# Glacier tongues, copper mines and frost heaves in the asphalt – by camper over the Glenn and Richardson Highways to Valdez, McCarthy and Fairbanks

> From Anchorage past the Matanuska Glacier and through the Copper River Basin down to the fjord at Valdez, over 60 miles of gravel to the Kennecott mine and…

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-355-alaska-richardson-valdez-mccarthy/

**At a glance:** 8-day road trip of about 1,311 km (815 mi) with 14 stops, from Anchorage to Fairbanks. About 14 h 33 min of driving in total. Best time to go: June–August. No toll roads expected for a car. From Anchorage past the Matanuska Glacier and through the Copper River Basin down to the fjord at Valdez, over 60 miles of gravel to the Kennecott mine and via Tok and Delta Junction to Fairbanks: around 1,500 kilometres through the backcountry of the Wrangell Mountains.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | approx. 1,311 km (815 mi) |
| Driving | 14 h 33 min |
| Suggested days | 8 |
| Stops | 14 |
| Route | Anchorage → Fairbanks |
| States | AK |
| Best time to go | June–August |
| Tolls and vignettes | None expected |
| Updated | October 1, 2026 |

[Download GPX file](https://camping-spirit.com/gpx/rf-355-alaska-richardson-valdez-mccarthy.gpx)

Practical guides for this route: [Driving in the US: The Rules European Visitors Most Often Get Wrong at the Wheel](https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/us-driving-rules-visitors/), [Fuel, Tolls and Distances: Practical US Driving Math for Motorhome and Camper Travelers](https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/us-fuel-tolls-distances/), [US national parks: entry fees, passes and reservations in plain terms](https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/us-national-park-passes/)

*From Anchorage past the Matanuska Glacier and through the Copper River Basin down to the fjord at Valdez, over 60 miles of gravel to the Kennecott mine and via Tok and Delta Junction to Fairbanks: around 1,500 kilometres through the backcountry of the Wrangell Mountains.*

## The spirit of the route

Beyond Palmer, Alaska turns wide and quiet. The Glenn Highway climbs along the gorge of the Matanuska River until the glacier tongue lies in the valley like a frozen wave. Then the Copper River Basin opens up: spruce taiga to the horizon and, above it, the Wrangells – Mount Drum, Mount Sanford and the flat shield of Mount Wrangell, from which a plume of steam rises on clear days. On the way to Valdez the road drops from Thompson Pass into a canyon full of waterfalls and ends at a fjord where sea otters drift between fishing boats. Later the camper rattles along an old railway bed to McCarthy, where the road stops at a river and only a footbridge carries on. Through the sliding door you see red mine buildings against bare glacier ice, and in the evenings, from late August, the first northern lights spread over Delta Junction.

## Stage-by-stage plan

### Stage 1: Anchorage to Matanuska Glacier (approx. 165 km)

- **The drive:** Take the Glenn Highway (AK-1), at first four lanes, via Eagle River to Palmer and through the farmland of the Matanuska Valley, then two lanes up into the valley of the Matanuska River. From Sutton the winding part begins: tight bends on the edge of the river gorge, climbs, hardly any shoulder, and in summer regular roadworks with a pilot car and gravel sections. This stretch is designated a National Scenic Byway. Driving time 2.5–3 hours. The last big supermarkets and cheap fuel stations are in Palmer; after that there are only scattered lodges.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Palmer: a 1930s colony town with a farmers’ market, a musk ox farm on the edge of town and Pioneer Peak as a backdrop – the last place with full services.
  - Lion Head and King Mountain: striking rock summits above the Matanuska River; the viewpoint pullouts on the edge of the gorge look down into the depths – only stop when traffic is quiet.
  - Matanuska Glacier: a valley glacier tongue some 40 kilometres long right next to the road. Short trails lead from the Matanuska Glacier State Recreation Site to viewing platforms. You can only get onto the ice itself via private land a little further east, for a fee and in part only with a guide – check conditions locally and never walk among crevasses alone.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Matanuska Glacier State Recreation Site (Mile 101 Glenn Highway): a small Alaska State Parks campground on a terrace above the valley with a view of the glacier, only a few sites, toilets and drinking water, no hookups, first come, first served. Alternative: Long Lake State Recreation Site (Mile 85) with basic sites by the lake. Both fill up fast – arrive early in the afternoon; check opening status at the start and end of the season on the Alaska State Parks website.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Camping outside campgrounds is prohibited in the Municipality of Anchorage. Along the Glenn Highway, many private and Native corporation parcels lie between the state park lands; large gravel pullouts are used for overnight stays but are not automatically legal – heed “No Camping” signs and, if in doubt, head for a campground.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Before leaving Palmer, fill up with fuel and water and empty the grey water. Fuel stations along the route to Glennallen are expensive and not reliably open. At Sheep Mountain (around Mile 107), scan the pale slopes with binoculars: Dall sheep often stand there.

