HOW TO PLAN AN ALASKA.ORG RV TRIP IN ALASKA 1 ALASKA.ORG HOW TO PLAN AN RV TRIP IN ALASKA COMMON QUESTIONS WHAT IS THE AVERAGE CAMPGROUND COST PER NIGHT? Usually $10–$20 for a no-hookup site; $35–$80 a night with a hookup. WHEN ARE CAMPGROUNDS OPEN FOR THE YEAR AND WHEN DO THEY CLOSE? Most campgrounds open May 15, and close between September 1 and 15. Some private campgrounds may stay open longer. Almost all are closed by the end of September. WHAT AMENITIES ARE AVAILABLE? Most campgrounds in state and national parks, as well as BLM campgrounds, do not have showers or hookups, and many do not have dump sites. Most do have water, a picnic table, fire ring, and vault toilets (outhouses). For more information on state campgrounds, see here. HOW ARE THE ROAD CONDITIONS IN ALASKA? Most privately run RV parks have the above plus One of the biggest myths about Alaska is that our roads are remote and in terrible shape. Sure, we hookups, showers, flush toilets, and laundry. have a handful of gravel roads, but almost all the highways you’ll want to travel are paved, well maintained, and safe. In the summer (mid-May to mid-September) they’re free of snow. ARE ADVANCED RESERVATIONS REQUIRED? No. But they’re recommended for the campgrounds You’ll get cell phone coverage on just about every major road in Alaska. And if you do run into inside Denali National Park (only a few accept RVs engine troubles while driving, there’s an unwritten rule out here that you stop to help a motorist in and they book up far in advance), or if you want to distress. guarantee a site with a hookup. A few roads, however, are gravel and have limited services; you’ll need to take special care on them. WHAT IF I’VE NEVER DRIVEN AN RV? (They’re also not on most itineraries, so you won’t end up on them if you stick to prescribed routes.) You don’t need a special license for a typical RV, and One important note: Many rental companies don’t allow their vehicles on non-paved roads. While today’s vehicles come with automatic transmission, many people drive them anyway, you’re responsible for any damage, and any insurance is voided if power brakes, and power steering. Still, you may you break the contract. have to get used to navigating such a long vehicle— and remembering that you may not be able to get If you’re not bringing your own RV to Alaska, check with your rental company to make sure through some areas with shorter clearances, like you can go on the following roads: Denali Highway, McCarthy Road, Dalton Highway, Top of fast-food drive-throughs. the World Highway, Steese Highway, Elliott Highway, Taylor Highway, Nabesna Road. Modern RVs are pretty user-friendly: The push of a button will indicate what needs attention. Still, be sure that you have the owner’s manual in hand before you head out, in case you need a cheat sheet on how to work the appliances, how to hook up the rig at a campsite, or how to fold out beds. Most rental companies will give you a thorough orientation before you drive off the lot, but make sure there’s someone you can call if you run into a problem. WORTHINGTON GLACIER BETWEEN COPPER CENTER AND VALDEZ ALASKA.ORG 2 Circle Hot Miller Springs House Coal Creek KallandsGrant Creek Tanana ELLIOTT HWY Birches Tanana WY a 2 E H anik Eureka DA S 6 hat LTO E C Yukon Tatalina N TE S ena Twin H Ch Tofty W k. Mountain F y Y h rle Woodchopper Chatanika rt 5502 ft ha n 70 o C ko Olnes N Yu Manley Hot Seventymile Chatanika Chena Hot T Springs a a Minto n na n Baker e Springs he a h C n West Point C 5 a a e an tl 5761 ft n it a Fox L it h RD Nowitna Nat'l C CHEN PR S Old Minto A HOT S ING Chena Yukon-Charley Wildlife Ester River State Mount Eagle Refuge ALASKA.ORGPleasant Valley Rivers National Eagle Chickaloon Fairbanks Rec. Area Eldridge Preserve 5974 ft Village North S Standard o Zitziana u Pole t Cosna h D