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Looking for advice on Texas to Alaska routes

3K views 34 replies 16 participants last post by  arkansas 
#1 ·
As I've mentioned before, I'm beginning to prepare my dl650k7 for a Texas to Alaska trip next August. I've got a copy of the Milepost, and have begun to study it up a bit. But what I need is some suggestions for the best routes from Texas to Alaska. I'm going to take about a month off for the entire trip. I want to take the shortest route to Alaska (looks like around 4k miles each way), but at the same time, if I can add some really cool roads/routes/scenery to the trip by adding a few miles to the journey, that would be a good tradeoff. So if you've made this journey I'd like to ask for your recommendations on routes from Texas to AK.

Thanks!
 
#3 · (Edited)
A couple of north-south possibilities
--US-95 through Idaho
--US-93 through Montana

If you need an east-west route just north of the border, look at BC & Alberta-3, the Crow's Nest Highway.
 
#4 ·
Generally Northwest of where you live. Avoid due west routes until Haines Crossing, you'll end up the Pacific too soon.
Really, what do you want to see on the way there or the way back? A Rand McNally would be helpful for the big picture.
I hear from folks that have been there the the scenery gets to be the same after you get far enough North.
Some days, or weeks, some of the sights are clouded in fog and rain so what you go to see may not be visible during your whole stay there.
Kinda like the Rose Parade or a Football game. Best viewed on the telly from the couch.
 
#5 ·
There are only about 2000 choices for routes through the western US, so don't expect much help there.:mrgreen:

But after you cross the border you have fewer choices (depending on where you cross, of course), so useful advice can be had. But no matter how you get there your route will almost certainly go through Prince George, BC, where you WILL have a choice to make: either NE to Dawson Creek and the Alaska Highway, or NW to Kitwanga and then N on the Cassiar Highway. Both will join again at Watson Lake, Yukon. The Alcan is pretty boring, IMHO, and Cassiar route offers a LOT more wildlife encounters as well as a very interesting side excursion to Hyder, AK where a 20-mile (or so) gravel road will bring you to probably the most spectacular scenery you will see on the entire trip, the Salmon Glacier.

If you are doing the entire swing by road I'd say take the Cassiar one way and the Alcan the other. But one month is not much time for a round trip by land if you want any time to poke around AK and take worthwhile side trips along the way -- like entering AK via the Klondike and Taylor Hwys rather than the Alcan. If you have the $$ I would highly recommend the Cassiar route up and the AK ferry system back (to Seattle).

But you can't go wrong in any case. It's a nice ride.
 
#8 ·
Tx to AK

Starting @ Drummond MT suggest helmville rd. to Ovando MT, then up east side of flathead lake to kalispel, hwy 93 to Eureka/ roosville (border crossing) proceed to radium hot springs BC , @ radium hot springs turn west to connect to Icefields PKWY, then north to jasper. At Jasper take yellowknife hwy to new hazleton bc:thumbup:
 
#9 ·
TX to AK

correction turn EAST @ radium Hot spgs (ya have to jog alittle to continue north and road to and thru icefields worth it), also as to ferry systems much better to go BC ferries then alaskan maritime hwy when possible. bc ferries spots you , uses six in. wide straps that go over you seat (after they check to see if you want to place your own pad or blanket tween seat and strap) and secure to pad eyes placed in deck. On alaskan maritime hwy the deck hand directed me to an area of wet car deck. up against a bulkhead, pointed to low bumper rail, and said "Find yourself a piece of string and tie it to that":thumbdown:
 
#10 ·
Brg, the maps that show the blue highways give you the back roads. The interstate slabs are great if you want to make time. Any highway never taken is worth it once!
The smaller back roads wander through more interesting country but have fewer gas stops and civilization on the them.
The reason for the ferry is so you don't do the same road again. And it's different scenery.
Friend who drove his motorhome up to Inuvit complained of 500 miles of pissy little trees up and 500 miles of pissy little trees on the way back. That's a lot of the same.
He suggested flying to Alaska, rent the motorhome, or bike, and ride around and take the ferry back. Get the mostest for your time and money.
You can Google Earth the route you want and actually see what it looks like before committing to it.
I do fly overs of places all the time. Very entertaining and illuminating.
Oh, and there be Mosquitos.
Some guys that have done it say to do it late in the season because the spring/summer bloom of nasty bugs has passed. Maybe some of the tourist crowd has gone too. The window of Artic perfection is quite small from what I understand.
 
