Your suggestions please, on route

I'll add myself to those who really enjoyed Stewart-Hyder. We stayed at Camp Run a Muck and had a great time. The lady who manages the place really knows the area and I enjoyed talking with her. We had planned to stay one night and ended up staying three. If/when we go back, I will spend at least a week in the area. The views of the glacier were amazing and we enjoyed viewing the bears. I had the "pleasure" of meeting a bear while on a run on the main street of Hyder. We also saw a bear about a quarter mile from our campground.

No one else has mentioned it, so I will. As far as I know, there is no vehicle ferry to Stewart-Hyder. Because it has a road connection to the rest of BC (Hwy 37) there is no need for a ferry, especially since the Portland Canal is 90 miles long.

But, as others have said, Stewart-Hyder is a not-to-be-missed site, especially the view of Salmon Glacier from "the road above the clouds" and the view from the USFS viewing platform at Hyder of grizzlies fishing for salmon. And we found the Cassiar Highway to be very scenic and well worth the time it takes to travel.

On our first trip north in 2006 we used the Marine Highway and it was great. We drove to Prince Rupert and got on, and rode to Ketchikan, where we got off for 3 days and stayed in the Walmart parking lot while we saw the sights. Same for the legs to Wrangell, Petersburg, Juneau, Skagway and Haines. Staying 2-3 days at each stop, and seeing the local sights allowed us to keep the ferry legs short and not need a cabin and the camping was free or very inexpensive at each stop. Reversing the run would be just as easy. Just be sure to plan the whole route completely and get your reservations early. Last minute planning will be tough as you're one of a great many heading south at the same time.

Each stop will have up to 10-15 miles of local roads to explore but none are connected to each other by road. You can ferry between Haines and Skagway and head north from Skagway to rejoin the Alaska Highway in the Whitehorse area but that's the last drive out point until you hit Prince Rupert. A well worthwhile trip and by the time you figure gas saved, and sights seen, not that much more expensive than driving all the way down. You'll need to shut off the LP when on the boats but food will keep just fine for the few hours you're on the boat. If you have pets, they must stay in the vehicle and you are not allowed on the vehicle deck when the boat is en-route. We found the food on the boats to be cheap and basic, but good, served cafeteria style.

Haines is a deadend, yup. But a great drive. Ferry can be boarded at Haines.

Skagway is also a deadend. Another great drive. Ferry can also be boarded at Haines.

If you like to drive, then taking the Alaska Highway northbound is a good idea, and the Cassiar Highway (Hwy 37) southbound provides a nice route. Makes it easy to stop in at Stewart BC and Hyder AK. We very much like driving the Cassiar Highway. There are three excellent provincial parks along this route, all very nice overnight stops.

There aren't many lesser roads out of Skagway or Haines. Only the same routes on which you drive in.

The coastal area is mountainous, thus no lesser roads connecting communities. Just the local roads around each community.

Some would argue the Cassiar is a lesser road :B

There are two options for the Alaskan trip - via ferry (which you saw in Milepost) and driving it.

You can definitely drive to Haines, Skagway, and further to Anchorage, Fairbanks, Homer, Seward, etc.

Yes, if you're driving, when you get to Haines you will have to backtrack the gorgeous highway to continue your trip. It's no big deal. Same goes for Skagway. OR...you can cross between Skagway and Haines via a short ferry trip.

I think you misread that the ferry is the only way to go. Millions of folks have drive it. It's not difficult and you'll have lots of company on the way. You'll meet folks in one campground or town and will see them again in further traveling. There aren't many major roads so everyone is going the same places. Have no qualms about the trip!

Also, if you're leaving via California, I would recommend the Sumas, Washington Canadian crossing. It's small and very easy to do.

You could take the ferry in Haines and stop off at Sitka, Juneau, Petersburg, Wrangell, and Ketchikan. You would have to check on the best order for the ferry for these stops. The only way to see these areas is by ferry or plane. No roads connect the islands. Then on to Prince Rupert. I would then get off at Prince Rupert and take 16 to N37 to Stewart. From Stewart you can go to Hyder to see the bears at Fish Creek. The end of July, beginning of August is best for the bears.

If you don't take the ferry, the only road route is the Alaska Highway to 37 south to 16. The Cassier (37) is a nice drive if you don't take that route on the way up. It would give you different scenery from the Alaska Highway from Dawson Creek. I'm not familiar with the Milepost route.

We took the ferry up from Prince Rupert in 2008 and stopped at some of the Inside Passage stops. You can check out my blog - link in my signature.

It's either ferry or back to 37 and 16.