Dalton Hwy Condition Report
Dalton Highway, aka Alaska State Hwy 11, aka The Haul Road, starts at mile Zero and goes to 414. The numbers I have listed at the left of each paragraph is the mileage markers.
We are full-timers and like to take our motorhome wherever we want to go, but I am a conservative driver when it comes to speed because I don’t want to tear up our home. Therefore, you may or may not find the speeds listed here realistic for the way you drive.
Except for the construction areas, the majority of the road can be travelled in excess of the 50 mph speed limit if you desire to speed, many of the drivers on the road do.
Where I have indicated the condition of gravel roads please bear in mind that ones I have indicated as bad may be good the next day because it has been graded. Also, one I have indicated as good may be bad because of excess traffic or rain. Gravel roads change daily.
Day 1 – Parked at a pullout at 1.1, right after we entered the Dalton.
Day 2 – Parked at 60.3, a free BLM campground. Located overlooking the Hot Spot Café.
Day 3, 4, & 5 – Parked at 180, BLM Marion Campground.
Day 6 – Parked at a pullout at 1.1. (On the return trip)
The day we drove the pickup to Deadhorse we spent the night at the Deadhorse Camp Hotel
Mileage markers and road conditions:
31 July
0 to 8 – Gravel. Poor to fair, very dusty. Traveled 15 to 25 mph on most of it. Note. When we came back through it was being graded and was in good condition.
8 to 18.4 – Gravel. Work was been done on this section. It is very hard packed gravel with very little dust. In good condition. Some loose gravel and dust on some of the curves. I was able to drive most of it at 45-50 mph in the motorhome.
18.4 to 23.5 – Pavement. Most of it in poor condition, with numerous breaks in the pavement with a lot of it in the process of going back to gravel. Had to drive very slowly here.
23.5 to 37 – Gravel. The first mile was rub board then smoothed out. Was very good hard packed gravel with very little dust. Some loose gravel and dust on some of the curves. At mile 32 started getting a bit rougher but still easy driving. At 34 it smoothed out again. Most of this road was as smooth as an asphalt road and better than a lot of asphalt roads I have been on. Traveled most of it at 45-50 mph.
37 to 49.5 – Pavement. Good to very good condition. Around 45 got a bit wavy for a mile. Between 48 and 49 there are 4 dips that you have to slow down for. However, the road crew is out patching so they will probably be repaired within the next few days. Note. On return trip the dips had been repaired.
August 1 - Started from 60.3
49.5 to 93 – Gravel. Good hard packed gravel with very little dust for the most part. Able to travel easily at 45 mph. Around 81 the road got rough for about a mile. Just slowed down to 35 mph and it was no problem, then it smoothed out again. At 89, at the bottom of a long hill, there is a sign indicating “Rough Road", and it was for about 1.3 miles. Had to just creep along in this section, had several really large pot holes. Then it smoothed out until the pavement at 93.
93 to 109.6. Pavement. The road surface is OK. All of the pot holes have been patched, but there are a lot of large patches on the road that makes it very rough and bumpy, and frost heaves make it very wavy. Only able to travel 30 to 35 mph on this section. At 103 the road smoothed out a little and I was able to go to 45 mpg.
109.6 to 111.2. Gravel. Loose gravel, very dusty, very rough, and was all a long downgrade. I went down in first gear and still had to use the brakes to keep it under 15 mph. Anything over that really rattled the motorhome.
111.2 to 175. Pavement. Up to 155 the road surface is OK. All of the pot holes have been patched, but there are a lot of large patches on the road that makes it very rough and bumpy, and frost heaves make it very wavy. Only able to travel 30 to 35 mph on this section. At 155 it smoothed out and was able to travel 40-50 mph.
Left the motorhome at Marion Campground at MP 180 and continued to Deadhorse in the pickup.
August 2, Started from 180
175 to 196.8. Pavement, asphalt not chip seal, put down in 2010. A couple of breaks in the pavement and a few frost heaves but otherwise in great condition. Note. On return trip the bad spots had been repaired.
196.8 to 209.3. Pavement. New asphalt, just installed this year. Will have 3 lifts (layers) when completed. First 2 lifts are installed to 202. At 202 had to wait 30 minutes for a pilot car to take us through the construction. They are putting down the second lift in this section. The pilot car took us to 207 then we continued to the end of the pavement unaccompanied. This will change daily.