#11 ·
Disclaimer: I have not taken the Alaska ferry (AK Marine Highway System) although I have used local BC ferries a lot and have traveled the Inside Passage by cruise boat. It's always interesting on the waterways up there, whale-watching and stopping at little towns and ports. But mainly it provides a break from a lot of tedious miles. Contrary to what many people think the Alcan is probably less interesting than many roads in the lower 48. Remember that when the Corps of Engineers laid the thing out during WWII they chose the easiest routing possible, meaning through broad valleys and skirting mountains. Thus it's pretty flat and covers a lot of ground featuring only sad-looking black spruce and limited wildlife. The towns along the way are pretty uninspiring, too.

The Cassiar is much better. But don't pass up any fuel stops. Plan to stay overnight at Dease Lake which has a gas station, a couple of motels and a restaurant. Otherwise it's mostly fishing camps along the way, and there ain't many of them. Traffic is very sparse but bears -- including griz -- are not, so don't break down. It's essentially all paved now, unlike my first trip up there when there was still about 100 miles of gravel. Again, don't pass up the side trip to Stewart/Hyder. The scenery heading down to the coast is excellent.
 
#12 ·
some extra mileage

No matter what route you take you will have to haul ass to get it done in a month. I assume that you already have got some long distance riding experience. It will be an epic trip so you may as well enjoy it and take a scenic way.
If I were you there are some places and roads that I wouldn't want to miss that are approximately on the way. Fit them in one direction or other.
In Colorado, hwy 550 north from Durango to Montrose; from Cody Wyoming on the Chief Joseph hwy, and the Beartooth Pass to Redlodge Montana, on to Missoula MT, thru Glacier National Park along the Going To The Sun Road; Alberta on the Icefields Highway from Banff to Jasper.
windtogo.wordpress.com
 
#13 · (Edited)
No matter what route you take you will have to haul ass to get it done in a month. I assume that you already have got some long distance riding experience. It will be an epic trip so you may as well enjoy it and take a scenic way.
If I were you there are some places and roads that I wouldn't want to miss that are approximately on the way. Fit them in one direction or other.
In Colorado, hwy 550 north from Durango to Montrose; from Cody Wyoming on the Chief Joseph hwy, and the Beartooth Pass to Redlodge Montana, on to Missoula MT, thru Glacier National Park along the Going To The Sun Road; Alberta on the Icefields Highway from Banff to Jasper.
windtogo.wordpress.com
550 in CO is excellent.

I agree with trying to string things together, but it seems a lot of people are worried about time.

IDK as I've never crossed, but do you have to deal with the border and customs if you take the ferry? Also, the going to sun road is great, but it will take you probably 1/2 a day to do that one section. Lots of slow cars and you will probably want to stop yourself. After all, when will you be back in Glacier? I loved it there. There is more wildlife on the east side of the park. You could camp in Apgar one night, ride the road, and camp @ Many Glacier the next night. Make sure you have reservations though as they do fill up.

I would recommend at least riding through Yellowstone and along the Tetons from Jackson WY as well. You could ride up to Alamosa, CO, over Wolf Creek to Durango, north over million dollar highway to Ouray and Montrose, then north to Grand Junction, Keep going north to Vernal, Keep north to Flaming Gorge and up to Rock Springs. From there, on up to Jackson and into Teton and Yellostone Parks. I have heard about the ride north out of the park over Beartooth pass or something, but have not done it. I would then hammer down to Glacier (however you decide) and do some time there.

