Denali Highway Reviews

Amazing, beautiful, stunning, exciting, nerve wracking gravel road that is a short cut between Denali & Fairbanks-Valdez road. Awe Inspiring in great weather - but take your time!

Worth the time to see some spectacular scenery. Also possible to hike to College glacier when driving on the Richardson Hwy.

This is my place to get away. Stop anywhere and hike. Can be brutal with black flies or mosquitoes..come prepared. The weather can be miserable or clear & sunny. No matter it's an amazing trip. Road can be dry and dusty or muddy. Climb Mclaren Summit for an unparalleled view of the surrounding tundra and mountains. Swans, Caribou, moose, bears are all present. If you don't camp there are a couple of lodges along the way.

Yes, its a rough road and a slow drive but well worth it for an up close look at raw Alaska and gorgeous scenery. Didn't pass many other travelers and those we did were hunters. Make sure you tank up before you take this excursion but you won't regret it.

Our tour coach drove over the Denali Highway's mostly dirt road without incident. A Spring storm dropped a bit of snow and some lakes/ponds were still melting. The scenery was absolutely beautiful. This was definitely a highlight of our two week trip. We made a stop at MacLaren Lodge for lunch.

A very scenic drive...many sweeping vistas. Unfortunately the road is full of potholes and very washboardy...you'll need to really slow down in parts. We did it in a small Motorhome...it was rough...however the scenery was wonderful....if you tent or are self contained it's a really great trip to do over a day and a half or so. There are camping spots along the way...gas up before you go!

Just amazing the Denali Highway. I'm describing the route from Cantrell to Paxson. About 5 miles on the road, stop, and look back, perhaps you see Denali in its full glory (attached picture). First ~55 miles is gravel road, then it becomes hardened road with many potholes (look out), last ~20 miles fairly good road. Incredible good views, many mountain ranges, and be on the look out for (crossing or nearby) wildlife. They say you need a 4x4, however with previous good weather and the day of travel good weather, that is not needed, just lookout, and do not drive too close behind someone; for us it was absolutely not busy, just a few cars over the 135 miles stretch.

This is a "must see" drive. It rates as a top drive along with the Hana Hwy in Maui and the California Coastal Hwy. It is a long drive (130-140 miles) mostly unpaved but the views throughout the drive are worth it. We saw many moose along with a grizzly bear. Take your time and stop along the way. You will not be sorry.

At one time this was the only road to Denali park. Its less than 100 miles across but worth every min. We have dome it a few times. Keep your camera ready there's always something to see if not the scenery. Our favorite time is during the hunting season with all kinds of people (hunters) in all the pull outs, camp grounds and any place they can stop. We have found the will spend all kinds of time talking to you telling stories. Just ask if you can help with any thing, I've even helped to keep a moose with one guy and his daughter. Just don't get it the way. You will meet fish & wildlife officers and police all with knowledge to learn. We have always been here before sept. 2015 but it makes no difference

We drove the 130 miles from Paxson to Cantwell, spending one night at the Alpine Creek Lodge. This was another road we hear horror stories about, flat tires, chipped windshields, etc. We had absolutely no problem. It was a gravel road and you're not going to want to drive much more than 25mph...but the scenery is so stunning why would you want to?

You basically follow the Alaska range the whole way across. And it doesn't matter where you are or which way you turn...the scenery is magnificent. Lots of wildflowers, glacial views, cool geology, tangle lakes on the east end. We were told it was voted the #2 scenic drive in the world, second only to some road in Peru (I think). Gonna have to go to Peru! Regardless, coming in second is no slight. Take the drive and enjoy!

Absolutely gorgeous scenery, especially on the western half. There are a few organized places along the way, including a lodge right smack dab in the middle - 60 miles in from either direction - that offers rooms with amazing views, and ATV tours. Worth the stop. 120 miles of gravel, mostly very well maintained. Don't go there to drive fast - figure about 30 mph average. Might be dusty if dry. Some less than courteous drivers might not slow down when coming towards you, but not too many that are so rude. Start with a full tank or nearly so, take some water along, a few cameras, maybe a pair of binoculars. We took a can of 'flat tire fix' too, but didn't need. Saw one car repairing a flat. Hard to drive more than two or three miles without coming across some campers - from tents to obscene monster RV's (hotels on wheels that get 4 MPG and could only laughingly be called 'camping'). If you are anywhere near the area, it would be a mistake to miss this drive..

Gorgeous. One awesome view after another. Unfortunately, we didn't see much wildlife. No services at all so bring food. It took us six hours including stops.

We took our rental SUV to this highway and thoroughly enjoyed the drive. Very scenic views. Road was good for most part and we did not find anyone with flat tires on this road. Traffic was light and very few trucks passed us on this highway. We did not find any wildlife though.

We drove about an hour of the highway (at low speeds) and saw a few nice views, watched a few fly fishermen, and dodged a ton of potholes. Otherwise, we saw other areas that were prettier. We entered from Cartwell.

Unlike the road into the National Park, you can actually drive the Denali Highway. It takes at least four hours, and it is a dirt road all the way, but when we drove it there were no potholes and it was pretty smooth. Still, we averaged only about 25 mph (we were in an RV).

We saw tons of beaver, ducks, swans, moose, and caribou. Unfortunately, no predators.

For most of the drive, if you want to take a walk, just part and head off into the tundra (there are a couple developed trails, as well).

Just beautiful scenery the whole way.

We have traveled this highway several times and enjoyed it every time. If you enjoy getting out of the car and hiking or fishing plan on several days to do the trip.

Take all day to soak in this incredible drive! We drove this in an rv and started in rainy weather but it didn't last long. There are so many picture spots along the way and several campgrounds. There are multiple pull outs with fire rings where people just pull over and dry camp in the most wide open spot you can imagine! We even saw trumpeter swans in the lakes. The hike at McLaren summit trail provided amazing views of glaciers. We finally stopped at Tangle Lake campground for the night. What a gem of a campground! Denali highway can be described in 3 words-wide open spaces!

Gets better every year. Yes, it’s true, everytime I travel the Denali Hwy it gets smoother and smoother. The Cantwell end still has a fair amount of potholes but slowly that is improving. Starting at the Paxson end (east end of hwy) the first 20 miles are paved. The Tangle River Inn has closed but a new lodge has opened overlooking one of the Tangle Lakes. At Mile 42 you’ll reach Maclaren River Lodge which offers rooms and cabins for rent, a restaurant and bar as well as fishing and other guide services. Friendly staff and pet friendly. Gas is also available. At mile 68 is the Alpine Creek Lodge and Clearwater Mountain Lodge is at mile 82. There are many many places to camp the entire length of the Denali Hwy.

