The Dalton Highway, otherwise known as the North Slope Haul Road runs 414 miles (666 kms) from the Elliot Highway neat Fox to Prudhoe Bay (Deadhorse) in Alaska. Built to support the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System and supply the oilfields on the North Slope it is still predominantly used by the trucks that bring up supplies all year round.

Planning Your Ride on the Dalton Highway

The condition of the road, the isolation (there are only three tons on the route) and the harsh environment make riding the Dalton Highway a serious undertaking. Knowing what you are up against and planning your trip will make riding this remote and spectacular route safer and more enjoyable.

Fuel
Leaving fairbanks and heading north there are only three towns along the Haul Road making fuel scarce. You can get fuel in Fox, Yukon River Camp (56 miles from Junction with Elliot Highway), Coldfoot (56 miles from Junction with Elliot Highway), with the longest stint between fuel stops being some 244 miles between Coldfoot and Deadhorse.

Accommodation & Food
Accommodation and food outlets on the Dalton Highway is limited. In Deadhorse you have the option of staying at the Prudhoe Bay Hotel and Deadhorse Camp. All a pretty basic and quite expensive for what you get, but understandable given where you are! Along the way there is also accommodation at Yukon River Camp and Coldfoot Camp. There are also plenty of places to pitch your tent, but remember that you cannot do this in the Deadhorse region due to security issues. You will need to do it a bit further south at Galbraith Camp (Mile 274.7).

Weather Considerations
The weather in this region should not be taken lightly and things can change very quickly. Make sure that you have appropriate gear/clothing to withstand temperatures below 0 Celsius, even in the middle of summer. Also, if there has been a lot of rain in the week before you ride, you will want to be ready for mud.

Sights
The Arctic Circle sign at mile 115.5 is a must on the way up or down. Its in a little wayside stop just off the highway. Apart from that, it is worth booking a tour to the Artctic Ocean from Deadhorse Camp ($69) and departing at 08:30 and 15:30. I did another tour (with the Arctic Caribou Inn, which has since closed) and it is the only way to get right up to the Arctic Ocean. It is worth noting that you will need to book your tour at least 24 hours in advance due to security screening … Seriously!

Timing/Itinerary
If the road is in good condition like they were when we rode the highway and you are going in mid-summer when the days are almost endless, you can conquer the Haul Road in two solid days. Setting off from Fairbanks you can top up your fuel in Fox or Yukon River Camp, then make the run to Coldfoot for lunch (and more fuel) and then push on to either Prudhoe Bay (Deadhorse) that night (if you want to pay a fortune to stay in the accommodation up there) or camp just south of it at Galbraith Camp (Mile 274.7) for nothing. The next morning you will need to get up at around 4am to get in to Deadhorse by 6am for breakfast at Deadhorse Camp and then get yourself on the tour (which you will need to have booked from Fairbanks), departing at 08:30, the only way to get any further north and seethe Arctic Ocean. After the tour finishes you will need to fill up your bike again and head out. Stopping again at Coldfoot for lunch and fuel, at the Arctic Circle sign for a couple of pics, then back on to Fairbanks and a nice warm bed! You can of course take a bit more time to do the road. We chose to do it this way as the weather can change so frequently and dramatically that we wanted to make sure that we had a good run.

More information on the Dalton Highway from Alaska.org >>

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Dalton Highway

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