It depends on what your goals are. If you just want to see Alaska, slab it on the interstate. If you want to see lots of cool stuff, you're going to have to take the slower back roads. It also depends on how hard you want to push yourself, how often you will stop for pics and the like, and don't forget those pesky issues that may arise. We had 1.5 weeks for Teton/ Yellowstone / & Glacier. That wasn't enough time. Saw a bunch of all, but not nearly as much as I would have liked. I could easily spend 1.5 weeks in Teton/ Yellowstone, not including the time to travel there.

If you're camping, figure in time to breakdown camp, fix meals, etc. If you get to motel every night, you'll save time, but it's pricey. Fixing/ cleaning up meals also needs to be accounted for. Good luck and be sure to post a Ride Report!!!

ETA: Here's a quick google map you might consider. Covers the areas I talked about. This will be slower 2 lane highways instead of fast slab though:
http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=I...e&mrsp=9&sz=14&via=1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9&t=m&z=10
 
#14 ·
Border formalities are brief and easy as long as you have your passport in hand and don't look suspicious. Long lines at the Blaine (I-5) crossing can be a drag, though. Here's a hint: the Canadians will ask you if you have any weapons with you and the answer better be "no." They may then ask you if you have left any weapons at home, and the answer had better be "no" again unless you want to unpack for a thorough inspection. A Texas plate makes this more likely. Everybody knows what those gunslingin' cowboys are like.:mrgreen:
 
#15 · (Edited)
The Alaska State Ferry is a great experience, and I often recommend this as an alternative to doing the Alaska Hwy both directions. Keep in mind, if you plan on doing the Cassiar,my hat you will still have to ride the Alcan as far as Watson Lake. If you want to take the ferry ride, I recommend picking it up at Prince Rupert and taking it to Skagway. The ride from Skagway to Whitehorse nothing but spectacular.

There are just too many great routes between Texas to recommend any one. You only have a month for your trip, and since Alaska is your goal, I'd suggest just taking the most direct route to begin the Hwy. you can always visit places of interest in the "lower 48". Any time, but making a trip of this magnitude you might do once in a lifetime. Concentrate on the northern part of it.

You should pick up a copy of "The Milepost." It's considered to be the Bible of the Alaska Hwy, and is updates annually. The info in it is quite accurate.
 
#16 ·
There are just too many great routes between Texas to recommend any one. You only have a month for your trip, and since Alaska is your goal, I'd suggest just taking the most direct route to begin the Hwy. you can always visit places of interest in the "lower 48". Any time, but making a trip of this magnitude you might do once in a lifetime. Concentrate on the northern part of it.
I meant to cover this in my post as well. I wish I had focused my time in Glacier instead of spending more time in the parks closer to home. I think you should focus on Alaska more as it will be the hardest (probably) to get back to later on. Great advice there.
 
#17 ·
The ride from Skagway to Whitehorse nothing but spectacular.
Glad you pointed that out, strompilot. That's another side excursion he should think about whether taking the ferry or not. It's a nice day trip if laying over in Whitehorse. I think the route to Stewart/Hyder is MORE spectacular, but hey, we all have our own favorites.:mrgreen:

And BTW, I would suggest to anyone thinking about this trip that they put a day or so layover in Whitehorse on the itinerary. It's a nice town with plenty of hotels and motels at prices within reason, there are things to see there and nearby, and there are stores (even a Wal-Mart!) and motorcycle shops for any supplies or fix-its needed.
 
#18 ·
You'll save a bunch of time crossing the border anywhere other than I-5 (Blaine and Pacific Hwy). For the good riding up you shouldn't be anywhere near there anyway. Sumas-Abbotsford or anything east of it are far less congested. Have your passport ready, no weapons, no liquor, no fruit, engine off at the booth, and you'll be through in 60 seconds.

