The ALCAN Highway (Alaska Highway)

A brief history

The Alaska Highway, still widely called the ALCAN (Alaska–Canada Highway), was built in 1942 as a military supply route after the attack on Pearl Harbor. U.S. Army engineers, working with civilian contractors, pushed a rough road through in about eight months. It opened to the public after World War II and has been rebuilt, straightened and paved over the decades since.

Route and key waypoints

Officially, the highway starts at Mile 0 in Dawson Creek, B.C. and ends at Delta Junction, Alaska, where it meets the Richardson Highway to Fairbanks. From Anchorage, drivers usually reach it via the Glenn Highway and Tok Cut-Off to Tok. Major waypoints from north to south:

• Delta Junction, AK — the official northern end
• Tok, AK — the first major junction for Anchorage traffic
• Beaver Creek, YT — near the Canada border crossing
• Haines Junction, YT — junction with the road to Haines
• Whitehorse, YT — the largest city on the route
• Watson Lake, YT — junction with the Stewart–Cassiar Highway (BC 37) and the Sign Post Forest
• Fort Nelson, B.C.
• Fort St. John, B.C.
• Dawson Creek, B.C. — Mile 0

We don't list exact segment distances here because realignments change them; check the official highway pages from the Government of Yukon and DriveBC, or a current edition of The Milepost, which many drivers carry. The ALCAN Trip Planner helps you sketch driving days.

Road conditions by season

• Summer (roughly June to August): long daylight and the easiest driving, but also construction zones, gravel breaks, dust and the most traffic.
• Shoulder seasons (spring and fall): fewer travelers, but early or late snow, frost heaves and some services on reduced hours.
• Winter: the road is maintained year-round, but expect extreme cold, short daylight, ice and closures. Winter tires, a block heater and serious emergency gear are essential.

Check Alaska 511, Yukon 511 and DriveBC before and during the trip.

Fuel and services gaps

Communities and fuel stops can be long distances apart, and some close seasonally or overnight. A common rule of thumb is to top up whenever you pass fuel and never let the tank run low. Carry a full-size spare, basic tools, water, food and warm layers. Cell coverage is limited along much of the route, so download offline maps and consider a satellite messenger.

Border crossing summary

Most of the drive is through Canada, so you'll cross into Canada near Beaver Creek, Yukon (or at another crossing, depending on your route) and back into the U.S. further south. Every traveler needs acceptable identification such as a passport, and firearms, cannabis, pets and some foods have specific rules from the CBSA and CBP. Read crossing the Canadian border when you leave Alaska before you go.

Driving out of Alaska?

If you're driving the ALCAN as part of a move, there's more to plan: which route to take south, how to pace driving days, vehicle prep, what to pack in the car and what to ship. Our companion guide, driving the ALCAN out of Alaska, covers that step by step.