### Stage 2: Matanuska Glacier to Copper Center (Squirrel Creek) (approx. 200 km)

- **The drive:** Continue over Tahneta Pass and Eureka Summit (around 1,010 metres, the highest point of the Glenn Highway) into open uplands with lakes, dwarf birch and views of the Talkeetna and Chugach Mountains. From Eureka the straights run long and undulating through taiga and wetlands; frost heaves and sunken sections of road over permafrost are common and often marked only with orange flags. At Glennallen the Glenn Highway meets the Richardson Highway (AK-4); from there head south over the Tazlina bridge to Copper Center and on to Squirrel Creek. Driving time 3–3.5 hours.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Eureka Summit and Tolsona: open views across the Copper River Basin, on clear days as far as the Wrangells. A detour to Lake Louise (a spur road of around 19 miles from Mile 160) is possible if you have time.
  - Wrangell-St. Elias National Park Visitor Center (Mile 106.8 Richardson Highway near Copper Center): exhibition, film and ranger information on the largest national park in the USA, with a panoramic view across the Copper River to Mount Drum and Mount Wrangell. Ask here about current conditions on the McCarthy Road and the footbridge; opening hours are seasonal.
  - Copper Center: one of the oldest settlements in the interior, founded during the 1898 gold rush at the confluence of the Klutina and Copper Rivers; in summer, salmon anglers line the Klutina.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Squirrel Creek State Recreation Site (Mile 79.5 Richardson Highway, around 35 miles south of Glennallen): 25 sites by a small pond and the Tonsina River, drinking water and toilets, no hookups, no RV length limit, first come, first served, maximum 15 nights; run by the nearby Tonsina Lodge. If you want to stay closer to the visitor center, there are private sites with hookups in Glennallen and Copper Center.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Around Glennallen and Copper Center, much of the land belongs to the Ahtna Native Corporation; camping and fishing there only with its permission. On General State Land, according to the Alaska DNR, camping is allowed in one spot for up to 14 days – check land ownership on a land status map first.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Glennallen is the supply hub for the whole region: supermarket, several fuel stations, propane and a dump station. Stock up here for the next few days – the choice in Valdez is good, in Chitina and McCarthy it is not. On frost heaves, slow down early rather than braking over the bump itself; secure cupboards and the fridge.

### Stage 3: Squirrel Creek to Valdez (approx. 130 km)

- **The drive:** The Richardson Highway follows the Tiekel River into the Chugach Mountains, then climbs in long bends to Thompson Pass (around 816 metres) – one of the snowiest places in Alaska – and drops on the south side on long descents through Keystone Canyon to Valdez. Shift into a low gear on the descent and don’t ride the brakes. Fog, rain and wind are common on the pass even in summer. Driving time around 2 hours. There is no reliable fuel station between Glennallen and Valdez (around 115 miles).
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Worthington Glacier State Recreation Site (Mile 28.7): the glacier reaches almost to the road; a short paved path leads to the viewpoint, a steep moraine trail further up. Day use only.
  - Thompson Pass: high tundra with small lakes, wildflowers and berries in July. The viewpoint pullouts at the top of the pass look back to the Worthington Glacier.
  - Keystone Canyon: the narrow gorge of the Lowe River with Bridal Veil Falls and Horsetail Falls right beside the road, plus remains of an old gold-rush pack trail. There are pullouts for RVs at the falls; in high summer, come early.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Valdez Glacier Campground: a large, publicly accessible campground in the woods by Valdez Glacier Stream, a few kilometres from the harbour, with around 100 sites (a few with electricity), toilets, showers and a dump station. It is run by the recreation department (Family and MWR) of the US Army garrison Fort Greely; it opens only in summer, and in some years it stayed closed altogether – check the operator’s website beforehand. On the water: Allison Point on Dayville Road across from town, also run by Fort Greely MWR, with around 50 basic sites without hookups right on the shore, full of salmon anglers in August. Smaller alternative at the top of the pass: Blueberry Lake State Recreation Site (around Mile 24, via a short spur road) with basic sites, drinking water and toilets; the access road is narrow, but there is no official length limit. In town there are several private RV parks with full hookups and showers.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** In the town of Valdez, sleeping in your vehicle on streets, at the harbour and in public car parks is not permitted; use only the designated campgrounds. The gravel pullouts on Thompson Pass are on state land, but they are exposed to wind and some are marked as avalanche and snow-clearing areas.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Solomon Gulch Hatchery lies on Dayville Road: in late summer thousands of salmon run there, and brown bears sometimes fish right beside the road. Stay in your vehicle or keep a wide distance, and never position yourself between a bear and the water. For the Columbia Glacier, a boat trip from Valdez harbour is worthwhile – you can’t reach it under your own steam.

