Alaska road guide
The best motorcycle roads in Alaska
The best motorcycle roads in Alaska are a short list of very big highways: the Seward Highway along Turnagain Arm, the Glenn past Matanuska Glacier, the Richardson over Thompson Pass to Valdez, the Parks past Denali, and the gravel Denali and Dalton highways for adventure bikes. Here are 14 classics by region, with why each is worth it, what to watch for and when to go.
- Roads listed
- 14
- Regions
- 3
- Longest fuel gap
- About 240 miles, Dalton
- Check before you go
- Alaska 511
Before you pick
How to use this list of the best motorcycle roads in Alaska
Alaska's road network is small, so almost every road on it is a big ride. Most trips begin around Anchorage, then head down the Kenai, north to Denali and Fairbanks, or east toward Valdez and the Canadian border. Juneau and the rest of Southeast are cut off from the main road network, so getting there means the ferry.
Expect gravel, frost heaves, construction and moose on every one of these, even the paved ones, and check Alaska 511 before long rides. The Alaska motorcycle rides hub has the overview, and the best time to ride in Alaska covers the short season month by month.
Southcentral
Anchorage, the Kenai and the Mat-Su
- 1. Seward Highway (AK 1 and AK 9)Why: About 125 miles from Anchorage along Turnagain Arm, over Turnagain Pass and down to Seward on Resurrection Bay. Water, glaciers and mountains the whole way, and one of the country's designated All-American Roads. Watch for: Drivers braking hard for Dall sheep on the cliffs, risky passing, and heavy summer weekend traffic. Best season: June to August.
- 2. Hope HighwayWhy: A quiet 17-mile spur off the Seward Highway to Hope, an old gold rush town on the south shore of Turnagain Arm. Short, curvy and far less busy than the main road. Watch for: Moose, a narrow road and gravel at pullouts. Best season: June to August.
- 3. Portage Glacier Road and the Whittier tunnelWhy: A short ride from the Seward Highway to Portage Lake, then through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, about 2.5 miles long and shared with the railroad, to the port town of Whittier. Watch for: The tunnel runs one direction at a time on a schedule, charges a toll and has rails set in the road surface, so check its rules for motorcycles before you go. Best season: June to August.
- 4. Sterling Highway to Homer (AK 1)Why: From the Seward Highway past the turquoise Kenai River at Cooper Landing, through Soldotna and down the coast to Homer and its spit, with volcanoes across Cook Inlet. Watch for: Heavy fishing traffic in salmon season, moose and long straights that tempt bad passing. Best season: June to August.
- 5. Glenn Highway (AK 1)Why: Leaves Anchorage through Palmer, then climbs along the Matanuska River toward Glennallen, with the glacier's ice spilling into view, Sheep Mountain ahead and long curves cut into the canyon wall. Watch for: Frost heaves, construction with pilot cars, and drop-offs at the edge of the pavement. Best season: June to August.
- 6. Hatcher Pass RoadWhy: Starts in the farm country near Palmer, follows the Little Susitna River up to the old Independence Mine buildings, then crosses open alpine tundra over the summit and down toward Willow. Huge views close to Anchorage. Watch for: Gravel on the Willow side, steep grades, and the summit section's winter closure, which often lasts into early summer. Best season: July to early September.
Valdez and the Copper River
Thompson Pass, Valdez and the road to McCarthy
- 7. Richardson Highway to Valdez (AK 4)Why: North from Valdez through Keystone Canyon past waterfalls, then up over Thompson Pass and past Worthington Glacier. One of the most dramatic stretches of pavement in the state, and the pipeline runs alongside farther north. Watch for: Weather that changes fast on Thompson Pass, fog, wind and frost heaves. Best season: June to August.
- 8. Edgerton Highway and McCarthy RoadWhy: The Edgerton is paved from the Richardson to Chitina. The McCarthy Road beyond is about 60 miles of gravel into Wrangell-St. Elias, the largest national park in the country, ending near McCarthy and the old Kennecott mill. Watch for: Washboard, mud when wet, and old railroad spikes in the roadbed that can flatten a tire. Carry a plug kit. Best season: July to August.
The Interior and the Arctic
Denali, Fairbanks and the road north
- 9. Parks Highway (AK 3)Why: About 320 miles from the Mat-Su Valley north to Fairbanks. If the clouds lift, Denali fills the view along the way, and the national park entrance makes a natural overnight. Inside the park, private vehicles can usually only drive the first 15 miles of the park road. Watch for: Long distances, frost heaves, tour traffic near the park and moose. Best season: June to August.
- 10. Denali Highway (AK 8)Why: About 135 miles between Paxson and Cantwell, nearly all of it above the trees, with the glaciers of the Alaska Range on the skyline and Maclaren Summit, one of the state's highest highway passes, along the way. Gravel for most of its length, with pavement only at each end. Watch for: Washboard, loose gravel, very few services, and a road that isn't maintained in winter. Best season: Late June to August.
- 11. Chena Hot Springs RoadWhy: About 57 paved miles east of Fairbanks through the Chena River State Recreation Area to a hot springs resort at the end. An easy, scenic out-and-back with a soak as the reward. Watch for: Moose, frost heaves and gravel at pullouts. Best season: June to August.
