Alaska Hwy and TOW Highway

well, we did the West to East TOW and it was good. However, I understand that if there has been recent rain then it is a bad drive either way. In 2016, our last trip, the road from Tok, Alaska to Chicken was very rough, lots of pot holes, once in Canada it was much better.

I should add the highway up to Tok, was paved good road for the first 60 miles or so then the paved part ended and the rest was dirt, that was the bad part, drive real slow.

We have driven the TOW highway 3X and I don't think the date matters that much. The recent weather is what affects the drive.
Whenever you do it, plan to take your time and enjoy the drive.

Tripalot wrote:
We have driven the TOW highway 3X and I don't think the date matters that much. The recent weather is what affects the drive.
Whenever you do it, plan to take your time and enjoy the drive.

X2

On TOW, if you see a cone in a pot hole, steer around that cone. The big advantage in going slow is the driver gets to marvel at the amazing vistas. Look at the Google Earth images, you will be on the spine of a mountain range. Awsome, Awsome, Awsome.

We are trying to make Inuvik this summer, I plan on using my Garmin Dash Cam to film the whole trip up to Inuvik, wish I had owned one when we did TOW. By the way, the Garmin Dash Cam is also awsome.

We did your number 2 option, but it doesn't matter which way you go. When we went the TOW border crossing was open limited hours, you may want to check the hours. We had a laugh crossing, the US border guard asked if we were crossing with beer, we said Yes, and he said he would have to confiscate it (only kidding with us!). I guess that the Canadian and US border folks have some good "Happy Hours" after the border closes each day!

I would decide when upon arriving in Whitehorse of which route to take :

1 - If weather forecast is great or so so for the next few days or following week, go for Dawson City and Top of the World Hwy route first.....Taylor Hwy on the Alaska side during rainy conditions might not be an enjoyable drive between Jack Wade Jct. and Chicken at mile 66 thru 96.

2 - If weather forecast is bad, just stay on Alaska Highway enroute to Alaska and hope to time it right for decent enough weather upon leaving Alaska via Taylor and Top of World Highways.

3 - (if Top of the World Highway was not first traveled) Upon arriving in Tok enroute to departing from Alaska, check on any potential SEVERE weather and road conditions before heading on Taylor Hwy. and Top of World Hwy. to Canada and Dawson City..... if the Taylor-Top of the World Hwys. have no bad reports, do take on the route.

4 - Since this is the far north we are commenting here, roadways can be subject to change due to potential roadway washouts, wildfire closures, or any other kind of potential road closure that could occur, so do keep up to date with the route when arriving in Whitehorse along the way or arriving in Tok upon departing Alaska if Top of the World Highway was not first traveled.

Whenever you do it, plan to take your time and enjoy the drive.

After I leave Watson Lake, I'm only figuring about 100 miles per day, is that slow enough? And that doesn't count the extra days I plan on staying in one location.

4 - Since this is the far north we are commenting here, roadways can be subject to change due to potential roadway washouts, wildfire closures, or any other kind of potential road closure that could occur, so do keep up to date with the route when arriving in Whitehorse along the way or arriving in Tok upon departing Alaska if Top of the World Highway was not first traveled

This is something I really am not in the habit of doing so thanks. I imagine the visitor center in Whitehorse would be a good place to get road updates? Is there some place in Tok to do the same? I will also talk to other campers, but hate to rely on that info because what someone considers bad I may consider fun.

The visitor center in Whitehorse is a good place to get that (and other) information, yes. There is a visitor center in Tok, as well, in the same building as the library and they should have information on the road conditions.

100 miles a day is plenty reasonable as an average, though there is a lot of variation in roads and hence actual distances traveled day by day. I averaged considerably more on my trip to Alaska a couple years ago, partly due to constraints, and had a thoroughly marvelous time. I would naturally have loved to have more time, but I also appreciate the benefits of still being employed....

We are trying to make Inuvik this summer, I plan on using my Garmin Dash Cam to film the whole trip up to Inuvik, wish I had owned one when we did TOW. By the way, the Garmin Dash Cam is also awsome

Have you considered doing the newest highway up to Tuk ?
We flew from Inuvik to Tuk, but now there is a road, would love to drive it.