Epic Alaska Road Trip from New Jersey – 2024 RV Planning Guide
Considering planning an Alaska road trip?
Looking for things to see and do in Alaska? Our good friend and nature enthusiast, Kevin Dolan, is sharing his incredible journey to Alaska in an RV. He tells you how to plan the Alaska road trip, the route that he followed, the unique challenges encountered, and how to capture the journey.
Sometime pre-Covid, my wife Carol and I started to dream of driving a Recreational Vehicle (RV) from New Jersey to Alaska. You know, a road trip of epic proportions through the prairies, the Rockies, the Canadian Rockies, the wilderness of British Columbia, the Yukon, and Alaska while encountering dangerous wildlife and terrain.
During the summer of 2023 that dream became a reality. We travelled over 11,400 miles through 17 states, 2 Canadian Provinces, a Canadian Territory and over 500 miles on the Alaskan Marine Highway System.
We explored and stayed in many National Parks and Forests, spotting buffalo, wild horses, eagles, bears, grizzlies, moose, and whales. Encountered a furious hailstorm in Montana, heavy wildfire smoke from Russia, and a torrential rainstorm in the wilderness. Faced hot sun, dust, and observed grizzlies at Brooks Falls. Enjoyed ice-capped mountains, glaciers, waterfalls, raging rivers, and vast wilderness.
Plus, we met many everyday people doing very interesting things. Yes, it was an epic Alaska road trip.
Epic Alaska Road Trip from New Jersey
Embarking on a 7-week journey from New Jersey to the wilderness of Alaska, our RV trip was nothing short of extraordinary. Planning is the key to capturing the true essence of the Last Frontier.
Planning Your Road Trip
If you need to buy an RV and are unfamiliar with RVing, you may want to start 24 months ahead of time. Check out my recent article, The Ultimate Guide for RVing to Alaska, to understand why we chose our RV and to help you decide what RV best suits your needs. I recommend visiting your local RV dealer and RV shows to get educated on options available that are most suitable for you.
Getting the RV, a year ahead of time gives you a full season using it and getting comfortable with it prior to embarking on driving the equivalent of nearly halfway around the world. There are plenty of YouTube videos to instruct you on how to maintain your RV. The RV engine, filters, tires, and brakes all must be changed and checked before the trip and during the trip. Our air filter needed to be changed in Washington.
Budgeting for the Alaska Road Trip
Budgeting is difficult. So, make a budget and plan on spending 20% more than you think you need. That way you will come out ahead. Fuel is going to be one of your big expenses. You will have to buy food. Well, you got to eat! Tolls, the hidden tax, bites you across PA, OH, IN and IL.
Then there is eating out, gifts and excursions. Excursions can be expensive. Traveling on the ferries we counted as excursions. Jet skiing on Prince William Sound and flying in a float plane to Katmai National Park to see the Grizzlies at Brooks Falls were worth the cost and are musts in my book.
Camping fees range from $0 to $80.00 per night. You may want to include some hotel nights to get refreshed.
RVing to Alaska is not like going to Florida to a time share. It is not restful and is difficult. But it is worth it.
Timing and Planning the Route
About six to nine months prior to your departure date you need to decide where you want to go. Also, in some places, like Denali National Park, you will need to make reservations six to seven months in advance. I used Google Maps to map out the trip and to find out the mileage for each day. After I knew my mileage, I populated an Excel Spread Sheet to give me my itinerary.
We wanted to miss the June rush, so our Alaska road trip began on July 7th with plans to return to New Jersey in late August.
Our trip was divided into 4 legs:
- Leg 1: New Jersey to Alaska
- Leg 2: Inside Alaska
- Leg 3: Alaska Marine Highway System
- Leg 4: Washington to New Jersey
Leg 1: Alaska Road Trip – New Jersey to Alaska
Starting from New Jersey, we moved fast across Pennsylvania and the Midwest to get to Theodore Roosevelt National Park in Medora, North Dakota. There is plenty to do and see between NJ and Medora, but we wanted to get out West.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park is in the Northern Badlands, with a harsh but beautiful landscape that is very different from New Jersey. There is also an abundance of buffalo and wild horses, neither of which we have in New Jersey. The 2 1/2-day drive took us to a foreign place.
We also visited National Parks and Provincial Parks along the way. Glacier National Park in Montana was very crowded, but worth the stop. The Icefields Parkway in Alberta between Banff and Jasper is a must! It is rated one of the 10 best roads in the world. Unbelievable.