- 12. Dalton Highway (AK 11)Why: 414 miles north from the Elliott Highway across the Yukon River, the Arctic Circle and over Atigun Pass in the Brooks Range to Deadhorse. Long sections are gravel. The bucket-list adventure ride in North America. Watch for: About 240 miles with no services between Coldfoot and Deadhorse, big trucks throwing rocks, slick mud when wet and snow on Atigun Pass in any month. Best season: July and August.
- 13. Alaska Highway and the Taylor Highway (AK 2 and AK 5)Why: The last stretch of the famous highway crosses from Yukon into Alaska, passes through Tok and finishes at Delta Junction. From near Tok, the Taylor Highway heads north to Chicken and on to the Top of the World Highway into Yukon. Watch for: Frost heaves, gravel on the Taylor, and a border crossing on the Top of the World that's only open in summer, with limited hours. Bring a passport. Best season: June to August.
Southeast Alaska
Ferry country: Haines and Skagway
- 14. Haines Highway and Klondike HighwayWhy: Reached on the Alaska Marine Highway ferry. The Haines Highway runs past the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve and over Chilkat Pass into Canada, and the Klondike Highway climbs from Skagway over White Pass toward Carcross and Whitehorse. Ride one up and the other back for a loop through British Columbia and Yukon. Watch for: Border crossings, fast-changing mountain weather and long gaps between fuel. Best season: June to August.
- Getting thereThe Alaska Marine Highway carries motorcycles between Southeast ports and connects to Bellingham, Washington. Book ahead in summer, and bring tie-down straps for the car deck.
Summary
Alaska motorcycle roads at a glance
| Road | Surface | Best season |
|---|---|---|
| Seward Highway | Paved | Jun to Aug |
| Hope Highway | Paved | Jun to Aug |
| Portage and the Whittier tunnel | Paved, rails in the tunnel | Jun to Aug |
| Sterling Highway to Homer | Paved | Jun to Aug |
| Glenn Highway | Paved | Jun to Aug |
| Hatcher Pass Road | Paved and gravel | Jul to early Sep |
| Richardson Highway to Valdez | Paved | Jun to Aug |
| Edgerton Highway and McCarthy Road | Paved, then gravel | Jul to Aug |
| Parks Highway | Paved | Jun to Aug |
| Denali Highway | Mostly gravel | Late Jun to Aug |
| Chena Hot Springs Road | Paved | Jun to Aug |
| Dalton Highway | Paved and long gravel sections | Jul to Aug |
| Alaska and Taylor highways | Paved, Taylor partly gravel | Jun to Aug |
| Haines and Klondike highways | Paved | Jun to Aug |
Rider-added roads
Alaska roads riders have added in Rippin'
Alaska is about as early as it gets for Rippin', which began in Southern California. There are very few riders in the app here so far, and most of these highways are waiting for a rider to add them. The live list right after this section shows the Alaska roads on the map today.
To add one, ride it with Rippin' recording, open Segments and tap Create a Segment: set a start gate and a finish gate and trace the line. A person on our team checks it before it goes live, and your name stays on it. After that, every rider who rides through it is timed automatically and lands on its board. Rippin' never rewards speed on public roads, and in moose country that matters. Read about segments and leaderboards.
One honest note: Rippin' doesn't have offline maps, and cell coverage disappears outside towns. Carry a paper map or a dedicated offline navigation app on the Denali, Dalton, Taylor and McCarthy roads. Multi-day trips stay together with auto-record and the Ride Log on Plus.
Live from the app
Alaska on Rippin' right now.
0 upcoming events and 0 rider-added roads in Alaska on the map today. This list updates whenever the site is rebuilt; the app always has the latest.
No Alaska events are on the Rippin' map yet. Know a bike night, rally or charity ride? Post it in the app under Meets, or have the organizer add it, and it shows up here and on the map for every rider nearby.
No Alaska roads are in the app yet. Add the one you love from Segments and a person on our team checks it before it goes live. How roads get added.
FAQ
Questions riders ask.
What is the best motorcycle road in Alaska?
The Seward Highway is the most popular paved ride. The Richardson over Thompson Pass to Valdez and the Glenn past Matanuska Glacier are just as good. For adventure bikes, the Denali and Dalton highways are the famous gravel trips.
What are the best motorcycle rides near Anchorage?
The Seward Highway along Turnagain Arm, the Hope Highway, the Glenn Highway to Matanuska Glacier, and Hatcher Pass once the summit opens.
Is the Dalton Highway OK on a street bike?
Some riders do, but long gravel sections, mud and truck traffic make an adventure bike with good tires the better choice. Plan for about 240 miles with no services north of Coldfoot.
Is the Denali Highway paved?
Only near the ends. Most of its roughly 135 miles is gravel, and it isn't maintained in winter.
Do I need a passport to ride the Alaska Highway?
Yes, if you ride it from the Lower 48 or cross into Canada anywhere, including the Top of the World and Haines and Klondike highways. Bring a passport or other accepted travel document.
Can I add an Alaska road to Rippin'?
Yes. Any rider can add a road with Create a Segment. A person on the Rippin' team checks it before it goes live, and your name stays on it.
Be the first name on Alaska's roads.
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