On my last trip I found that you can find higher-speed secondary highways that may be slower than superslab, but are much faster than, say, Going-to-the-Sun. They make for much more interesting riding days than interstate. Examples of these might be US-12 (Lolo) and WA-20 (North Cascades) instead of a straight I-90 run, or taking BC-5A (Old Princeton-Merritt) instead of the BC-5 freeway in south-central BC. Stringing a few of these into a fast route through the northwest might add just a day or two at most to your schedule, but would be much more memorable as they are some of the best riding roads on the continent.

Sounds like its going to be an awesome trip.


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#19 ·
Here's a suggestion for a good border crossing with great riding following. Consider crossing into Canada at Osoyoos, BC. The Canadian customs folks there seem to be reasonably pleasant to deal with. It's in a spectacular setting, right in the middle of fruit and wine country. Taking Hwy 3 east will take you through some amazing mountain roads, about 120 miles to Hope Jct. From there you go north on Canada 1 up the Frazer River Canyon, which is a must, IMO. At Cache Creek it turns into Hwy 97. An alternative to that, with equally great riding is to turn north at Princeton, BC, then west to Merritt, than out to Hwy 1 at Spence's Bridge.

I was thinking back on some other posts regarding riding to Alaska and this occurred to me: I just got a book entitled "The Adventurous Motorcyclist's Guide to Alaska." It's just come out, so it's current. You can get it at bookstores or on Amazon.com for a bit less, and it's worth it. These guys are very knowledgeable about Alaska riding, which is rare. It was posted as to what should be taken along to Alaska. There is a section in this book that deals quite well with what sort of gear/clothing is good to take. There is also a page in there that details out a great tool kit. They leave nothing out here. Keep in mind, though, that these guys are KLR650 fans, so it's sort of slanted that direction, so when equipping your tool kit, say, you probably won't need to include a spoke wrench, for example. The other thing is that this book centers on dual sport riding opportunities for the most part, but it doesn't leave out all the paved routes, either. One neat thing in the book is a great list of neat bars to visit, with a cute thumbnail sketch of each one. There is also a good restaurant guide for Anchorage, although they seem to prefer the most expensive places. Good food at those places. I think they want to convey what is iconically Alaskan. In any case, lots of good stuff in this book.

And their recommendation for the best route to Alaska? Fly!!!
 
#20 ·
When we lived in Vancouver for 4 years we found that the best crossing point with respect to line-ups and procedural hassle was the one near Lynden, WA on Rt. 539. Get off I-5 at Bellingham. Note: this is not a 24-hr crossing point; days only.
 
#21 ·
I'm also in the planning stages of an Alaska trip from TX(south of Houston) for the summer of 2014. So far, my plan is the following:

Superslab it to north and west to Great Falls, MT and cross the border north of there. On to Calgary, Banff, and north on the Icefields Parkway to Jasper. Will pick up the Alcan at Mile 0 in Dawson Creek and follow it to Whitehorse, YT. If time allows, I plan to deviate north to Dawson City and take the Top of the World Hwy over to Chicken, AK, then on to Fairbanks. After a switch to knobbies, I plan a run up the Dalton Hwy to Deadhorse. Down to the Denali Nat Park area and into Anchorage. My wife is going to fly to Anchorage to meet up and ride 2-up for about a week back up to Tok, the Yukon, then down to Haines. From there, we will catch the southbound ferry to Bellingham, WA. She will fly home from Seattle as I press along on the bike. I plan to go thru Mt. Ranier Nat Park on the way to Boise, ID. Then Salt Lake City, and on to Montrose, CO. From there I plan to head down 550, the Million Dollar Hwy thru Ouray, Silverton, and Durango. Then down to Albuquerque and east to Amarillo. Then the last 650 miles home.

I get exhausted just thinking about it. Just kidding. I'm currently outfitting my new DL 650 Adventure for the trip with lots of mods. Next I'll focus on aquiring some new riding and camping gear more suited to the needs of this trip. I'm pretty excited about it and wish I was going this summer instead of further out. Sigh.
 