The major unexpected wonder was the Yukon wilderness. We drove 750 miles with only 5 places to get fuel. What an amazing place.
Crossing the Border into Canada
We crossed into Canada north of White Lake Montana. The name of the crossing is Roosville Border Crossing. We just needed our passports and the normal things for driving a vehicle. The Canadian Border Crossing Guards asked about guns and drugs.
Our Canadian Path
We spent about a week in Canada on the way to Alaska. The Icefields Parkway between Banff and Jasper is a must. The Parkway is said to be one of the most beautiful drives in the world, and I believe it.
Our major stops were Lake Louise, Lake Peyto, and the Columbia Glacier. Each stop was amazing, but collectively I was ill prepared for extraordinary beauty. My vocabulary and prose are too inadequate to describe the increasing wonders, beauty, and the diversity of the landscape. The color of water, smell of the trees, variety of trees, shape of mountains, cliffs, valleys, the expanse of the Canadian Rockies and the enormity of the Columbia Glacier are beyond incredible.
There is plenty of camping in Banff but make reservations. Jasper is not as crowded, and you should be able to find a good place to stay. I wish we spent more time in Jasper.
The Yukon
One of our most pleasant surprises was the amazing beauty of the Yukon. Just an overall WOW! You will see plenty of wildlife along the road. A must place to stop is the Liard Hot Springs. It is north of Muncho Lake, about 55 minutes. The hot springs are very popular, but not crowded. While we were leaving, Park Officials shut down the hot springs due to black bear activity.
On the way back into Canada from Alaska we crossed at the Alcan-Beaver Creek Border Crossing, which is the Alaskan Highway (Alcan). I really enjoyed the drive from the border crossing to Haines, AK. The Alcan was in good shape and absolutely breathtaking. The immense scale and majesty of the wilderness I found very relaxing.
As we drove south the Wrangell-St Elias National Park and Preserve, and the Kluane National Park and Reserve were to our west. These are gigantic pieces of mountainous wilderness.
The Congdon Creek Campground just south of Destruction Bay on Kluane Lake is very nice. I would like to visit it again.
Leg 2: Alaska Road Trip – Inside Alaska
The second leg of the road trip was inside Alaska. We crossed back into the USA from Canada at the Poker Creek/Little Gold Creek Border Crossing. This is at the end of the Top of World Highway and just west of Dawson City, Yukon. The Top of World Highway is at roughly an elevation of 4500 feet with beautiful vistas. The Highway I am happy to say, is a well maintained, hard packed, gravel road.
Poker Creek/Little Gold Creek is North America’s most northern border crossing. The crossing opens early June and closes early September. Each year the days shift a little so check on the dates of when the border crossing is open.
Prior to the Top of the World Highway, we had traveled over roughly 700 miles on the Alaskan Highway and Klondike Highway with only about five towns to get fuel. These highways were dusty, had many frost heaves and broken asphalt. The Klondike lacked a shoulder in many places. It costs a lot of money to maintain these roads in the wilderness. Our average speed was around 40 mph.
Crossing back into the USA
At Poker Creek/Little Gold Creek Border Crossing, the American Guards were relaxed and treated us as family coming home. One American Border Crossing Guard asked how Carol and I how were getting along traveling in a truck camper from New Jersey. We gladly said we were getting along just fine.
Once we got into Alaska, back in the USA, we celebrated the beautiful four lane smooth highway. We drove at 65 mph and there were no bumps. We were so proud of the USA and proud for being Americans. Proud because we have real highways.
Then reality and disappointment set in. Several miles past the border crossing the highway turned into a single-track dirt road needing to be graded and the trees cut back on each side of the path. We would be fortunate if we could travel at 30 mph. This dirt road lasted for a few miles and then the road got better. The name of the road is the Taylor Highway.
Tok to Valdez
The road from Tok to Valdez is an absolute must. The largest national park, Wrangell-St Elias National Park’s ice capped peaks glistened in the early dawn sun. Near Thompson Pass the Worthing Glacier seemed like it was just pouring out into the road.
The six-hour ferry from Valdez to Whittier in Prince William Sound was peaceful and the scenery was breath taking. Prior to our trip, we booked an excursion with Glacier Jet Ski Adventures in Whittier. They were wonderful to work with and we had a perfect day for the jet ski ride. We got up close to Blackstone Glacier and the adjacent waterfall. The ride was about two hours and we traveled round trip something like 58 miles and hit speeds near 60 mph. The water was smooth as glass.