Since gas is limited, be sure to fill up at Cantwell on the west end or Glennallen south of the east end (Paxson). NOTE: the old Paxson Lodge is closed.

Lots of scence views. Normal traveling speed is around 35mph.

We visited and drove through in late August when it was the colorful fall season. We were all blown away by the beautiful scenary view and we frequently stopped for photos. The beauty is absolutely out of this world, with the colorful tundra, green mountains, glaciers, etc. Definitely worth the 10 hour drive.

We traveled the Denali Highway in May 2017. We were a little nervous about driving the highway due to its isolation but once on it we were surprised by how many other cars we passed. The weather while we were there was beautiful so understand that during other times of the year the experience may be different.
The highway is a well maintained gravel road and we saw several county road crews doing maintenance work.
We allowed two days to drive the highway and stayed at the Maclaren River Lodge one night which I have also reviewed. Unfortunately two days were too many. The highway did have some nice scenery but we have traveled some beautiful highways in North America and just felt it did not compare to other places we have been. One of the reasons we allowed two days was so we could stop often and enjoy the views and the wildlife. We stopped multiple times to look for wildlife and see the birds on the kettle lakes. In two days we saw two moose and a few birds and swans. It was kind of a disappoint to us and one of our least favorite trips while in Alaska.

Pros:
Solitude
Maclaren River Lodge
Maclaren Glacier
Kettle lakes

Cons:
Long somewhat boring drive on gravel road
No wildlife

I drove in a Toyota Rav4 from Denali NP to Paxon on the way to Wrangell-Elias NP (first week of June). The views were wonderful and I saw several moose along the route. There has been a lot of discussion about the road condition and what I experienced was a decent road surface with several areas that had pot holes. My avg speed was 30-35 miles per hour. It had rained the day before I had ridden on it and there were a few low points in the drive where I was glad that I had 4 wheels with traction. If I had a car I would probably not try it if there were heavy rains predicted but otherwise you should be fine. I would also recommend that you check you spare tire and make sure you have a jack and a lug nut wrench. You will probably never need it but better to be save then sorry. I went on to do both gravel roads in Wrangell and they were similar in condition with Nabesna Rd. having to shallow streams cutting across it due to rain runoff. McCarthy Rd had some rough patches initially but improved as it continued on.

We really enjoyed this drive. We drove from Glennallen to Denali NP in one day. It took about 5 hours on the highway until we found civilization closer to Denali. I'm glad we had a sunny day because it probably would have been really boring if it was raining. Didn't see much wildlife but it was a pretty drive.

On July 22, 2007, we took the looooooooooong way back from Denali Park to Anchorage, turning left at Cantwell to cross the 135 mile long Denali Highway, unpaved for about 115 of those miles.
What a joy it was!! Spectacular vistas, even though it was heavily cloud covered and at times raining, which gave us a great sense of the "real Alaska" promised in the ads of widely separated business establishments along the road. The worst part of the gravel road was the westernmost 30 miles or so, with many small rocks and washboard surface, but the farther east we got the better the roadbed was, eventually being able to drive 50mph or so along very smooth gravel. Did not see much in the way of wildlife but saw plenty of signs of moose and/or bear along the road. Should have stopped at Gracious House for lunch, but only stayed long enough to buy a t-shirt and a coke before continuing eastbound to cross the Susitna Bridge, drive along the top of an esker, and cross McLaren summit before descending into the Tangle River valley. Can only imagine how much more spectacular it would have been if not for the low clouds. Enjoyed the drive down the Richardson Highway to Palmer also. It's much more interesting than Parks Highway, with great views of the Matanuska Glacier and River and many other things to see and do along the way. Highly recommend taking a day to go the long way around.

My daughter, niece, and I drove the Denali Highway during our trip to Alaska. This is a wonderful day drive. It is approximately 137 miles from Paxson to Cantwell. It took us about 7 hours. We made many many stops for photos. Before our trip I read several reviews and questions in forums about driving this highway. Some persons stated it was not drivable, too rough, etc. I can only assume those reviews were from persons who had only driven on paved roads. Most of the road is not paved. However, it is maintained extremely well. I have driven on unpaved roads and this is a piece of cake. We rented a car from Go North in Anchorage. They are also in Fairbanks. They DO allow their cars on unpaved roads (that seems to be a forum question I see often). The speed limit on the road is mostly 35 mph. I often drove more slowly just to be able to observe the scenery. But, driving 35 would be no problem. At times the speed limit is even higher. The landscape along this road are beautiful and ever-changing. There is a small restaurant with gas and bathrooms around mile 20 or so and another around mile 40 and another later. We did not hike, but there are hiking trails. Beautiful!

It is an absolutely gorgeous drive. Lots of rolling hills with open country on the East end (near Paxson). The drive transitions to Forest as you approach Cantwell on the West end. Plan on traveling 10 to 25 mph on the dirt road as it is full of pot holes. The east end is paved for the first 20 miles. Only 2 miles of pavement on the Cantwell end. 125 miles total road. We spent a week traversing the highway. We checked the weather forecast and it showed the best weather at the Cantwell end to begin and sunny on the Paxson side a week later so we started our trip from Cantwell and "chased the sun".
We saw some critters of all persuasions including; moose, caribou, black bear, eagles.
I suggest having an Alaska Milepost magazine with you so you know where to stop and try your luck at grayling fishing.
There is a BLM campground with dry camping, $12 in July of 2014, at about mile 31 from Cantwell. It's easy to find places to camp overnight at one of the many pull offs along the route. There is also a nice campground at Tangle Lakes on the Paxson side, and another BLM campground on Paxson Lake on the Richardson Hwy..
There are very few services along the route. Go with good tires and a full tank, take your time, and enjoy the scenery and fishing. Highly recommended!!

Denali highway is one of the best scenic highway. even though it is unpaved - it is not that bad as some of the rental car companies or other users were describing. It is very spectacular. if you drive on a nice sunny day, you will see the Mt McKinley and the south summit very clearly. Also you should see some wildlife if you are lucky. we got lucky and saw some caribous and others. Very nice stops and some picture places. there is gas station (very old) and restaurant in the half way of the Denali highway. Not too bad.

The Denali Hwy is a long drive, the scenery is beautiful. Plan on making it a full day. Words cannot begin to describe! Bring a sack lunch & your camera!! This adventure road is highly recommended!!

Beautiful highway, you can see Mt. McKinley peak from this highway. We were travelling from Cantwell to Paxson. You can see some wildlife too but the views are breathtaking. We took 4 hours to drive the highway. One of the beautiful highway and the gravel road is in good condition too.