#22 ·
That's going to be one heck of a trip. You will have incorporated nearly all the best Alaska has to offer the motorcyclist. One thing, though, if you have the time to do so, you should venture down to the Kenai Peninsula, and go to Seward, check out Exit Glacier because you can walk right up to it, then ride out to Soldotna and south to Homer where you have to ride out to the end of the Homer Spit and stop at the Salty Dawg Saloon.

Your ride from Seattle back to Texas is a great one. If you plan on stopping in Boise, a great side trip is taking Hwy 21 from Boise up to Idaho City to have lunch at Trudy's Kitchen. Great place to eat and the ride up is spectacular, even though it's only about 45 miles up there from Boise city center. And while you're there, be sure to stop in at Happy Trails. If you don't already have everything you need for your trip, they are likely to have it. Talk to Ed.
 
#24 ·
But to be fair, you could spend a month in BC and never be bored or disappointed.
That's fer sure. No one has mentioned it yet but the "back way" north from Vancouver through Whistler and Lillooet is pretty nice, too. You really can't go wrong in BC -- unless you choose the Alcan over the Cassiar N to Watson Lake. THAT would be an unfortunate choice. IMHBETO, of course.:mrgreen:
 
#25 ·
The Cassiar is beautiful, but slow. Tons of road construction including one bridge that was only open to traffic from 10pm-8am. I heard 97 was relatively pain free. The Alaska ferry back to Washington is decadent and well worth the money. I didn't make a reservation until three days prior to boat departure. There's free lodging in the solarium. You should see if you can meet some of the Alaskan stromtroopers while you're up there. Even if only for a cup of coffee (at Dino's Donuts, lol).
 
#26 · (Edited)
The Cassiar is beautiful, but slow. Tons of road construction including one bridge that was only open to traffic from 10pm-8am.
??? Not the case in summer '11 when I travelled it both north and south, nor the other two times in years past. Of course there is construction during the summer -- the only time it's possible -- but I think I encountered more and longer delays on the Alcan.

Where did your info come from? Not from the province of BC, which ought to know: Highway 37 North

It defies common sense that they would close a bridge during daytime, essentially the only time when there is any traffic at all on the Cassiar.
 
#27 ·
It was this year. They closed a bridge about 30 miles north of the junction for three days, during the day and both directions, so they could work on it. The only times you could get through were at night and early morning. Not saying this is going to happen next year, but food for thought. Where I waited on escort vehicles and rode through a few miles of gravel/dirt, I heard 97 was smooth riding.
 
#28 ·
OK, you saw it, but it sounds like an unusual emergency measure. Which junction? If Meziadin I think you could get an early enough start from either Kitwanga or Stewart to get through before 8:00 AM. It gets light pretty early up there in the summer.
 
#30 ·
Hwy 97 up through the Frazer River Canyon is amazing. North of Cache Ck., BC, the road is less entertaining, but the scenery is amazing and there's lots of neat places to stop and check out. Most folks want to start out an Alcan adventure from Milepost 0 at Dawson Creek, but there is an alternate route that is well worth considering. From Chetwynd, take the the Hudson's Hope cutoff. It goes for about 80 miles through some fantastic road and scenery. It comes out on the Alaska Hwy at Ft. St. John. A couple miles north of it, actually. About halfway you can take a short side trip to the purported world's largest earthen dam. Can't recall the name of it. Ft. St. John is a fairly modern town with all the amenities, including a Wal-Mart, so you can stock up on whatever it is you need or think you will need. They have some decent hotels, too.

I have only done the Cassiar Hwy once and that was in 1981 in a car. The first 100 miles were paved as was the last 80 miles. Everything else in between was gravel and quite rough in places. Still, it's a very scenic route and if one intends on riding the highway both ways, it would be worth considering taking the Cassiar at least one way.

On the Alaska Hwy, there are few town and darned few communities, most of which seem to center around some sort of lodge or construction camp. One notable place is Toad River Lodge. I can't speak for the lodging, but they serve up a terrific breakfast. And don't expect too much at Watson Lake. They have a couple motels there, but they're definitely not 4-star! At least there are a couple garages and auto parts stores there, as well as gasoline. Just to the north where the Cassiar Hwy intersects, there is a pretty nice restaurant with gas pumps.

