. There’s nothing like the feeling of finding the perfect campsite after a day of sightseeing, where you can kick up your feet, take in the views, cook a hearty dinner, and enjoy a comfortable and cozy night’s sleep under the midnight sun. Are you ready to start planning your Alaska RV trip? Check out our tips for RV travel in Alaska:
Plan Your Route
There’s a lifetime of exploration to be found along the Alaska road system. The majority of Alaska’s highways are in the Southcentral and Interior regions. If you’re flying to Alaska and renting an RV, you’ll start from the hub cities of Anchorage or Fairbanks, or you can bring your own RV by driving from the Lower 48 or taking the Alaska Marine Highway ferry (more on that below).
Alaska’s Highways
The most popular highways for RV trips in Alaska combine non-stop scenic beauty with good road conditions and communities/services along the way. The Parks Highway (from Anchorage to Fairbanks), Glenn Highway (Anchorage to Tok), Richardson Highway (Valdez to Delta Junction), Seward Highway (Anchorage to Seward), and Sterling Highway (Cooper Landing to Homer) are your best bets and can be linked up to create some exceptional RV trip routes. And then there’s the ultimate road trip: driving through Canada to Alaska on the Alaska Highway, stretching over 1,300 miles from Dawson Creek, British Columbia to Delta Junction, Alaska. There are many off-the-beaten track highways that travel through more remote areas of the state – but keep in mind that these roads have less services, rougher road conditions, and some rental car/RV companies don’t allow you to take your vehicles on them. Make sure to check with your rental company to see if they have any road restrictions, and research road conditions and services available before you head out. Check out this overview of Alaska’s highways for more information.
Driving the Seward Highway. Photo Credit: Travel Alaska, Michael DeYoung
A note about the Dalton Highway: also known as the Haul Road, the Dalton Highway is a rugged 414-mile highway stretching through stunning mountain and tundra terrain in Alaska’s Arctic region from Livengood to Deadhorse. Due to rough road conditions, lack of services, and remoteness, the Dalton Highway is off-limits for most rental car companies. If driving the Haul Road is on your must-do list, check out our Insider’s Tips for Exploring the Dalton Highway, including rental car companies that allow you to drive here, plus tours, shuttles, campgrounds, and more.
Services and Road Conditions
The beauty of an RV trip is that you don’t need a set itinerary, but it’s a good idea to have a general sense of your route so you can map out your re-supply stops: gas stations, grocery stores, dump stations, and cell service. Much of the state is without cell service but you’ll find service in cities and towns along the way. Thanks to our long winters, there’s a flurry of road construction in summer, so make sure to check the Alaska 511 Traveler Information for real-time updates on road closures, construction, and overall road conditions.
Photo Credit: @athabascanadventures
Drive your own RV or Rent?
The next big questions are: what do drive, and where to drive from? You have three main options: fly to Alaska and rent an RV, drive an RV up the Alaska Highway, or bring your own RV by water (by ferry or commercial shipping service).
Renting an RV in Alaska
If you have less than two weeks, we recommend flying to Anchorage or Fairbanks and renting an RV. You’ll find a variety of RV rental companies that cater to different types of travelers, from camper vans to truck campers to motorhomes (usually around 20 – 30 feet in length). Rental companies typically include amenities like bedding, towels, and cooking equipment, but you may have to pay extra for items for more than two people. You can also usually add on other equipment like camp chairs, coolers, GPS devices, and more. Make sure to research what’s included and what’s not, along with available add-ons, road restrictions, and pet policies so you have all the info you need to plan your trip.
The Sterling Highway in Southcentral Alaska. Photo Credit: Travel Alaska, Michael DeYoung
Driving to Alaska on the Alaska Highway
If you have more time and want to embark on the ultimate road trip, consider driving to north to Alaska through Canada on the Alaska Highway. The Alaska Highway stretches about 1,390 miles from Dawson Creek, British Columbia to Delta Junction, Alaska and connects to the Lower 48 through scenic highways in B.C. and Alberta. While you can drive the Alaska Highway in a few days, we recommend a week to ten days each way so you can take your time and fully enjoy the sights. You’ll pass by stunning national parks, through unique communities, and you’re sure to see lots of wildlife along the way. Keep in mind that you’ll need a passport to cross into Canada and then back into Alaska. If you’re traveling with your furry friend you will also need proof of rabies vaccination. You can either drive your own RV or rent an RV in the Lower 48. Some companies offer one-way RV rentals to Alaska so you can drive up the Alaska Highway, explore Alaska by RV, and then fly home.
Views along the Alaska Highway. Photo Credit: Nathaniel Gonzales
Alaska Marine Highway Ferry or Commercial Shipping
The final way to get an RV to Alaska is by water. The Alaska Marine Highway Ferry System connects from Bellingham, Washington and Prince Rupert, British Columbia to over 30 coastal communities in Alaska and offers the option of driving on your vehicle or RV. The ferry is a great way to explore coastal communities that are not accessible by road. When you’re ready to connect back to the road system you can disembark in Haines or Skagway (though you have to drive through Canada to get back to Alaska from here), or the mainland Alaska communities of Whittier, Valdez, or Homer.
