Top of The World Highway-Between Dawson City & Chicken

[snowedin]

We have been to Alaska before but this summer plan to travel the 'Top of the World Highway' between Dawson City & Chicken. My question is whether there is a best way to drive this road, East to West or West to East? Which direction results in meeting less traffic? Which direction results in less exposure to falling off a cliff? Any other helpful hints would be appreciated. I realize this is mostly a dirt/gravel road and one has to be cautious when the road surface is wet. Sounds like the scenery makes the trip worthwhile.

[Johnny_G1]

The only bad part of that road is from the US border to Boundry Air strip, the rest is in better shape than most other hwy's in the north.

[sheltieRV]

explorenorth wrote:
Until I see for myself that it's not still the case, I'm working on the assumption that the Taylor Highway south of Walker Fork Campground still looks like this. There's been no changes to this section in the 25 years I've been driving it.

Sorry, you are correct...here is the 13 miles of dirt road, seemed paved to me.

TOW Paved

:B

[AlCar]

Veebyes wrote:

Fer2005 wrote:
Did anybody driving a Class A have problems with the ferry crossing. I watched some you tubes and noticed a significant dip when loading and unloading from the ferry. I'm worried about dragging the rear end.

The ferry crew is very expeienced & have the equipment for whatever vehicle. Pay attention to their directions & all will be fine.

I saw the same you tube clip and I can tell you that my 30 footer got on and off with no dipping, no scrapping and no problems whatsoever. Like we said, follow the instruction of the crew and you will have no problems. Enjoy the trip.

[rag-ftw]

"The ferry crew is very expeienced & have the equipment for whatever vehicle. Pay attention to their directions & all will be fine"

Ditto, we were 60+ feet and had no problems of any kind on the ferry.

[Veebyes]

Fer2005 wrote:
Did anybody driving a Class A have problems with the ferry crossing. I watched some you tubes and noticed a significant dip when loading and unloading from the ferry. I'm worried about dragging the rear end.

The ferry crew is very expeienced & have the equipment for whatever vehicle. Pay attention to their directions & all will be fine.

[Fer2005]

Did anybody driving a Class A have problems with the ferry crossing. I watched some you tubes and noticed a significant dip when loading and unloading from the ferry. I'm worried about dragging the rear end.

[explorenorth]

Until I see for myself that it's not still the case, I'm working on the assumption that the Taylor Highway south of Walker Fork Campground still looks like this. There's been no changes to this section in the 25 years I've been driving it.

[sheltieRV]

rag-ftw wrote:
We went West to East in mid September a few days after the first hard freeze. The border doesn't open until 8am which means you should not have any opposing traffic early in the day.

Agreed. We left Chicken early (hoping to see wildlife) and saw very little traffic through the early/worst part of the road since the border was closed. The 13 miles of pavement was a really nice break.

[rag-ftw]

We went West to East in mid September a few days after the first hard freeze. The road was mostly frozen hard so we had no dust or mud but fabulous scenery with the changing colors. I think going in the fall is better than spring because they have all summer to work on the road. Also leave as early in the morning as possible. The border doesn't open until 8am which means you should not have any opposing traffic early in the day.

Spring or fall, east or west doesn't matter as much as just doing it!!!

[EEWally]

We went west-to-east last June 26. We camped at the Yukon River Government Campground across the river from Dawson. That allowed us to see the hulks of paddle wheel boats downstream from the campground. We also had no line for the ferry to Dawson.

After camping a couple nights at the Bonanza Creek RV Park, we were glad not to follow the 2 big west-bound caravans that were also camped there.

[GordonThree]

The Texan wrote:
Gordon, you may have been on what is called the "sixty mile cutoff" road, that runs from the Top of the World Hwy to the Taylor Hwy. We did that one year by mistake and it runs from scenery like the one Sue posted, to a very narrow mining road. It is maintained and doable, but still basically a mining road.

Ok, well that explains it then, thank you!

[Veebyes]

lonnie4801 wrote:
If you like "Blue Grass and Country" music, then I would recommend going east to west and attend the "ChickenStock Festival" in Chicken. The 2015 festival will be the 12th and 13th of June this year. It is a great display of wonderful local talent.

If not interested in the music then I would recommend going west to east if leaving by early September because the colors will be much better.

If not interested in either the music or the colors, they either direction will work. We have made the trip east to west 3 times and enjoyed every trip.

Chickenstock is a hoot. Did it last year. The music standard is not as good as the bluegrass in the lower 48, but then they don't claim to be. Good crowd. Mostly Alaskan getting out for first time after winter.

[The_Texan]

Gordon, you may have been on what is called the "sixty mile cutoff" road, that runs from the Top of the World Hwy to the Taylor Hwy. We did that one year by mistake and it runs from scenery like the one Sue posted, to a very narrow mining road. It is maintained and doable, but still basically a mining road.

[GordonThree]

Is there another road from Chicken to Dawson? There was payment from Tok to Chicken, and some old broken pavement between Dawson and the border checkpoint, but the road I drove 6 months ago between the border and Chicken was very coarse gravel, very narrow with no shoulders and steep drop offs. Lots of steep slippery grades. Maybe I was on a logging / mining road by mistake? The road looked nothing like the pictures posted here.