In my opinion all comments and warnings about poor road conditions can be tossed. This road was in very good condition throughout and it is clear that the grater was active on the route. We travelled at 35-50 Mph for the duration in our pickup and saw several 2wd cars doing the same, all after several days of rain. The variety of views from snowy mountains and glaciers to an abundance of streams and ponds, to flat green tundra make the trip photo worthy. We didn't see much for wildlife, but we were cruising. Maclaren river lodge is a great place to stay or grab a bite along the trip. Don't waste this chance to get off the pavement.

My friends and I drove along the highway last May. We loved the wonderful landscapes and enjoyed the nature. There are several hiking trails on the way to Denali. Plan in advance so that you can spend at least a night in Denali National Park. Get your cameras ready and have fun!

This was the second time we traveled the length of the Highway, stopping of at Alpine Creek Lodge both times. The Alaskan Range, Huge Rivers, Cristal Clear Creeks and Caribou. Allow plenty of time since most of the trip is 25mph, stop off at Alpine Creek Lodge, mile post 68, for a free cup of coffee, get some lunch or better yet book a night.

This had to be the longest 135 miles I ever drove in my life just based on washboards, potholes, and poor overall road conditions even a 4 Wheel Dr. 1 ton pick up truck. As the driver you just could not take your eyes off the road to try to alleviate the bumpiness and it got old for me after halfway through. Yes the scenery is awesome and the remoteness and all the other seclusion factors that you want to feel isolated but in all honesty there was hundreds of hunters and ATVs so you never really felt remote. It was mostly cloudy but still with the views of the glaciers rivers lakes and so forth it was definitely worth it but if you cannot look at what you're trying to look at to avoid the road conditions it really detract from the overall experience. I imagine if it was perfectly sunny the views would just blow you away of the Alaskan range but we could probably only see up to about five 6000 feet. Drove it 9/19/2018. No wildlife.

It is definitely something you should try once but I don't think I will ever do it again but in all honesty with all the road heaves and so forth on most of the roads in Alaska is what you expect to have but you can only average about 15 miles an hour here.
I guess I would not agree with National Geographic's number 2 best road in the world for scenery.

...you really can't comprehend Alaska's scale. About 100 of 130 miles are unpaved. It is generally pretty well graded, but there is lots of loose gravel and corrugating. There are a couple of spots for gas and food, but generally you are in the wild for several hours.

Pure nature for miles after miles. Awesome views to the mountains and glaciers. Trees and more trees and then suddenly a bear - what do you want? - get out of my tundra.

The shortest but not fastest root from Denali to valdez. Fantastic view of the central mountains chain of central Alaska. A 130 miles on gravel .around 6 driving hours including stops . We drove it on a sunny nice day, We wouldnt on a rainy day. Takes also a high weels car. SUV or more.

Is this the best drive in the world? For many people the answer will be "YES" and I'd be one of them. We travelled the highway in a truck camper rented from Go North but check with your rental company as most do not permit travel on the gravel portions of the Denali Highway.

The scenery and wildlife along the way is phenomenal and I would do it again and again and again given the opportunity.

The best advice I can offer is to take an appropriate vehicle, take your time and enjoy.

I've been lucky enough to travel on some rather amazing roads in the US, including the continental divide in CO, Sedona in AZ and the southern part of the Pacific Coast Highway.

The Denali highway certainly is a contender with those for the most beautiful scenery available on a drive.

I'm just happy I was in a bus driven by a local, because if I was driving I probably would have ended up driving off the road from taking in these spectacular view.

Such a beautiful drive through one of the last places in the country that has been mostly untouched by man.

We drove the Denali Highway the first day it opened for the season. Don't be misled this "highway" is a gravel and dirt road for the most part. The warnings are true, you don't want to drive much faster than 25 or 35 miles an hour or you risk damaging your vehicle. But you don't want to drive too fast anyway, otherwise you might miss something. We saw a red fox - a mama - with kits somewhere nearby. We know because we heard their cries. More importantly we know because this shy retiring rare animal chose to cross back across the highway and lead us away from her den, periodiclly stopping to make sure we were following and giving us extraordinary photo ops. This was the highlight of an already extraordinary trip. Have a full tank of gas and pay attention to wheer the restaurants are. There is no gas on the highway and food is far between. Plan well.

While car rental companies may not recommend this, our motorcycle rental company said it is a must ride. The scenery along the road is unbelievable. We rode on a clear day and you could see Mt McKinley on the west end and the rest of the highway had constant spectacular views no matter which way you looked. The highway is 130 miles long from Cantwell to Paxson with 110 being dirt and gravel. My wife did not have a lot of off-road experience on motorcycles and was a bit nervous, but she handled it very well. We traveled in July and most of the road had a very good base and was probably better than our gravel roads in Iowa. The occasional fresh gravel and washboard sections kept our speed down to about 30-35. The other traffic on the road was very courteous and often slowed down or stopped as they approached oncoming traffic. We had more issues with slower traffic that we would come up on which was very dusty. There were camping and restroom stops spaced adequately along the way. In our option a must see.

Not our first time driving across this 135 mile gravel road but the first in many years. Recommend doing in a truck or SUV since the road can beat pretty rough in places. Not a lot of public restrooms available but totally worth the time for the scenery. Have done some of the road in winter by snow machine, too & it's just as spectacular that time of year. Good place to stay is Alpine Creek Lodge about Half way across or there's plenty of places to camp. Bring a camera!!!

Denali Highway (Alaska Route 8) is a must drive if you visit Alaska. Open in the short summer season only it's a fantastic drive. I prefer to start on the Paxson side of the highway and take my time. We drove it twice now in a Class C RV, both times we had a nice first day and rain the second day. Plenty of places to dry camp along the highway. So much to see along the highway. If you decide to drive in August be prepared for lot's of hunters on the highway. You can drive the highway in a day, but I feel that is rushing it. I'd take my time and stop often. Highly recommend doing this once in your lifetime.

Please never pave this road we want it left the treasure it is!!
We did not have to drive down this road; we made a grateful chose to. Remember this is a dirt road and there are other ways to get to the other side but this is one of most spectacular drives we have been on. You can pull off at you leisure, the hurried commuter is left back on the pavement and the road is a treat if you have ever driven the Alcan!
We saw lots of wild life because we weren’t in a hurry and the natural history interpretive roadside signs were informative as we looked forward to the next. If you get a chance stop at a local gas station nearby they have maps that explain the drive and the next viewpoint. There are 10,000 views that are left unexplained; left to your own oohs and ahhs.