F OA k R 3 Tanana . C IL Eielson Air hena A R Force Base Salcha Nenana TOP RV ITINERARIES ile Fort Wainwright ortym A F Wood k. Fortymile K e F Yukon Toklat S l dd A Wild & r i L e M t 105 A s Scenic River Harding Lake a ile p m d y Totatlanika t Anderson o or Harding Lake o F N Birch Lake m G i e 92 w n State Rec. Area a Y k Tolkat P OF T o n H W O E W k a OR s 6 DAYS - DENALI & KENAI FJORDS 9 T L H D u S 2 HW K K Dawson . R Jack Wade Y k A F P h Teklanika t Big Delta r Kantishna o Camp in Seward, Talkeetna, & DenaliState Hist. Park N Chicken Boundary Little Gold Big Delta Little Delta Lake Healy Minchumina Muddy Delta Gerstle ork 5 Sushana Healy o F Lake Minchumina Junction it Lake u q ALASKA HWY s o M . East Fk. Toklat Fk n so Healy Usibelli DAY 2 KENAI FJORDS NATIONAL PARK ni n e D . k Toklat 4, 5 D F t e T s l r t e i a ALASKA YUKON Taked a half- or full-day cruise into Kenai Fjords National Park for wildlife and glacier ana W e 4 Tan McKinley n Denali t Savage Gilliam G 2 Dot Lake Yanert l Glacier a 108 c Donnelly Sanctuary Park Mountviewing. Overnight at a campsite in SewardDot .Lake Village . Mount i e k Deborah Hayes r F Herron n t Gla 12267 ft 13832 ft iso Yan er cier G enn Kantishna e D r TAYLOR HWY ALASKA RANGE s Foraker t Tok River Telida r i DE ie l N e ALI PA Nenana lac RK G State Rec. R G D Glacier rk Bla r l o ck a F Ra ie Site p c r t ids lac e G i s i DAY 3 SEWARD TOe TALKEETNA Telida Denali Susitna c e Glacier r la Ladue Muldrow G Cantwell W Castner n Tanacross National Park Glacier o Glacier s 12 Jack Nenana n & Preserve Canwell h Summit o Susitna Take down campGlacier and departJ Seward. Make a detour 20 minutes north of town and idd Mount Tok M l Eureka e . Chu Glacier F k li Glacier T tn DENALI HWY 135 a a Kimball n Mount 318 Maclaren 10350 ft Tok ana Mount Mather stop at Exit Glacier (RV parking is available).RobertsonGlacier Spend up to a few hours here walking Broad Swift Fk. Silverthrone 11968 ft Denali GulkanaGlacier Colorado K W 12851 ft Pass Ea 1 2 (Mount McKinley) st Fk. C Tetlin a h h l i u ALASKA TIME ZONE t u PACIFIC TIME ZONE Maclaren Paxon e l Glacier it the short trail to the glacier’sGakona face, or taking the longer trail to the Harding Ice Field. Tetlin t 20310 ft n Lake n Northway E a Lake a ld Junction r id Northway Village Mount Hunter ge Mount Foraker G Then drive 4 hours and camp in Talkeetna. la 8 Tangle Slana 14271 ft c Paxson 17400 ft i RICHARDSON HWY Northway r e Lakes e r i r c Indian e i a a M 86 l i T n dd c it le o l Mentasta Lake G F a u k k l h a C Chulitna . o G G n u s lka Gulkana Mount Russell a u i R n t a Little Tok n c n u 11352 ft t a 120 a t n L G h e Denali l a Alcan Y usitna c Gl State S i a e cie r r Park K a TOK CUTOFF n a i Indian Tetlin Nat'l h h i c lt Slana n o River Wildlife Mount Dall t a a s i G West F k h 8300 ft . G n Refuge u C A L A S K A l R A N G E o a lk Curry a k c n T a a i e a G Copper r 3 lk Tyone N e AB a e S n Petersville t 4 EN s Chelatna Y n Chistochina A e a b Lake R a W Wellesley D N H Beaver Lake S Chase r K e Creek R p Ewan p r. P A E Lake o C T P 3 1 C g E Gulkana RS Chisana a VI Nabesna n L S LE RD Yentna Crosswind A Kichatna Talkeetna L Trapper Creek Black A Sheep Lake Lake Sanford a S n K t Louise Gakona Junction e Gakona A h Mount Sanford TALKEETNA Oshetna s Lake Louise Gulkana H O 16237 ft Copper UNITEDSTATES W e State Rec. Area Glacier Sunshine tl Y MOUNTAINS Lit ier ac l CANADA Kahiltna G rd fo r S n e a i Lit ina Glennallen 14 si WRANGELL Chisana tle Nelch a c Montana w a Mendeltna la Mount Drum l 1 K MOUNTAINS cier Skwentna G a Skwentna 12010 ft l Kashwitna a a G n lin o Tazlina Taz n 1 o s a l e n a b Mount a k a s N i c i Wrangell h h Nelchina Dadinda C C Copper Center 14113 ft a Eureka in Independence Mine t u a r Roadhouse Tazlina l 4 in Y K l e Kluvesna s i e State Hist.