A trip to Alaska in a recreational vehicle, or RV, can be a thrilling, exhilarating adventure that ends well if you've planned ahead and are well-prepared. You'll travel thousands of miles getting to Alaska, and getting home. Along the way, you'll drive hundreds of miles of deserted highways with no cross-roads or villages to break the monotony of the roads -- not always highways in the best of repair. Leave ample time for a leisurely, careful trip. Avoid driving when you're bored or tired. Make frequent stops along the way to enjoy the scenery and take advantage of Alaska's many tourist pull-offs.
RV Route Types
Although there are six major highways inside Alaska, there is one main highway route if you're taking an RV into Alaska -- the Alaska Highway, or Alcan. This 1,500-mile road trip from Dawson Creek in British Columbia, Canada, to Fairbanks, Alaska is likely to be an adventure in itself, according to The Milepost, a website dedicated to advising travelers about the historic road's current conditions. If you're starting in Seattle, the Alcan trip alone is 2,300 miles. You may encounter roaming herds of bison or moose, frost-heaved asphalt, winding narrow detours and miles of dusty gravel road as you cross a wide expanse of largely unpopulated wilderness with some breathtakingly beautiful sights. You'll endure over 100 miles at times between towns -- very small towns. Be sure you're gassed up, dressed for the weather and have plenty of food and water, plus a working GPS system. Plan up to two weeks to negotiate this two-lane highway.
Alaskan Geography
You'll want to carefully plan your RV trip to Alaska, keeping in mind the vastness of spaces -- most of them empty spaces -- in that state. Alaska is 2,400 miles east to west, and 1,400 miles south to north. Depending on where your trip plan takes you, you'll encounter frozen mountains of snow, dry mountains of volcanic ash, misty rain forests, ice-packed tundras and spectacular glacial views. Your RV must be in tip-top shape, ready to scale towering heights, make heart-stopping descents, come to sudden stops to yield right-of-way to wildlife and, at times, be the only two beams of light for many miles around. Don't forget extra batteries for your camera.
Time Frame
If you're hoping for any respite from your RV driving, plan to visit Alaska between late spring and early fall. Keep in mind frost comes as early as August in Alaska. Restaurants, hotels, tourist attractions, campgrounds, ferries and other accommodations for weary travelers mostly close up from September to late May. The major highways inside the state ay be hazardous or even closed during the long winter. Know how far you have to travel each day, and how long you'll need to get there. Speed limits are mostly 55 mph to 65 mph, but plan to travel much slower at night, when wildlife poses a hazard on all Alaskan roads.
Considerations
You may consider parking your RV temporarily and taking alternate transportation to see some of Alaska's most spectacular sights, such as cascading waterfalls, spouting whales, pristine fishing lakes and millions of acres of fragile wilderness. Charter cruises, water planes, ferries and train services are available from most of Alaska's major cities and towns. You'll have to reserve your place months in advance if you're planning to be in Alaska during the busy summer season.
Warnings
Never venture to Alaska in an RV without emergency equipment and a plan in case you find yourself stranded and alone in the wilderness. Alaskan tourism officials ask auto and RV travelers to have their vehicles thoroughly inspected before embarking on such a rigorous trip. Include repair tools, flares, spare tires, a complete first-aid kit, jumper cables and extra cans of motor oil, transmission fluid and brake fluid. Keep extra canned food, fresh water, a can opener, eating utensils, flashlights, batteries, extra blankets, cold-weather clothing, a cell phone charger and prescription medicines well-stocked in your RV at all times during your RV trip to Alaska.
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