Fantastic place , fantastic views . We hired a truck camper so could deal with the gravel road. Rough camped by the roadside , just stunning . Wild caribou ran across the road in front of us , bald eagles flew ahead .

The physical road itself isn't great but there will be no shortage of views throughout your trip. Because the road is mostly gravel you can't drive too fast but this allows you to get glimpses of some amazing wildlife. During our trip we saw moose, porcupines, and a bear off in the distance. There are also little turnoffs throughout that are great for camping or short hikes. A good highway guide can help you find exactly what you are looking for!

We hired a car to visit Denali and Homer - a wise decision. Complimented by the stunning road vista's and excellent roads. Our little car handled the drive with ease.
Pity about the long areas of road being rebuilt, the long waits for your side to drive through - a small pain for progress
Alaska traffic is so well mannered and couteous.

We took this highway as it was our only chance to do so to go to Denali. We had to pack a lot into little time. We rented a Toyota Yaris which handled all roads very well. We recommend purchasing fix a flat tire spray before you head on this road along with bear spray and using your human voices for all stops. This is a wilderness route and wildlife are the residents even though you may not see them. Have your camera ready for pictures as there is so much beauty no matter the weather. If someone is photography or stretching or...., use your voices, sing a song, wear bear spray at all times, and ring your bear bells.......as you must always remember wildlife can be very close and not seen. My husband loved the drive but it was bumpy and my lower back really felt it. Once you end the highway, head to the closest lodge, you'll need a good stretch. We passed only a few rvs, bicycles.

A dirt road and poorly maintained. Plan your trip without it, I wish I had. Some good views, but much else.

Slow, bumpy, mostly dirt road. No gas, restaurants, bathrooms or stores. 135 miles of nothing or everything, depending what you are looking for! One of the most beautiful roads in the world...don't miss it!!!

What a wonderfull road. Scenic views, a lot of diversity along the way and a chance to see moose, porcupines, bald eagles.
Btw if u find my little tello drone let me know please😀

We travelled this in a hired Jeep in June 2015 and spent 10 hrs becuase there is so much to stop and look at. We were favoured with superb weather so dust from the few other vehicles was the worst we had to contend with. We left Cantwell at 6am and saw very few vehicles for the first 4 hours, and after that a few camper vans. Graded surface is much better than many potholed roads in the UK so no need for 4 wheel drive.

Surprised to find the Gracious House Cafe at mile 82. Looks a bit deserted but go in and honk your car horn. Carol will come out and take you into a diner caravan and serve the best warmed home made cinnamon rolls you'll find anywhere. You can also get Gas (petrol) if you're running low, and also accommodation. If we'd known before we would have stayed here and taken even longer on the drive. Contact is crhoa36683@aol.com

Short walk uphill at Mile 85 highly recommended to give you an awesome view of the Susitna River and mountains. You will miss it if you don't stop and take the walk as it cannot be seen from the road.

Take your binoculas to search for wildlife. Great drive and would like to do it in the opposite direction some-time as I kept being wowed by the view in the rear view mirror.

The official close date for the highway this year was October 15th, although there are still travelers coming across, it is at your own risk. There is a couple of inches of packed snow on the road, but it could snow in any day. After more snow, travel by snow machine or dog sled are the only way to make it across. The road is scheduled to officially reopen on May 15th.

We took a Princess tour bus from Copper Center to Denali Princess, 120 miles on the Denali Highway. The graders had not been run, so the road was full of pot holes and ruts, so we drove slow. Took us about 9 hours with a few stops. Scenic in a major way. Rough roads or not, I would drive it again. In.The.Middle.of.Nowhere. Beautiful.

We drove about 15 miles along the road from Paxson, which is paved (hire car companies don't like you going on unpaved roads!). It had only just opened after winter,and the views were amazing. The air was so clean up there, and we only saw a couple of other cars.

There are restrooms part way along - possible toilets with the best view in world!

Lovely drive, we saw a moose grazing by the road on the way back.

Well worth a detour.

Denali highway is well worth the efforts (5-hour trip for 138 miles of unpaved roads). The road condition in July 2016 is better than I expected but there are still sections where the car can't go above 20mph. If you feel driving 5-hour unpaved bumpy road is not too attractive, you could start from Paxson and drive the first 20 mile of paved road and turn back.

A beatiful link between the great NP of Alaska, the Wrangell- Sant Elias and Denali. Wonderful landscapes, glaciers, rivers, mountains, animals... Whatever.

We did the 20 miles of paved road from Paxson in and out....did not see anything special and the scenery on this end was not as spectacular as I was made to believe so a little disappointed. They do have a few cabins up about 10 and 12 miles in that bikers were on their way to...you gotta be in shape to ride these roads.

We drove Denali Highway from Denali NP to Wrangell NP.We left around 7:30am in the morning and got to Wrangell around 9:30pm. So it is about 14 hours drive. We kept stopping during the drive coz it is just so amazing. It is a wild and lonely drive. The weather was not very good that day, but the view was still extremely stunning to me. I rated this as one of my 3 top experiences in Alaska along with McKingley Summit Tour and Katmai NP. We drove a standard SUV and we made it. Everybody should try it.

I agree with Jenmac48 totally. But visitors must realize that the road, views and animals change with each season. We visited the area in early August before the hunting season. However, some hunters were already setting up camps, and the ATVs were out and about on trails, but they didn't interfere with our experience. We camped on a mountain top with gorgeous views of glaciers and mountains. The Caribou Herds were migrating down and moose could be seen in the distant ponds. Tundra Swans and their cygnets graced the many roadside kettles. We had a special moment where a young Red Fox was attempting to catch a Porcupine - hilarious. I enjoyed this adventure more than Denali National Park, but you must go prepared as there are no services. Pick up the Denali Highway brochure BEFORE you get there at a visitor center like Tok so you will learn more and enjoy your visit. This road also closes late Fall-Winter.

WOW! Denali Highway was the most spectacular drive EVER! The road is not that bad and the vistas unsurpassed. If you want to get away from it all and see true beauty do NOT hesitate to make this drive.

As part of the Princess Alaska cruise/tour, our guide took us on an 8 hour bus ride on the road to Denali. We traveled from Paxson to the Denali National Park. We went on this trip at the end of July which was a perfect time for good visibility of Mt. McKinley (Denali) and we took awesome photos of the mountain. We also saw caribou, bears, Dall sheep and many different birds. One of the highlights was being able to pick wild blueberries at the side of the road!