Vehicles under 30 feet are allowed on all Alaska Marine Highway Ferry sailings. If your vehicle is over 30 feet, you can call the Alaska Marine Highway Ferry System to see if they can accommodate your vehicle, depending on your ports of call. Passengers are not allowed to sleep or eat in their RVs while sailing, so overnight passengers are required to camp on deck or reserve a sleeping cabin. We recommend making reservations far in advance if you are planning on driving your RV on the ferry as space and sailings are limited. You can also ship your RV from Tacoma, WA to Anchorage using a commercial shipping company. This takes several days and gives you the option of having your own RV in Alaska without driving or taking the ferry.
Views on an Alaska Marine Highway ferry.
Where to Camp
You’ve got your RV and your route planned out, but where should you camp? The good news is that Alaska has a wide variety of camping options – from RV parks with hookups to campgrounds in parks and public lands to free camping in pull-offs. The most popular campgrounds in the state – such as those in Denali National Park and public lands in the Southcentral region – fill up quickly, especially on weekends in summer. Many of these campgrounds offer a mix of reservable and first-come/first-serve sites, and we recommend reserving in advance if you have specific campgrounds that you’d like to visit.
RV Camping in Alaska’s National Parks
If you are interested in camping in Alaska’s national parks, there are three parks along the road system: Denali National Park, Kenai Fjords National Park, and Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. The most campground options can be found in Denali with six campgrounds, three of which are open to RV camping. While there are some first-come/first-serve RV sites in Denali, we highly recommend booking your campsites in advance, as early as possible. You can learn more about making reservations and camping in Denali National Park here. Kenai Fjords National Park, located near Seward, has one small campground near Exit Glacier that is open to tents only. However, you’ll find a variety of public and privately-owned campgrounds in the Seward area. The vast Wrangell-St. Elias National Park (the largest in the country) is home to only one designated campground, located along the Nebesna Road in the northern part of the park.
Motorhome on the Parks Highway on the way to Denali National Park.
State Park, National Forest, and BLM Camping
While camping in Alaska’s national parks may seem limited, you’ll find endless camping opportunities on Alaska’s other public lands: State Parks, National Forests, and Bureau of Lands Management (BLM) land. There are over 90 campgrounds and state recreation sites in Alaska’s State Parks, most of which are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Several campgrounds are reservable in advance at ReserveAmerica.com. You can browse the full list of Alaska State Park camping areas here. There are about a dozen RV-accessible campgrounds in Chugach National Forest, located in Southcentral Alaska. These campgrounds are very popular with locals and offer a mix of reservable and first-come/first-serve sites. The interactive map on Recreation.gov is a handy tool for searching for campgrounds on Alaska’s federal public lands. The Bureau of Land Management has 15 first-come/first-serve campgrounds located along the road system in the Southcentral, Interior, and Arctic regions of Alaska.
Driving the Seward Highway through Chugach National Forest. Photo Credit: Travel Alaska, Michael DeYoung
Private Campgrounds and Free Camping
Beyond Alaska’s public lands, you’ll find a wide variety of privately-owned campgrounds and RV parks throughout the state. These campgrounds typically have more amenities, like RV hookups, showers, and Wi-Fi. Good Sam and RV Alaska are good resources for searching for Alaska RV parks. Alaska is also one of the most boondocking-friendly states in the country, with free camping available on most highway pull-offs and public lands, providing that you stay on designated roadways and pull-offs, there aren’t any “no camping” signs, you are not on private land, and you are not blocking any driveways or roads.
Get the Milepost
No matter where you decide to go and how you choose to camp, make sure to bring a copy of the Milepost, a mile-by-mile guide to driving Alaska’s highways. This essential guide outlines campgrounds, gas stations, services, rest stops, places of interest, and more along Alaska’s highways and is especially handy when you are in areas without cell service. The Milepost also covers routes through Canada that connect to the Alaska Highway. You can order the Milepost online in advance or pick it up at most gas stations and larger grocery stores in Alaska.
Photo Credit: @athabascanadventures
Safety Tips
The best way to ensure a fun and safe RV trip in Alaska is to drive carefully and be prepared. Here are some of our top safety tips:
Watch for wildlife. Alaska is known for our abundant wildlife, and you are sure to see some along the road as you’re driving. Be alert and pay attention for wildlife on roadways, especially moose. If you see wildlife on or near the road, slow down and give them space. If you choose to pull over, only do so on pull-offs or parking areas to avoid blocking traffic.
Be prepared. Map out your re-supply spots to ensure you have enough gas, water, and other essentials, especially on longer stretches of highway in remote areas. Pack the Milepost for mile-by-mile highway information, especially in areas without cell service.
Drive carefully. While most of Alaska’s highways are paved and maintained, you will encounter frost heaves and potholes. Some highways and roadways are graveled and bumpy. Many stretches of highway are two-lane and curvy, so be sure to pass with care. Alaska law requires you to drive with your headlights on at all times on most highways and pull over to let vehicles pass if you have more than 5 vehicles backed up behind you.
Check road conditions. Check out the Alaska 511 Traveler Information website for real-time updates on road conditions, construction, and closures, plus view live webcams along the highways.
Talk to locals. Want tips on road conditions, nearby camping, or activities? Be sure to stop by visitor centers found in towns, national and state parks, BLM lands, and more to get tips and information on the local area.
RV travel is one of the best ways to for independent travelers to explore Alaska on their own timeline. With plenty of RV rental options, camping areas, and miles of highway to travel, you’ll find endless sights and scenic spots to camp in Alaska.
Always keep an eye out for wildlife. Photo Credit: Travel Alaska, Thomas Sbampato