209.3 to 259. Gravel. Good hard packed gravel with very little loose gravel and dust. Able to travel easily at 50 plus mph. Would be easy drive in the motorhome at 45 mph. Between 224 and 225 there were rough spots so has to slow down. At 229 started getting loose gravel on the road, with dust. At 250 all hard packed, no gravel, no dust. Driving 50 plus mph. Most of it good for 45 mph in the motorhome.
259 to 265. Pavement. Good condition.
265 to 338.5. Gravel. Poor to fair hard packed gravel with very little loose gravel and dust. Very rough. Drove the pickup about 45 mph. Motorhome speed would have been 25 to 30 mph, tops. At 267 they are getting ready to replace the bridge so they are building a by-pass. The construction area is controlled with a traffic light. In the next mile had to slow down to 35 mph because the road got rougher. At 270 the road smoothed out and was able to go back to 50 plus mph. New construction started at 274. Waited 20 minutes for the pilot car. The construction ended at 286. We went through at 15 to 25 mph. Would have been hard pressed to get more than15 mph with the motorhome. At 289 the road started to smooth out, hard packed gravel, no loose gravel or dust. Was able to go back to 50 plus mph. At 321 go rough for 2 miles, then it smoothed out again. At 328 started getting rough again. Was able to maintain the speed in the pickup but would have had to slow the motorhome to 35 mph. From 234.4 to 338.5 it was a mixture of gravel and pavement (chip seal). It looks like this section was all pavement at one time but has slowly been reduced back to gravel. Was able to travel at 50 plus mph but would have had to slow down to 40 mph in the motorhome.
338.5 to 345.5. Pavement. Good road all the way.
345.5 to 357. Gravel. Good hard packed gravel with very little loose gravel and dust. Drove at 50 plus mph.
357 to 362.5. Pavement. Good condition. Could have driven the motorhome 50 plus mph on this section.
362.5 to 414. Gravel. Good hard packed gravel with very little loose gravel and dust. Could have travelled the motorhome at 50 mph. At 375 it got really rough. Had to slow to 40-45 mph. Would have been really rough on the motorhome. The road smoothed out at 390. At 393 got really rough again and it stayed rough all the way to Deadhorse.
Total – 263.2 miles of gravel & 150.8 miles of pavement.
Returned to Fairbanks August 5.
Go and enjoy. It’s a great trip.
We are full-timers and like to take our motorhome wherever we want to go, but I am a conservative driver when it comes to speed because I don’t want to tear up our home. Therefore, you may or may not find the speeds listed here realistic for the way you drive.
Except for the construction areas, the majority of the road can be travelled in excess of the 50 mph speed limit if you desire to speed, many of the drivers on the road do.
Where I have indicated the condition of gravel roads please bear in mind that ones I have indicated as bad may be good the next day because it has been graded. Also, one I have indicated as good may be bad because of excess traffic or rain. Gravel roads change daily.
Day 1 – Parked at a pullout at 1.1, right after we entered the Dalton.
Day 2 – Parked at 60.3, a free BLM campground. Located overlooking the Hot Spot Café.
Day 3, 4, & 5 – Parked at 180, BLM Marion Campground.
Day 6 – Parked at a pullout at 1.1. (On the return trip)
The day we drove the pickup to Deadhorse we spent the night at the Deadhorse Camp Hotel
Mileage markers and road conditions:
31 July
0 to 8 – Gravel. Poor to fair, very dusty. Traveled 15 to 25 mph on most of it. Note. When we came back through it was being graded and was in good condition.
8 to 18.4 – Gravel. Work was been done on this section. It is very hard packed gravel with very little dust. In good condition. Some loose gravel and dust on some of the curves. I was able to drive most of it at 45-50 mph in the motorhome.
18.4 to 23.5 – Pavement. Most of it in poor condition, with numerous breaks in the pavement with a lot of it in the process of going back to gravel. Had to drive very slowly here.
23.5 to 37 – Gravel. The first mile was rub board then smoothed out. Was very good hard packed gravel with very little dust. Some loose gravel and dust on some of the curves. At mile 32 started getting a bit rougher but still easy driving. At 34 it smoothed out again. Most of this road was as smooth as an asphalt road and better than a lot of asphalt roads I have been on. Traveled most of it at 45-50 mph.
37 to 49.5 – Pavement. Good to very good condition. Around 45 got a bit wavy for a mile. Between 48 and 49 there are 4 dips that you have to slow down for. However, the road crew is out patching so they will probably be repaired within the next few days. Note. On return trip the dips had been repaired.