Whitehorse is a great placed to stop and spend a day. Everything is there for one's convenience--fuel, lodging, good restaurants, stores and shops. You can even take a paddle boat trip on the Yukon River. I believe on option is to do the dinner cruise on the boat.

There's nothing of note between Whitehorse and Haines Jct, but they have at least one decent motel and a couple gas stations. Don't know about restaruants, but you can gets snacks and drinks at the gas stations. A lot stuff between Haines Jct and the border is closed, I suppose due to the economy, so gas up at Haines Jct. The most expensive gas is at Beaver Creek, but there are a coupe motels and restaurants there. It's about 180 miles from Haines Jct. to the border and just a couple more miles to your first gas station. You should be able lto make it on a tank of gas so you don't have to pay so much for it at Beaver Creek.

To back up a tad, the road is boring between Ft. St. John and Ft. Nelson, however Ft. Nelson is fairly progressive and there is a pretty good RV park and campground at the north end of town. There's another neat little campground/RV park about 60 miles or so to the north of there. They have a good restaurant and they make their own bread there, fresh daily. I don't recall the name of it, but it's on the left side of the road as you're heading north.

So much for the travelogue. Hope this helps. Oh yes, depending on what time of the year you go up, you should expect to run into some road repairs going on. Hopefully you will be pleasantly surprised as we were last year and the year before. No road construction.
 
#31 ·
I have only done the Cassiar Hwy once and that was in 1981 in a car. The first 100 miles were paved as was the last 80 miles. Everything else in between was gravel and quite rough in places. Still, it's a very scenic route and if one intends on riding the highway both ways, it would be worth considering taking the Cassiar at least one way.

On the Alaska Hwy, there are few town and darned few communities, most of which seem to center around some sort of lodge or construction camp. One notable place is Toad River Lodge. I can't speak for the lodging, but they serve up a terrific breakfast. And don't expect too much at Watson Lake. They have a couple motels there, but they're definitely not 4-star! At least there are a couple garages and auto parts stores there, as well as gasoline. Just to the north where the Cassiar Hwy intersects, there is a pretty nice restaurant with gas pumps.
Just a couple of notes: the Cassiar is completely paved now except for a couple of short stretches, too short to mention. And Watson Lake has one of the more unique motels up there, the impeccably-neat Air Force Lodge (I think it is called) which was built as officer's quarters for U.S. Air Force personnel stationed at Watson Lake when we were ferrying military aircraft across to the Russians during WWII. The old wooden terminal and tower at the airport is still in use as well, and the museum there is worth a visit.

And that restaurant/gas station/campground N of Watson Lake may have good food (I didn't eat there) but the campground has some kind of insect that will leave you itching for weeks! Those were some of the worst bug bites I've ever had -- AVOID THE CAMPGROUND!:yesnod:
 
#32 ·
I know that Alaska is on the bucket list for many riders, but there are roads and view vistas in the U.S. and Canadian Rockies, coast ranges, and B.C. coast that are equally spectacular and easier & quicker to get to. Many have been mentioned already.

One trip planner mentioned riding around Mt. Rainier on their way south to Boise. The Mt. Rainier ride has some spectacular moments, but all in all I'd rather cross the Cascade range in B.C. or Washington SR-20 North Cascades highway, then south down the Rocky Mountain spine of Idaho.

With customs you never know what to expect. I always drive up, passport in hand, remove my sunglasses, look the inspector in the eye, and answer the questions courteously and concisely. One Canadian inspector asked if I'd ever been convicted of a crime. A U.S. drunk driving conviction, even years ago, is reason to be excluded from Canada. The U.S. inspectors are usually tougher. Depending on the state of their supervisors hemorrhoids, don't be surprised if you're told to pull over and empty things out.
 
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