We camped in Homer Spit. The boardwalk at the end of Homer Spit was an easy 4-mile bike ride from our campsite and was a great place for casual dining and shopping for authentic Alaskan gifts to take back home.
Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park
One of the most unbelievable experiences we had was going to Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park to see the Grizzlies in their natural habitat. This was truly a once in a lifetime experience.
We left for Brooks Falls on Beryl Air from Beluga Lake at 6:15 am. There were four passengers and the pilot. The cost for the two of us was $1700 and well worth it. We were fortunate to go since we did not have reservations and people normally make reservations months in advance.
The float plane took off for the 85-minute flight on calm as calm could be water. Perfect conditions for taking off in a float plane. We took off into clear blue skies and the high-pressure system gave us great visibility. Our destination was to see Grizzlies at Brooks Falls. The flight from Homer, Beluga Lake, to Katmai National Park is across Cook’s Inlet to the southwest. Once past the water we flew around mountains and volcanos.
Brooks Falls is famous for watching Grizzly Bears catch salmon. As the salmon swim upstream to spawn, the bears perched themselves on the falls to catch the unsuspecting salmon. There is a web feed of Brooks Falls on YouTube.
Bear School
Upon arriving at Katmai, we attended mandatory Bear School. We were taught that this is the bear’s habitat, not man’s. Grizzly bears are everywhere, and we need to give them the right of way by at least 50 yards. Like I need to be taught to give 1000-pound killer the right of way and stand as far away as possible.
Bears look friendly, cuddly, and mean no harm. Yeah, right. Their claws are long nails, and they eat flesh. One swipe from one of those claws, all my life’s questions would no longer matter. When they stand up on their legs, they are over 9 feet tall. They can’t read, so their reasoning facilities are limited. So don’t get in their way and don’t try to make friends with them.
Once graduating from Bear School, we quickly learned that bears are truly everywhere, and we needed to apply what we learned. When the 1000-pound grizzly bear with her cubs approached us on the path, we applied what we were taught. We did not run, but I did walk quickly. Grizzlies can run at 35 mph.
We were taught to calmly talk to the bear while backing up and get off the path. Which we did. If attacked, play dead and cover your head and neck with your arms, lie in the fetal position and start praying.
Fishing at Brooks Falls
Finally, we reached Brooks Falls and, so far, it has been worth the experience. We were on a deck ten to fifteen feet above the water looking over the waterfalls. Bears were as close as fifty feet and there were probably up to 20 bears fishing.
A bear stood up and I was not fast enough to get its picture. Talk about intimating height. He had to be over 9 feet tall. Another bear scooped a nice big salmon out of the water then tore it apart with its 4” nails and 3” fangs. The front and rear paws have five toes or fingers. The claw’s nails can be 2” to 4” in length.
A Bear Lesson
All grizzly bears are brown bears, but not all brown bears are grizzly bears. There are two subspecies of brown bears. There is the larger Kodiak bear coming in at 1700 pounds from Kodiak Island and the grizzly bear everywhere else.
The coastal grizzly will weigh 1000 pounds or so, whereas the interior grizzly will weigh less since there is less food. The grizzly’s color can range from light tan to dark brown, have a round dish face, short round ears and a large shoulder hump.
On a profile, the grizzly’s back side is lower than the hump. Interior grizzlies are more aggressive than coastal grizzlies, because the coastal grizzlies have a larger food supply.
Just like humans can get mean when hungry, grizzlies can too. A grizzly bear eats up to 200,000 berries per day. Someone had to count all those seeds. Grizzlies need to consume 20,000 to 58,000 calories per day in the fall and if they don’t get it, they are extremely dangerous. Fortunately, the coastal bears are well fed.
On the float plane flight back, we enjoyed the scenery of volcanos, ice capped mountains and vast wilderness.
Seward to Anchorage
Hiking, the Harding Glacier Hike outside of Seward, is a fantastic hike with epic views. We hiked up to the cliffs, which gave us a great view of the Exit Glacier and a partial view of the Harding Icefield.
One thing we wished we did was go fishing. Both Homer Spit and Seward offer great fishing opportunities.
The drive to Anchorage from the Kenai Peninsula is a very pleasant drive. Unfortunately, Anchorage has the same problem as most American cities have and therefore, we only stayed one night.
