Haul Road (Fairbanks, Grayling, Coldfoot: rent, hotel, art)

[RXMAN]

I was interested in driving the haul road this summer and I talked to a guy at the Denver sportshow a few days ago who drove it 10 years ago. He said the only time to go was in the winter because the road was frozen and if you went in the summer the thermofrost would semi melt and there would be ruts, mud and be very tough to drive. He also said you needed gas for 1,000 miles because there were no gas stations that would sell to tourists. He said it was all contracted to truckers so you had to haul your own gas and you would be lucky to make 100 miles a day. I couldn't believe it so I thought I would ask somebody before I started on this venture. Any comments?? Thanks Steve

[warptman]

Here you go....

Dalton Highway, otherwise known as the Haul Road

Driving the "Haul Road" to Deadhorse, Alaska

iExplore Community: The Dalton Highway (the old Haul Road - Prudhoe Bay, Alaska)

GORP - Doing the Dalton - Driving Alaska's Haul Road

[Xa'at]

Originally Posted by RXMAN

I was interested in driving the haul road this summer and I talked to a guy at the Denver sportshow a few days ago who drove it 10 years ago. He said the only time to go was in the winter because the road was frozen and if you went in the summer the thermofrost would semi melt and there would be ruts, mud and be very tough to drive. He also said you needed gas for 1,000 miles because there were no gas stations that would sell to tourists. He said it was all contracted to truckers so you had to haul your own gas and you would be lucky to make 100 miles a day. I couldn't believe it so I thought I would ask somebody before I started on this venture. Any comments?? Thanks Steve

I've never driven it... but I do know that you have to haul your own gas most of the way, not because gas stations won't tailor to you... but because they don't exist.
Now... you do know that when you drive the haul road, you're not actually going anywhere, right? It's a beautiful drive, and I'm sure it's worth it, but when the road dead ends there's really nothing there. Don't expect some sort of big "You drove the haul road!" monument. They don't even let tourists in to see Prudhoe bay anymore, unless you're with a tour.

[Marty Van Diest]

I haven't driven the haul road in a very long time. I did it up to the Brooks Range in the fall and to Deadhors in the winter.

I think it is essentially still the same but someone told me that you can now get fuel at the Yukon River Bridge.

I do think you should be prepared to drive at least 1000 with your own fuel. When you get up to Fairbanks someone will give you the scoop if it is different.

You should also bring several spare tires an make sure to give way to the big rigs...

Otherwise, it's a great trip.

[DreamworksSKG]

Also in a town named Deadhorse i'd avoid eating at the local truck stop if you know what I mean hehe

-Jeff
Winchester, MA

I wonder if the town mascot in Deadhorse is a horse?

[Metlakatla]

You know, it's not that f-ing funny.


Everywhere you looked during the gold rush you'd see dead horses...not just one or two here and there but piles of them everywhere.

[icarian]

Met,

Don't project on the New Englander for dump s*** that others did 100 years ago all in the name of finding/making a buck. I don't think his post makes him a callous animal hater.

[Rance]

I drove the haul rode this last August. The road is in excellent shape. Most of it is paved. There were no ruts or bad bumps. I filled up in Fairbanks, made it to Coldfoot on half a tank, filled up there (and ate some good food!), drove to Deadhorse, had a tire changed at the GBR tire shop, stayed a night at the Prudhoe Bay Hotel and ate more good food, topped off the tank with the 10 gallons I was carrying (but you can buy gas in Deadhorse), drove south to Coldfoot and refueled, then down to Fairbanks. The road is awesome, the scenery is too, and there is food, gas and lodging along the way. No problemo. See here starting page one. Most of these on page one were taken on the haul road.

Some recent AK photo's

[Glitch]

I have only driven the haul road during the winter months, so I can't comment on its condition in the summer. I do know that it is paved at least as far north as the Yukon River. There is a gas station and a small grocery store on the north side of the Yukon River on the west side of the highway, and as Rance mentioned, another gas station at Cold Foot and another gas station in Deadhorse. So if you can get between 250 to 300 miles on a tank of gas, you shouldn't have any problems. Just expect to pay a great deal more per gallon than you are accustom.

The distance you are able to drive in a single day will depend on how often you stop to enjoy the scenery. If you didn't stop at all, you could drive from Fairbanks to Coldfoot in a single day. Personally, I would want to stop a few times along the way, maybe even do some fishing for Dolly Varden or Graylings in the streams along the way. Once you get north of Atigan Pass and the Brooks Range, there isn't much to see other than the pipeline and possibly some wildlife. There are no trees and the northslope appears flatter than Kansas. If it were me, I would probably take two or three days to get from Fairbanks to Coldfoot, and another day to get to Deadhorse from Coldfoot.

Don't make the destination your purpose for going, make the journey the purpose, and you will enjoy the trip a great deal more.