We spent the night at the Tangle Lakes BLM campground and spent a glorious day slowly driving the Denali Road to Brushkana BLM campground. We saw incredible birds, including Blackpoll Warblers and Rock Ptarmigan at Tangle Lakes Campground, lots of Yellow Warblers, and a singing ARCTIC WARBLER along the tundra beyond Tangle Lakes. One of my favorite days Birding ever.

The Denali Highway is a gravel highway that takes you from Denali to the Copper River area. The road travels places that are off the grid and it is a place of great beauty.

You need to know... a nice day is essential for the best views... very little of the vest photos are of scenery close by.
Caution that you have a rental, you must rent from a company that doesn't prohibit travel on the Denali Hwy (most do). Even so make sure you have a good spare (we needed ours) and realize you will NOT have phone service for most of the 135 miles. A 1/3 of the road has significant potholes and expect to stay at 30mph.
Having warned of those things, we would do it again. Loved the colors and views... and you may only see 30 vehicles in 3-4 hours so very serine! Round trip from Cantwell and back is over 6 hours. You can get a lunch at Alpine Creek Lodge just about halfway point.... but make sure you have a full fuel tank before starting off!

Really nice scenery along the whole highway, almost all the way is grovel, so if you have a rental car be sure you are allowed to drive there. We shared the road with a lot of hunters that patrolled the highway, so no animals where spotted, this time.

If you are not into 8 hour bus rides take the Denali Highway from Cantwell on the Parks Highway to Paxton on the Richardson Highway a distance of 134 miles. Recently was able to take this trip from the Paxton side to Cantwell. The views are stunning of the Alaska Range and you can see wildlife that is abundant in the area. On our trip we saw caribou, bald eagles, swans, a fox, arctic squirrels and believe it or not herring gulls who follow the rivers into the Alaskan interior. The road is paved 20 miles in from the Paxton side and 3 miles only from Cantwell. The road is closed in the winter only snow machines can traverse the road. There are many pull offs and side roads leading to fishing holes, small rivers, glaciers, and primitive camp sites. Recommend you pick up a copy of Milepost Magazine that outlines very specifically every inch of the road. There are a couple of lodging options and a campground with cabins near the Cantwell entrance. The views are longrange and quite impressive. However since 4/5 ths of the road is gravel you must be careful when approaching other vehicles since getting a rolling stone tossed into your windshield is a real possibility. Have lunch at the Maclaren River Lodge at Milepost 42 from the Paxton side and tell Susie and Alan Echols hello. Watch out for the tour bus.

We drove the Denali Highway into the Interior of Alaska from Anchorage to Fairbanks. To call it scenic is an understatement! The drive from Anchorage to Seward is the only drive that rivaled this one! There are a few scenic stops and don't miss stopping off at the Denali State Park!

TIP: Fill up in Anchorage or Wasilla and any open station you see on the way, because there are not many options for fuel until you reach Fairbanks!

Riding a rented Kawasaki KLR motorcycle, I rode the Denali Highway. The nature is absolutely pristine! At every stop, I was always on the lookout for bears and other wild life. When I drove through, it was cloudy or foggy. Only briefly did it clear enough to see the south slop of the Alaska Range, and they were magnificent! Between Cantwell and Paxson there is not so much as an outhouse, so carry everything you may need. I saw many RVs and Fifth Wheels. Whether this or on a motorcycle, if you're in Alaska, you have go to drive this beautiful highway.

We went on Denali highway for two days sleddog camping trip trip
Simply awesome
You're in heaven, beautiful views, mountains, frozen rivers and lakes
Caribou and moose along the road
So exciting

The road was long and mostly gravel though in relatively good condition. The day on which we went was cloudy so we couldn’t see the rumored great views. The road allowed us to head from Denali NP to Valdez without having to go back through Palmer, so it was nice to have that opportunity. But on a cloudy day, it wasn’t particularly scenic (more than other wild places in Alaska in a rainy day).

We started driving the Denali Highway on the Paxton side.Those paved 21 miles went by quickly and then the road became all potholes with very few road in between. We were in a 25 foot camper which GAH stated we could do, but we had to drive 25 miles an hour and had to check the tires every 20 miles or so. We passed by beautiful glaciers. The fall colors were absolutely gorgeous. There wasn't much traffic going west.We did see many hunters on atv's who had set up camps at any and all of the pullouts. This side of the highway was treacherous and slow going. We finally made it to mile marker 55 at the Clearwater Creek camping area before calling it a day. The campground had 2 picnic tables, a fire ring and port-a-potties. We parked at a level site in front of the creek. While my husband was grilling burgers, a lady across the parking lot in a class A camper came over to chat. She informed my husband if a weather "system" came through during the night, we would be in a real pickle because the creek would overflow its banks, and we would be flooded. It was a clear sunny day, but all night we both kept waking up to listen for rain. Finally, morning came and we were all dry and safe.The 2nd part of the road was better and we made better time going to Cantwell. There were some beautiful views from pull offs. Coming off the highway, we saw the mountain in all its glory without any clouds. It was to be this way for the next 3 days.

We drove on the Denali Highway when we left Denali - heading toward Tok. The scenery on the drive is really amazing. We were even treated to a last view of the mountain - completely visible with no clouds! The road is mostly unpaved and if that bothers you this might not be the way to go. Of course it also takes a bit longer as one cannot drive at highway speeds on this road, but we thought it was worth it. For much of the drive you have no cell phone service (a consideration for some perhaps) and you want to be sure you have plenty of gas. I would not choose this route if the weather is bad as the reason to go this way is to see the views - which won't be visible in the rain.

We guess there are times when you don't want to take the road, even outside of winter, but on one partially rainy, otherwise great day in mid June we drove our car east from Cantwell on this gravel road and saw the utter majesty of the Alaskan countryside. It is hard to describe just how beautiful and spectacular this road can be. And, musing about whether it might look different going west from Paxson, we ended up changing our plans and doing just that, driving BACK to Cantwell the next day.

As others have mentioned, go prepared... We DID get a flat, apparently from an arrowhead. It's a gravel road and can be a bit slippery in the mud, but we had no other problems and it was worth all of it.

This was an awesome trip. We rented an RV with the stipulations that as long as the highway was named and had an official state highway number assigned to it the Rv could be driven down it. Looking back on this trip I would have turned it into a 3 day trip spending more time hiking around, fishing, and checking out different ridgelines. Saw 4 or 5 Moose and got the flat tire many seem to talk about. The flat tire was mostly my fault as I drove too close to a fire pit ring and we ran over a nail that had at one time been in a board that was burnt I'm assuming.

