Forum Discussion

cbigham's avatar
cbigham
Explorer III
Feb 13, 2022

Alaska 22 Prudhoe Bay on Moto, Alaska by class C

Hello,
We are headed to Alaska this summer from LA, CA. Have a short 24 ft class C. Part of this trip will be to ride a motorcycle up the haul road to Prudhoe Bay with a buddy who is riding his Africa twin up from LA. He asked I join him so will take a street legal dirt bike with bags for camp gear. I understand the mechanics of how that tour works.

After the Prudhoe run, the family will fly into Fairbanks, begin our tour. Buddy will head home. We will go south to Anchorage area, to some Kenai stuff. Have a friend to visit in Cooper Landing . Mess around there a bit, take the eastern hwy out to Tok and work our way thru Canada.

Questions:
1. Should we bring our Jeep? I can hang a dirtbike off the back. Will this make things easier or are most attractions along major roads?
2. Wife likes to fish. Along the route from Fairbanks to Anchorage, to Kenai to Tok is there anything like a guide, lodge or even rv area where we could do this for a few days? I'd seen Lake Clark has some nice fly in lodges, treat you well, you do pay..but we don't know where to leave our equipment and may bring dog. .so rv based would be best.
3. Any real scenic camps you recommend?
4. Are Canadian campgrounds easy to get in and out with a towed car for the transit? Thanks

Chuck
  • To the OP's Q's 1 - 3

    - Would strongly suggest bringing the Jeep if that is do-able with other considerations: hanging a dirt bike off the back of a Jeep would be hard on it for the long drive up.
    - Lots of places to fish on your anticipated route. Although interior AK is not as crowded for salmon as other places, it's also not as good: I'd suggest focusing on lakes and streams (trout, char, dolly varden, burbot, etc) except when you're in Los Anchorage or Kenai: there are several flyout options available from Anchorage (a few in Kenai as well), but there are multiple drive / boat options from Anchorage or the Kenai Peninsula generally. Depending on the time of year, I'd suggest dropping the coin and taking the time for a combo charter from Seward or Whittier. (Combo halibut, salmon, possibly rockfish). If you don't want to pay charter boat prices, there are several day trips for salmon and trout that are based in Wasilla / Willow / Talkeetna general areas.
    - Not a campsite specifically, but if you're setup is up to it, drive the Denali Highway from Cantwell to Paxson or vice-versa. Spectacular scenery, but a bit of a rough road.

    The haul road itself should be a scenic trip...although I've not taken it for decades. Got lucky on the long-ago last trip and left Fairbanks in what might pass for twilight....went North far enough / fast enough that it never got dark until I returned to Los Anchorage a month or so later. There's usually a period of 6- 8 weeks of no sunset up North, but it was interesting to be on the front end of that phenomenon.
  • All kinds of vehicles go up and down the Dempster Hwy but it is good gravel all the way, would do it again, had the mh and the 5th wheel over the road a few times and no regrets.
  • Grit Dog THanks for the tips... I want a couple safe places to fish for momma, as we know about momma being happy ...

    We are enduro, dirt bikers from SOCAL, do the western mountains, desert rides, Baja.. quite a change up there!
  • Sounds like a dream trip.
    Lot's of places to fish, and I only know a few. Salmon runs also dictate when some rivers are good fishing.
    Plenty of pull offs to camp with the RV easily, although the Jeep/dual sport combo in tow would be the ultimate setup, imo.
  • Tuk was something we talked about riding to. Buddy's bucket list is Prudhoe. I may ride my dirt bike and camping gear up there with him or take Jeep. Lot of miles on a dirtbike seat.

    What we do want to see, do off the Dempster hwy is the Tombstone Mts. My son has that on his hit list. I'll ride out there from Dawson one day on our way back and see if the road is doable by our rv. If not, maybe we take jeep, tent camp a night or two before headed back south.
  • Tuk has been on our radar for the past 2 summers and hopefully they open up the NWT to non resident/ non essential travellers, this year.
    I have been watching the NWT website, and by the looks of it they may be on March 1, so there should be more info in a couple of weeks.
    NWT Covid Restrictions
    My wife is from northern BC and have been to the Yukon a few of times over the years but never the NWT, so hopefully this summer will be the year.
    Yukon tourism info guides can be mailed to your home, plus a map, check off the four (4) boxes right above the section where you enter your address.
    Yukon tourist info
    The map is great, on one side of the map it shows just the Yukon, plus part of the NWT with the Hwy to Tuk. On the other side it shows the main Hwys in Washington state, all of BC, western part of Alberta, Alaska, Yukon and the NWT, it’s a great map and it’s free.
    The campgrounds in the Yukon supply free firewood, which is a bonus, and I believe where wood is available they do also in the NWT.
    If your looking for more input from more people you may want to start your own post tiled TUKTOYAKTUK or search this website for past post info.
    Also go on YouTube, to the search window and type in “driving to Tuktoyaktuk” there are a lot of video’s with some great info.
    Good luck on your trip.
    Soup.
  • No motorcycles but we are starting that direction later this summer (will leave the RV at friends in Montana for the winter and complete 2023).

    What is the groups thoughts on doing the Dempster up to Tuktoyuktuk (spelling?).

    Seems like a better option as I've read there is far less truck traffic and you can actually drive to the arctic ocean. With the haul road, you have to take a tour to see the ocean.
  • Another thing about some Canadian RV parks is they don't always have a 30TT receptacle. You should carry a fifty to thirty adapter. Some Canadian government parks have a single pedestal for a couple sites. You may need a thirty-amp extension cord
  • In answer to you question number 4, you will find Canadian campgrounds not too different from USA campgrounds, some will be easy to access and some not so easy. I think if you unhitch you will be OK in the vast majority of them.
    Sounds like a great trip.
  • I would definitely bring your Jeep. Weather may not be good for bike riding all the time.
    There are many roadside "campgrounds" in both Alaska and Canada.
    Fishing is available along the route. Suggest looking into a halibut fishing trip along highway to Kenai.
    Sounds like the Alaska Highway will have lots of traffic this spring and summer. Be prepared.