Best Alaska Travel Guide??

[marc515]

Beginning to plan our RV trip to Alaska, and I'm considering the Milepost Travel Guide, but I am not sure if the web site wouldn't be simpler to use.

Since it's going to be an RV trip, I'm also wondering if Mike and Terri Church's book 'Alaskan Camping wouldn't be better than the Milepost?

Your insight appreciated.

Thank you

[marsharini]

We bought both books for our trip this past summer. We did forget the Milepost at home and did fine without it. You can get a printout of gas stations and other services at the visitor center in Dawson Creek. We pretty much relied on Church's book to find campgrounds.

[2gypsies1]

The Church's book is superior to the Milepost for campground information.

Even the Milepost is one year old by the time it's available to you.

Everyone should be aware that the RV parks and campgrounds close continually. It's a very short season and some just don't make it. It's hard to keep things updated.

[fulltimedaniel]

DrewE wrote:

fulltimedaniel wrote:
Consider this: The Milepost is updated EVERY YEAR. The Churches book is years out of date.

There is a new (7th) edition of Church's book coming out on January 15th. You can get it on preorder at Amazon now. Whether or not the information inside is all up to date is, of course, somewhat of a different question, and one I won't be able to answer until sometime after the 15th (and perhaps not for a good long time afterwards).

Thanks for that update. It is good to know that they are finally updating some of their books. Many like myself have been urging them to update their Baja book for a long time. But unfortunately I find the accuracy in many of their books is less than what is necessary for a travel guide. But still there really is no need for two books on the Alaska trip.

[DrewE]

fulltimedaniel wrote:
Consider this: The Milepost is updated EVERY YEAR. The Churches book is years out of date.

There is a new (7th) edition of Church's book coming out on January 15th. You can get it on preorder at Amazon now. Whether or not the information inside is all up to date is, of course, somewhat of a different question, and one I won't be able to answer until sometime after the 15th (and perhaps not for a good long time afterwards).

[SBradley]

Use both, Sue T. http://yukonsights.ca & Milepost.
Milepost is good for the maps.
Sue's "Yukon" site as a travel guide to the sights you might other wise miss
or might peak your interest in a route.

Check it out you can stay busy just looking at the pics.

Use paper Milepost, only the major communities will have internet unless you are on sat phone.

[fulltimedaniel]

Consider this: The Milepost is updated EVERY YEAR. The Churches book is years out of date.

The Milepost names every campground on all the routes without the prejudices and preconceived notions that the Churches often bring to their writing...to say nothing of the many many mistakes I have found in their books. Dont get me wrong they are nice people but not up to the journalistic standards of accuracy that the Milepost is.

There really is no need for two books. The Milepost is THE standard by which all others are measured...and in my opinion the Churches book just doesn't make the cut.

I used the 2016 version of the Milepost to go to Alaska this spring traveling all over the state from Skagway to well North of Fairbanks and covering almost all of Alaskas roads from the Kenai, Homer, Valdez, Seward, Denali, and the Taylor Hwy to Dawson. So I speak from some modest experience.

[Nodaker]

We used both Milepost and Church's guidebook of Alaska Camping this past summer. Also used RVParkReviews.com when we could get internet. The more info the better to find camping spots matching your preferences.

[sue_t]

Thousands of pictures from along the highways in Yukon, Alaska and Northern British Columbia on my website at http://yukonsights.ca/

You can look at the pictures by route (left side of the page) or by trip (right side of the page).

I also include many wildlife photos 😄

[Scottiemom]

We also used small regional guidebooks we would find everywhere. When we would get into an area, they would be available at fuel stops or visitor centers. They would have maps and local ads for businesses in the area, historical facts, etc. Not sure if they were available in Canada, but they were in Alaska.

Dale

[2gypsies1]

Don't rely on internet via your own hotspot to do any kind of research as you're traveling. You won't want to pay for it while in Canada and the Yukon and it will only work in the bigger cities. You also can't rely on park wifi systems.

Get the Milepost, Church's camping book and the TourSaver 2/1 coupon book. That's all you need.

The Milepost is excellent for history and maps but not campgrounds like the Church's book will be. Church's even include boondocking spots. It's a great resource.

[Veebyes]

First time to Alaska we tried using the Milepost. So much info in it you spend your time with your head buried in the book instead of looking out the window.

Second & third trips we did not bother to even have it handy. The research on CGs was done well in advance with a plan A, B, even a C to use. Much more time for looking for critters that way.

[PA12DRVR]

FWIW, I'd second the suggestion of getting a "local-focus" guidebook such as the Lonely Planet series as that will help identify activities for the times one is not driving or sitting at the RV.

Never used the Church book but back in the day when I traveled up and down the Alcan at least once a year, I always carried the Milepost, primarily to ensure I was following the right road (more of a concern once in BC or Alberta than on the Alcan itself) and to get an idea of distances. I always found it to be useful for at least 3-4 years after it's publication.

Sue T's posts are full of great insight and information about the area and road.

[jnharley]

We used both. The Milepost was spot on many times for wildlife spotting and we used it to find pullouts to get out of the way of faster traffic. I kept it open on my lap to keep track of where we were. The Church's book is very helpful with finding campgrounds since many do not have traditional addresses and one must use lat/long coordinates for the GPS. Do not forget to get the TourSaver since just using it once will pay for the purchase price.

[Teacher_s_Pet]

Be sure to check out Sue.t's posts and links. She lives in the Ibex Valley west of Whitehorse in the Yukon Territory. A wealth of info, she was born on the Alaska Highway and lives there.