Upon my entry into Alaska, I had hoped to ride across the Denali Highway and then up to Fairbanks. But one of my riding partners had a tire that needed to be replaced, so we went to Fairbanks first and came back to the DH near the end of our time in Alaska.

In the second week of July, temperatures were in the 40s and it was raining...pretty typical. We decided to ride west out to one of the roadhouses on the DH and then turn around. With the weather and lateness of the day, we rode only 15-20 miles on the DH from it's eastern end. Even with the dreary weather that day, the scenery was typical Alaska...spectacular!

We visited a number of places in Alaska and covered a lot of ground, but not having ridden the full length of the Denali Highway continues to be a disappointment. If I ever get back there, it'll be on my short list of things to do.

My options for when this trip took place don't extend back to July 2013 when the ride occurred.

I can't believe that everyone visiting Alaska doesn't drive the Denali Highway. In terms of scenery, it is amazing - it dwarfs Denali herself in overall beautiful scenic views. Mountains, glaciers, lakes, moose - our eyes hurt from looking at everything by the end - i think we stopped blinking just so we wouldn't miss anything. The road wasn't nearly as bad as we'd been led to believe. We rented a jeep but would have felt just as comfortable in a regular rental (although that goes against most AK rental companies policies.) Definitely bring along the Milepost and a copy of the book: Rocks, Ridges & Glaciers, so you know what you are looking at as you drive. There is no cell service, or radio, along most of the highway, so download any info you need in advance. We went Cantwell to Paxson then down the Richardson and Glenn to the matanuska in one day but in retrospect would stay at one of the lodges along the way or in Paxson, just so we could take more time. There is a new amazing view at every turn and photographers will want to hop out of the car every 20 feet. we stopped at alpine Creek for a drink and a grilled cheese, and a bathroom stop, and had a bonus of free internet to check in with the family. Super friendly people. Tangle lakes offered another bathroom break, a view of a moose and her calf, and an expensive but yummy pizza. If you want to see wild alaska, this is a great way to do it, no flightseeing required - just a car and your eyes. The Richardson and Glenn Highways are also gorgeous and loop you back to Anchorage.

Of all the unpaved Alaska highways we traveled, this one was by far the smoothest. Be sure to rent a vehicle form a company that allows travel here though. (Rent-A-Subaru and Midnight Sun Rentals in Anchorage are the best---good rates, clean vehicle and great customer service). Drive at 35, and just take in the scenery. Spectacular views all around. If you're in an RV or want to camp---that's encouraged on this road. The Federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) publishes a three page guide (Google it!), or see the link below for another guide.

BMW F650GS: Great ride including 110 miles of gravel/dirt road -- weather permitting. I passed about 6 vehicles coming and going along the way (and 3 or 4 roadside RV's, and one roadwork crew) - so very desolate stretch of road. Watch out for rocks (don't try this on bald tires!). Could be difficult in heavy rain (muddy). I did catch 30 miles of light sprinkles, road was fine. Took about 3 1/2 hours including photo and snack stops.

We drove the Denali Highway on a wet, rainy July day en route from Denali to Valdez. This drive has been on my bucket list for a long time, and while I was disappointed that the rain and clouds kept the full views from being out there, the experience was tremendous.

The short version: 135 miles from Cantwell to Paxson. Maybe 23 miles are paved. There are (I think) two places to fix tires and get a bite to eat -- one looked sketchy, the other (Maclaren Lodge) was great. We were in a 4-door sedan, front wheel drive, and had no problems at all. As dirt roads go, it wasn't bad at all -- a few rougher spots, but we did 35 most of the time.

Due to our long drive and the nasty weather, we didn't get to stop much, but even the few pull-outs we took were breathtaking. Early on we came down a hill and about 35 yards from the highway a moose was belly-deep in a pond having brunch. It looked at us once, but mainly just sat there and ate its grass for the fifteen minutes we were there. No other cars came by. The only sound was the wind and the moose.

The road is travelled, mostly (that day, at least) by motor homes and campers (aka Tundra Whales). The Tundra Whales mostly were polite, but we had one or two very large ones that kicked up rocks and felt entitled to the center of the road. Drive aware, pull over and stop if needed, and you should be fine.

In some ways, beyond the moose, the most transcendent spots for me were the Maclaren River Valley and the Tangle Lakes Archaeological Area. I wish we'd had more time in each. The folks at the Maclaren Lodge serve a decent lunch (the only lunch in the area), offer lodging, boat rides, copious advice, wifi (for a fee), and a view of the Maclaren Glacier, about 15 miles away, pouring out of the Alaska Range. Tangle Lakes has several maintained trails across habitats that humans have been living and working in for over 10,000 years...as well as areas more dedicated to contemporary sportsmen and ORV folks. For most of the drive, it felt like we were alone with earth and tundra and rock and the ancestors.

This isn't for everyone. No cell service, long stretches where you see no other drivers, very, very few services...and a sense of the scope of the universe that I've never felt in more crowded climes.

There are many places in the world that you must see before you die and Denali Highway is one of those places. This 131 to 133 miles of gravel road stretches between Paxson to Cantwell and everything in between is simply magical! From mountains to rivers and lakes, Denali Highway covers the largest scope of nature in the lower central of Alaska. There are great views of the Alaska Range and the Chugach Mountains, as well as the Maclaren Glacier. It passes through major rivers like Susitna and Yukon. The view is simply breathtaking because its nature at its best. Along the highway, you will be surrounded by White Spruce taiga with majestic mountains towering in the background.
It was the beginning of fall when I was there and the different colors of fall made the view extra stunning and very unforgettable. But you just have to be lucky to be there during clear weather, otherwise the drive can be less enjoyable. On very clear summer days, you might catch a glimpse of the McKinley summit as you approach Cantwell. It is one of the rarest sights but truly beautiful as the weather surrounding McKinley is unpredictable.
During certain seasons of the year, mammal sightings are more likely as they migrate. I was fortunate to spot a caribou during the drive. Though many reviews have said that the road is difficult and your vehicle might need a bath afterwards, it is definitely worth it! I did not experience any flats during the drive and I hope you won't too!

Hertz wouldn't let us drive on dirt roads, so we found another local rental company that would. So glad we did. We were hesitant because of warnings to drive only 30 mph, flat tires, etc. but we had no trouble. The paved part is like a roller coaster. With all the construction on the Richardson and Glenn highways, it is ridiculous to not allow rental cars on this road. It is a good, wide gravel road. Drove from Cantwell to Paxson. About 15 miles into the highway, a female moose and her baby ran out into the road. We swerved and they ran back into the shrub. Close encounter! Saw trumpeter swans on one of the lakes. The scenery is spectacular, especially close to Paxson, so if you can only do 20 miles or so, do that end. Hiked out onto a point and picked blueberries. Saw bear tracks but no bear. Took us about 6 hr. But we stopped a lot to take pictures. Worth it!

