Your suggestions please, on route
I'm a virgin, and planning my first drive up for next spring. Origination California and nothing unusual on my outbound trip, using the suggested route from 2014 Milepost page 747. It's the return r...
Forum Discussion
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.
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.