Denali National Park
Our next destination was Denali National Park. On the drive to the park, as we came around a bend on Route 3, we let out a long exhale and a long slow whistle as Denali came in view in all its glory. The huge, massive mountain was such a distraction I nearly drove off the road. The ice cap looked like a cumulus cloud. We stopped at the South Viewpoint to absorb the extraordinary view.
Denali National Park was wilder and more beautiful than I expected. Most of New Jersey can fit into the park. We hiked up the Ascent Trail then down to Savage Campground. A fantastic hike. Although we did not see the Denali Mountain on the hike, the trial was designed for views of the mountain.
Most people do not get to see the mountain since it has its own weather system and is covered in clouds. At sunset the clouds surrounding the mountain cleared and we did get to see the mountain and this time from the North.
Entering Denali National Park is generally by bus, bicycle or on foot. There is only one road through Denali and most of it can only be traveled by bus (school bus). You start at the Denali Visitor Center or Denali Bus Depot . There are 3 types of buses, of which 2 have a fee and require reservations.
- Non-narrated Transit Bus (Green) – like a hop on/hop off service, you can get off where you want and back on when you want. The driver will point out wildlife and will make restroom stops.
- Narrated Tour Bus (Tan) – there are several tour options available. You will have a Guide who will narrate along the way.
- Free Buses – operates on the paved portion of the road and will take you to campgrounds and trails. This service does not require a reservation.
Tok to Haines
The drive from Tok to Haines boasted fabulous scenery of mountains, lakes, and glaciers. A very beautiful relaxing drive and one I would like to do again. Haines Junction is a nice town with good places to get something to eat. The road heading from Haines Junction to Haines Alaska has many breathtaking views so take your time.
Leg 3: Alaska Marine Highway System – Haines, Alaska to Bellingham, Washington
The third leg of the Alaska road trip was the Alaskan Marine Highway System (AMS – The Alaska Ferry) from Haines, Alaska to Bellingham, Washington. An awesome 4-night journey of nearly 500 miles! You need to make reservations well in advance.
The AMS is the public transportation system for citizens of Alaska. Since many communities are remote and without roads, people either get around by float planes or by boat. The AMS is public transportation servicing some of these remote communities. The ferry from Haines to Bellingham Washington is AMS’s Flagship Ferry the MV Columbia.
The MV Columbia was built in 1974. It is 418 feet long, holds 499 passengers and 134 cars on two decks. The draft is 24 feet compared to our jet ski of six inches. The installed power is 12,350 HP; our jet ski is 300 HP turbo.
Life on the Ferry
On the Ferry, if available, you can get a berth. There are two bunk berths and four bunk berths with a bathroom. The berths are clean, but not the Ritz. The berths are assigned to you and are about 10 feet long, 7 feet wide, have a bathroom with hot water, a small desk, and a window. If a berth is unavailable, people either sleep in the public areas or sleep in a tent on the stern of the boat.
You are not allowed to stay in your vehicle. The passengers consist of all ages and local Alaskans, other Americans, and folks from all over the world.
There is a cafeteria and a nice restaurant on the Columbia. We ate well and the prices were extremely reasonable. We met very interesting people on this part of the journey.
Interesting People on the Journey
In the dining room during breakfast, we met Kale and his two friends. They were sitting at the table across from us. Kale wore a baseball cap, had a long bushy rufus beard, a soft Scottish accent and his friends were British.
These guys were different. They were fit, lean, muscle trim, very relaxed and exuded confidence. As we talked with them, we found out they had just completed a jaw dropping 6,000-mile kayak trip from Puget Sound near Olympic National Park to Haines Alaska.
How did they get resupplied? Get fresh water? Let alone survive in a remote wilderness? It took them 89 days. How many of those days was the sun out? Who does this kind of wild adventure?
So, I ventured a guess. I asked them if they were formally UK Special Forces, which they confirmed. They had fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. After a most enjoyable conversation with them over the last cup of coffee, we got up to say goodbyes. Kale rotated on his chair and hopped off. He was missing from above the knees down. Kale was a double amputee. What an amazing man!
Another positive about the ferry is just about anywhere the ferry stopped we were able to get off the ship to go for a walk. Plus, we saw whales and beautiful scenery on the voyage.
Leg 4: Alaska Road Trip – Washington to New Jersey
The fourth leg of the Alaska road trip was Bellingham Washington to New Jersey, with stops to visit family and friends in Washington, Idaho, and Montana.
We did a nice hike in the Cascades near Snoqualmie Pass. Mount Rainier National Park, located in west-central Washington state, was an unexpected high point on the fourth leg. I enjoyed the hikes, the waterfalls and spectacular view of Mount Rainier. Towering over the landscape at 14,410 feet.