Not to diminish the Park itself, but this drive is wonderful and the best part of our trip. We drove from Cantwell to Paxon in about 6.5 hours stopping constantly for pictures and then turned around and drove back in 5 hours. Glorious scenery across a wide range of elevations and landscapes. Start with a full tank of gas as there wasn't but one place to refuel on the whole trip the day we made it. The road is in good shape and you can easily drive the speed limits of 45 or 50 but trust me, the scenery will have you rolling along at 25-30.

We drove the highway from Cantwell to the Susitna River before turning back. Along our way we gazed upon the red tundra and the yellow foliage. Snow was slowly descending from the mountain tops on the ranges that ran parallel to both sides of the rode. We saw a few hunters. Traffic was almost nonexistent. We saw one restaurant open for business but did not stop. I do not recall if one can get gas there or not. We spent the night in tents at Brushkana Campground. Two sites near the river were particularly nice but were taken by RV's. The campground is quiet, clean and well maintained. Firewood can be purchased. The campground has a hiking trail or you can pan for gold along the shore. The highway is gravel with some potholes but we did not feel the need for a SUV. Speeds are posted much higher than you would ever want to drive. The Denali Highway is a nice scenic drive that is remote and well worth traveling off the beaten path.

This road features some of the most amazing views of nature and wildlife in Alaska, but it is long, remote and mostly unpaved. The speed limit is S-L-O-W due to the road conditions. The gravel road can do damage to cat windows, doors and tires, so don't even think of taking a rental car (most Alaska rental car companies forbid you driving their cars on this road.) Take a spare tire!!! However, if you are prepared for it, this trip will stir your soul.

This is a beautiful drive in a remote area of Alaska. It is 135 miles long much of it unpaved thus limiting ones speed to 30-35. However you don't want to be in a hurry. Take time to stop along the way to see the scenery. It is truly incredible.

Be prepared. There are very limited services along this road. If you have a problem someone will drive by shortly, but it will take a long time for them to send more help along.

This is a fantastic drive. While the road is mostly unpaved, it is in pretty decent shape. You do not need a four-wheel drive car. An RV should have no problem. This is an exceptionally scenic drive. There are no trees to obscure the view, which includes panoramas of the Alaska Range. It is a step back in time to the old Alaska, when you could get 360 degree views of nothing but wilderness. There are many places along the road where you can camp with an RV or walk in and set up a tent. There is a nice campground at Tangle Lakes. There is good grayling fishing in nearly every stream, using flies or spinners. There is a hike at Maclaren Summit, the highest point along the route, that is flat and easy, and offers terrific vistas. You are likely to see wildlife, unless you go in late summer during hunting season. Even then, it is a great drive, with beautiful fall colors.

This is an absolute stunning drive along the Denali Highway. You get a bit of everything while traveling this old route. It’s a busy road and there are plenty of spaces to pull off. If you need an overnight space, look at this route because there are plenty of free areas to camp.

We drove the Denali Hwy in our rental Corolla and mostly enjoyed the experience. It was the clearest day we had on our trip and the views were excellent with the added bonus of not worrying about traffic and being able to stop easily for pictures. There were sections with a lot of potholes but for the most part smooth. This appeared to be the shortest route from Denali to Chitinia where we were catching a flight to McCarthy. We were happy with our decision until we reached a point where the road was closed. A culvert was being replaced, and for those in the know to check such things, it was scheduled. We had to sit for several hours, but enjoyed chatting with the locals also waiting. Fortunately our flight was the next night and we were to spend the night in Maclaren River Lodge, so it did not spoil any plans. I am glad we included this as part of our Alaska adventure.

take a drive down this road... the scenery was unreal
the roads bumpy,, have no doubt,,, but the spendor and the vistas plus the fact youre there almost alone adds to granduar of this state,,,i really loved it in september when the tundra as in its fall glory

We took our time and took in all the scenery. It's beautiful and isolated. We saw very few other travelers. Most every pond has some water fowl, most that we don't see in the Midwest.

We stayed at Alpine Creek Lodge so we didn't have to rush. Lodge is adequate.

Road was in great condition, much better than I had been lead to believe.

Although this road is usually banned by rent a car places, we couldn't resist the drive. I strongly recommen the windshield insurance that I can only assume all rent a car companies offer up there. That being said we drove west to east( we have driven east to west on one occasion and we think the views are just as spectacular ) we didn't see much wildlife on either of our drives, mostly moose. We were lucky enough to have clear days so we could see the mountains. This road is notorious for potholes and roughness( for lack of any other word). You must drive slow and by doing this it will take 2 x's as long as you will think to drive this. Also just in case make sure you do have water blankets ect just incase you get stuck with car troubles. Also this is not a heavily travelled road, so consider yourself on your own. We had the unfortunate luck of a truck barreling down the road towards us and kicked up enough stones towards us to crack our windshield. This is where that insurance comes in( we had actually pulled to the side if the road and stopped knowing they were going too fast, but luck was not on our side)so word to the wise, relax, drive slowly and enjoy the sights!!!

Many guidebooks will warn against traveling the 135 mile UNPAVED Denali Highway in Alaska, which runs from Cantwell on the Parks Hwy. to Paxson on the Richardson. Quite truthfully we were apprehensive. Turns out we had nothing to fear. I can understand that the road could be difficult if it is very dry and therefore dusty or God forbid, rainy. Under those circumstances I would not recommend this road. If you are fortunate as we were and the weather is freindly, this is a road not to be missed. It is basically used by grayling fishermen. We did, however, see a Princess Tour Bus. The scenery is unbelievable and we felt like we had Alaska all to ourselves. We stopped many times along the road to look at wildlife and take pictures, also stopped and had lunch at the Gracious House. Altogether the trip took us seven and a half hours. Be forewarned that there are no services along the way, so be sure to gas up before you begin the road. The Gracious House (about halfway) is the only restaurant on the highway.

This road is amazingly beautiful. It is a lovely drive no matter what the weather. If you are lucky enough to have good weather the camping and hiking are superb. In the fall, blueberries abound. There is plenty of wildlife, however, not in the abundance you will find nearby in Denali National Park. If you want a near guarantee to see a bear, please go to Denali National Park. But also visit this beautiful stretch of road. The road is in good shape as well.