August 1 - Started from 60.3
49.5 to 93 – Gravel. Good hard packed gravel with very little dust for the most part. Able to travel easily at 45 mph. Around 81 the road got rough for about a mile. Just slowed down to 35 mph and it was no problem, then it smoothed out again. At 89, at the bottom of a long hill, there is a sign indicating “Rough Road", and it was for about 1.3 miles. Had to just creep along in this section, had several really large pot holes. Then it smoothed out until the pavement at 93.
93 to 109.6. Pavement. The road surface is OK. All of the pot holes have been patched, but there are a lot of large patches on the road that makes it very rough and bumpy, and frost heaves make it very wavy. Only able to travel 30 to 35 mph on this section. At 103 the road smoothed out a little and I was able to go to 45 mpg.
109.6 to 111.2. Gravel. Loose gravel, very dusty, very rough, and was all a long downgrade. I went down in first gear and still had to use the brakes to keep it under 15 mph. Anything over that really rattled the motorhome.
111.2 to 175. Pavement. Up to 155 the road surface is OK. All of the pot holes have been patched, but there are a lot of large patches on the road that makes it very rough and bumpy, and frost heaves make it very wavy. Only able to travel 30 to 35 mph on this section. At 155 it smoothed out and was able to travel 40-50 mph.
Left the motorhome at Marion Campground at MP 180 and continued to Deadhorse in the pickup.
August 2, Started from 180
175 to 196.8. Pavement, asphalt not chip seal, put down in 2010. A couple of breaks in the pavement and a few frost heaves but otherwise in great condition. Note. On return trip the bad spots had been repaired.
196.8 to 209.3. Pavement. New asphalt, just installed this year. Will have 3 lifts (layers) when completed. First 2 lifts are installed to 202. At 202 had to wait 30 minutes for a pilot car to take us through the construction. They are putting down the second lift in this section. The pilot car took us to 207 then we continued to the end of the pavement unaccompanied. This will change daily.
209.3 to 259. Gravel. Good hard packed gravel with very little loose gravel and dust. Able to travel easily at 50 plus mph. Would be easy drive in the motorhome at 45 mph. Between 224 and 225 there were rough spots so has to slow down. At 229 started getting loose gravel on the road, with dust. At 250 all hard packed, no gravel, no dust. Driving 50 plus mph. Most of it good for 45 mph in the motorhome.
259 to 265. Pavement. Good condition.
265 to 338.5. Gravel. Poor to fair hard packed gravel with very little loose gravel and dust. Very rough. Drove the pickup about 45 mph. Motorhome speed would have been 25 to 30 mph, tops. At 267 they are getting ready to replace the bridge so they are building a by-pass. The construction area is controlled with a traffic light. In the next mile had to slow down to 35 mph because the road got rougher. At 270 the road smoothed out and was able to go back to 50 plus mph. New construction started at 274. Waited 20 minutes for the pilot car. The construction ended at 286. We went through at 15 to 25 mph. Would have been hard pressed to get more than15 mph with the motorhome. At 289 the road started to smooth out, hard packed gravel, no loose gravel or dust. Was able to go back to 50 plus mph. At 321 go rough for 2 miles, then it smoothed out again. At 328 started getting rough again. Was able to maintain the speed in the pickup but would have had to slow the motorhome to 35 mph. From 234.4 to 338.5 it was a mixture of gravel and pavement (chip seal). It looks like this section was all pavement at one time but has slowly been reduced back to gravel. Was able to travel at 50 plus mph but would have had to slow down to 40 mph in the motorhome.
338.5 to 345.5. Pavement. Good road all the way.
345.5 to 357. Gravel. Good hard packed gravel with very little loose gravel and dust. Drove at 50 plus mph.
357 to 362.5. Pavement. Good condition. Could have driven the motorhome 50 plus mph on this section.
362.5 to 414. Gravel. Good hard packed gravel with very little loose gravel and dust. Could have travelled the motorhome at 50 mph. At 375 it got really rough. Had to slow to 40-45 mph. Would have been really rough on the motorhome. The road smoothed out at 390. At 393 got really rough again and it stayed rough all the way to Deadhorse.
Total – 263.2 miles of gravel & 150.8 miles of pavement.
Returned to Fairbanks August 5.
Go and enjoy. It’s a great trip.