Mount Rainier is the highest volcanic peak in the contiguous United States and has the largest alpine glacial system outside of Alaska. It is a beautiful mountain and hiking up to 7200 feet is less than five miles from the visitor center parking lot.
Note: Starting in 2024, Mount Rainier National Park will implement a timed entry reservation system when entering Paradise Corridor and Sunrise Corridor. This is a pilot program designed to reduce congestion and overcrowding in the park during the hours of 7am to 3pm.
Unique Alaskan Challenges
Navigating the Alaskan wilderness and remote areas can seem daunting, but in the summertime, there is plenty of traffic on the roads in case of an emergency. The Yukon’s wilderness, particularly the Klondike Highway, is to be respected. Be prepared. Know how to change a flat, make sure you have plenty of fuel, water, and food.
To see wildlife in their natural habitat is one of the reasons you want to go. When, not if, you see wildlife respect that they are wild. Do not approach them. If you violate their personal space, you may end up in the news.
There is a protocol when encountering Black Bears and Grizzlies. Get acquainted with these protocols and have bear spray and know how to use it before you take a hike. When hiking, be prudent. Ask rangers questions about the area you plan to enter.
Weather
The weather along the Alaska road trip can change so wear layers and make sure you have cold weather and warm weather clothes. Make sure your vehicle’s tires and brakes are in good shape. If you encounter bad weather while driving and you are uncomfortable, pull over to let it pass. We pulled over in the wilderness of northern British Columbia during a torrential rainstorm with strong winds. During that storm, I got a very good nap instead of having a white-knuckle drive.
We always bring more than we need, but you will need rain gear, hot weather clothes and cold weather clothes. Figure in the low 40’s to over 100 degrees F, hot sun, rain, clouds and maybe some snow. We like to hike, so we also brought our hiking gear. Include bear spray, sunscreen, bug repellent and a net that covers your face to protect against bugs.
Safety Tips
For emergencies, we activated our OnStar account for our truck, and we purchased a weBoost system for remote internet access.
You will be driving on some gravel and asphalt roads in need of repair so bring a toolbox, an emergency kit including flares, a first aid kit and don’t forget patience. If you need help, you may need to wait for help to arrive. If you do break down, you can expect someone to stop to help you. To learn more about handling your RV on a long road trip, please read our article on the Ultimate Guide to RVing to Alaska.
Capturing the Journey
It was important for us to capture everything about this epic Alaska road trip. For photographs I used my iPhone 13. People who have seen the pictures said they looked great and asked me what I used. Everyone thought I had an expensive camera!
For family and friends, Carol posted photographs to a Facebook page called Making Night Dreams Day Realities. I kept a daily journal and wrote a book from the journal notes. The book is called “Making Night Dreams Day Realities, Episode 4, A Travel Journal, Fifty-one Days from the Garden State to Alaska and Back”. During the trip we emailed family and friends excerpts from the journal, which they enjoyed and appreciated.
Final Thoughts: Alaska Road Trip Planning Guide
Not sure where we got the idea for driving from New Jersey to Alaska, but I am glad we did. I crossed the country numerous times, rode my bicycle across it, but never drove it.
The extraordinary beauty, awesome landscapes, fascinating people, wildlife encounters and even the difficulties made it an experience of a lifetime. On this trip Carol and I made memories, such as the Yukon wilderness, that have enriched our lives and given us a deeper gratitude for the USA, Canada, and the time in which we live.
During this amazing period in which we live, travel is just one of the benefits. To better understand our world, Carol and I plan on to continue to take advantage of this benefit. Next year we plan on going to Newfoundland, Canada. As with going to Alaska, we are looking forward to meeting interesting people, learning more about the Atlantic Provinces and seeing the wonder of Creation.
After traveling over 11,900 miles the trip changed me in several ways. While driving I am more patient. I have more respect for truck drivers and more sympathy for them. It is a difficult profession. The trip also gave me a deeper love and appreciation for our home. Home Sweet Home!
If you feel the inclination, go ahead, plan and go. This is not a trip to be missed. You will experience the USA and Canada and give you a deeper appreciation for these two great countries. The little advice I can give is to be flexible, respectful, patient and kind.
Remember, when away from home you are at someone else’s home.
If you would like assistance in planning your road trip to Alaska, we would be happy to help. Please refer to our Travel Planning services for further information or send us an email.
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