Nice view but you need to drive very slowly as the road is in terrible condition.
We stopped often to take picture as we were lucky and the weather was great

When we asked locals about the condition of the Denali Highway we were surprised how many had actually not driven it but still said don't do it. We did. In a 2000 model Chevrolet Cavalier. This small car did us proud. We fuelled up, checked the spare, oil water etc and took off. Yes, we drove carefully and very slowly at times because of the road conditions, loose gravel (with some sharp rocks- so good tyres are a must), pot holes and mud after rainy days. The drive started for us at the Cantwell end and we arrived into Paxson about 5 hours later. It's unpaved for almost all of the 135 miles. About 8 miles of paving at the Cantwell end and about 20 odd miles at the Paxson end, so that's a bit over 100 miles of gravel road.

Saw quite a few RVs travelling the road and lots of hunters and hunters camps. The hunters had set up in the RVs, tents, trailers etc at so many pull outs and were off in their ATVs for the caribou hunting season in late August. Really interesting to see and interesting people to chat with at stops.

What a beautiful drive. Magnificent autumn colours, snow capped mountains, serene lakes and tumbling creeks and rivers. Understandably, no wildlife, except a fearless squirrel. Denali mountain also visible at points.

Expect to take lots of stops for photos, if you are into photography. We called into Alpine Lodge about half way across for some soup and a scone. Great stop, interesting people to chat with. We also carried water and food.

We're very happy that we ignored all the well meant advice and drove Denali in our little, old car. The road isn't great but neither is it terrible. It's very doable and well worth the doing.

We had a wonderful experience driving the Denali highway. We were there in late August. The weather was perfect, just a few rain showers that ended with spectacular rainbows. We didn't see much wildlife, but the vistas were amazing. The Denali Highway truly does give the "feel" of Alaska, secluded!

If you have a lot of time and at least a driver to change it is a nice drive. But if the weather is bad you will have some hard time with this dirt road full of pod holes filled with water. I believe driving into the Denali park is more sceenic to see. So only recommended for good drivers with patience. Careful there is no road service on the whole 130 Miles and the insurance of most rental care companies does not cover the denali highway.

We don’t understand people that said it was one of the best drives ever. It didn’t come close. Extremely tedious 134 mile ride on gravel roads and not much to see. Go the paved way to Fairbanks!

We went in June when the road was dry. It was much better than I anticipated based on the reviews. It was not that bad. You cannot drive fast, about 40 miles/h. The scenery is beautiful although I wouldn't go that far to say that it is in the top 10 in USA. It is nice because you can see far. I actually liked more the drive from Anchorage to Seward, where you have snow capped mountains along the ocean. We did not see much wildlife except for a porcupine, and beaver lodges. But then it was in the middle of the day and they like to come out later...

In the middle of our Alaska vacation, we spent 2 nights in Healy, 10 miles north of Denali N.P. My choice was whether to go North to Fairbanks and then South towards Wrangell or head south and take the Denali highway. Previous posts of potholes, flats, cracked windshields had me questioning which way I should go. First off, I travelled at 30 mph through most of the trip. When you start closing in on Paxton I may have increased my speed to 35. The first 17 miles from Cantwell are paved with the exception of the first 3 miles which are the roughest part of the entire road. The scenery should not be missed. My wife kept commenting on the beauty along the way. One stretch had this beautiful lake on the left with mountains covered in snow in the background. The suns reflection left a mirror of the mountains on the water. Virtually no potholes. I slowed down when oncoming vehicles approached and rocks being thrown up was not an issue. I stopped at a gas station just North of the highway entrance and picked up a can of fix a flat. Not even an issue, saw no one with flats, can not imagine getting one unless you travel recklessly. A lot of the highways in Alaska are under construction in certain places and gravel is the norm. Take the road, I promise you you will be glad you did. Take your time, stop, enjoy, take pictures.

One of the most beautiful panoramic roads in Alaska. Vast emptiness and largely untouched nature as far as the eye can see. This HW invites you to take it easy and slow. Enjoy nature as it is

Only a few local agencies allow you to drive their rentals here but it's just a gravel road and no one checks if you drive it...... So go ahead. Our rental didn't bother to tell us we couldn't by the way. It's just Lonely Planet who made me anxious about it....

We decided to drive across the Denali Highway, we had heard about how bad the road can be, with all the rain that the area had seen, I figured we be lucky to go no faster then 30 mph along the rode. It rain the day we went across the highway, but the road was in really good shape, there were a couple of sections that were being graded and worked on during our trip. I was able to go as fast as 50 mph along some stretches of the road. I have seen dirt roads in Vermont and New Hampshire in worst shape then the highway so I was pleasantly surprised by the good condition it was in. I do recommend a good set of tires though as some gravel areas will be rough on bald tires. We saw moose, eagles and caribou, which was pretty good with the rain. We picked fresh wild blueberries during our lunch break on the highway.

We drove this "highway" all the way from Paxson to Cantwell, its entire length in an "intermediate" size car (Ford Focus). We double checked with the rental company (Enterprise) that this was allowed as most other majors do not allow it. The first 20 miles from Paxson (nothing there) is paved out to the Tangle River Inn (see separate review) then its gravel, mostly packed hard but with many many shallow pot holes. We went with our daughter's family who drove their large 4x4 pickup truck, so we were not alone. We would not have attempted by ourselves. Our son-in-law brought along a second full spare tire in the bed of their truck, this from prior experience. We on the other hand, we could only pump up the "donut" spare in our trunk to the recommended 60 psi and hope for the best. How many folks ever check the pressure in their spare? Fortunately, we did not have a problem. Going slow is the key to a successful crossing, and I mean 30 mph at tops on the "best" stretches of road. Just when you think the road is going good, you'll get a long series of shallow potholes. The reality is that your passengers get to enjoy the great views if you lucky enough to get a clear or semi clear day, but the driver has to keep their eyes glued to the road. Fortunate in a way I guess, we had misty rain nearly the entire drive, so that eliminated dusty conditions. But, the car and truck were covered in mud, especially around the rear of the vehicles, to the point of not being able to read the license plates. Another tip, if following another vehicle, be sure to give yourself plenty of room. This cuts down on either dust or mud but most importantly, the great chance of gravel and rocks being thrown up to dent your vehicle of crack your windshield. I'll leave the comments on the animals and views from this great bucket list drive to others as I had to keep my eyes on the road all the time, for the reasons just stated. Otherwise, check your tires, bring a full size spare if you can, have plenty of gas, water and food for a trip into the Alaskan wilderness. One final note, the Denali Hwy is only open May-Sept, just for the summer season.