### Stage 4: Valdez to Chitina (Liberty Falls) (approx. 170 km)

- **The drive:** Back along the Richardson Highway over Keystone Canyon and Thompson Pass to the turn-off at Mile 82.5, then on the paved Edgerton Highway (AK-10) for around 33 miles east via Kenny Lake to Chitina. The road is narrow and undulating and runs through spruce forest and pasture with views of the Wrangells. Driving time 2.5–3 hours. Fill up in Valdez; on the Edgerton Highway there are only small stations with limited hours.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - The view from Thompson Pass in the other direction: with a north wind it often clears on the inland side while Valdez sits in the rain.
  - Liberty Falls: Liberty Creek tumbles over rock steps right next to the campground of the same name; a short path leads up.
  - Chitina: a former stop on the copper railway with wooden houses, the small NPS ranger station in a historic building and the confluence of the Chitina and Copper Rivers. In summer, fish wheels and dipnetters stand on the rocks here – the personal-use fishery is reserved for Alaska residents.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Liberty Falls State Recreation Site (Mile 23.5 Edgerton Highway): 10 sites in the woods by the waterfall, drinking water and toilets, no length limit but an 8-ton weight limit on the access road – check heavy vehicles beforehand. Run by a private concessionaire, first come, first served, maximum 15 nights, bring your own firewood. Beyond the Copper River bridge, at Mile 1.6 of the McCarthy Road, lies the private, basic Copper River Campground with 12 sites, tables, fire rings and pit toilets.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** On the Copper River at Chitina, public land and Native corporation land lie close together; many gravel areas by the river are intended only for anglers with a permit. Only park where it is clearly allowed, or fall back on the sites listed above.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Fill up with fuel and water in Chitina before the McCarthy Road: the NPS points out explicitly that there is no fuel in McCarthy or along the road; the last options are Glennallen, Tazlina, Copper Center, Kenny Lake and Chitina. Check the spare wheel, jack and compressor – the next stage is the toughest on the route.

### Stage 5: Chitina to McCarthy and Kennecott (approx. 100 km)

- **The drive:** Beyond Chitina a narrow bridge crosses the Copper River, and then the McCarthy Road begins: around 60 miles (just under 100 kilometres) of gravel on the bed of the Copper River and Northwestern Railway, which carried copper from Kennecott to the coast until 1938. Potholes, washboard, tight bends and single-lane bridges; old railway spikes occasionally surface in the gravel and can damage tyres. Slick in the rain, dusty when dry. Realistically 25–35 mph, driving time 2.5–3.5 hours. The road ends at the Kennicott River; from there you can only continue on foot across the footbridge.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Kuskulana Bridge (around Mile 17): a 1910 steel railway bridge, now single-lane with a wooden deck, some 70 metres above the gorge of the Kuskulana River – cross slowly and keep your distance from the vehicle in front.
  - Gilahina Trestle (around Mile 29): remains of a wooden railway bridge right next to the road, a photo stop halfway along.
  - Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark: the red, 14-storey concentration mill on the edge of the Kennicott Glacier and the other mine buildings are maintained by the NPS; visitor center and ranger programmes in summer, mill tours through private operators. The Root Glacier Trail leads from Kennecott on foot onto the bare glacier ice – crampons and experience required.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** The NPS does not run a vehicle campground on the McCarthy Road; its basic sites (Jumbo Creek near Kennecott, Donoho Basin) can only be reached on foot, with bear-proof boxes and creek water that must be treated. For RVs, that leaves the private, fee-based parking and camping areas at the end of the road before the footbridge, and the Copper River Campground at Mile 1.6. From the footbridge, McCarthy is around a mile away and Kennecott around five miles; private shuttles run between the bridge and Kennecott in summer.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Along the McCarthy Road and in Kennecott, parkland and private property alternate in small parcels; the NPS explicitly asks visitors neither to camp nor to hike on private land. If you want to spend the night in a pullout, find out beforehand at the visitor center in Copper Center or at the station in Chitina which areas are parkland.
- **Insider tip for campers:** The footbridge over the Kennicott River is for pedestrians and bicycles only (plus residents with a special permit) – you can’t get to McCarthy or Kennecott in an RV. A daypack with a rain jacket, food and bear spray is enough. Important in advance: many RV and car rental contracts explicitly exclude the McCarthy Road; any damage is then not covered, and a tow from here costs a fortune. The alternative is a shuttle bus from Chitina or Glennallen, or a flight from Chitina.

### Stage 6: McCarthy to Tok Cutoff (Porcupine Creek) (approx. 325 km)

- **The drive:** Back along the McCarthy Road to Chitina, via the Edgerton Highway to the Richardson Highway and north on it via Copper Center and Glennallen to Gakona Junction (Mile 128.5). There the Tok Cutoff (AK-1) begins: two lanes, with long straights through spruce forest, along the Copper River and past the northern flanks of Mount Sanford and Mount Drum. In places the surface is badly marked by frost heaves. A long day with 6–7 hours of driving, 2.5–3 of them on gravel; if you don’t have the energy, spend another night near Chitina or at Squirrel Creek.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Copper River between Gakona and Chistochina: a broad, grey glacial river with gravel bars; viewpoint pullouts look out to Mount Sanford.
  - Mount Wrangell from the Richardson Highway: one of the largest active shield volcanoes in North America; the steam plume at the summit crater can be seen from the road on clear, still days.
  - Nabesna Road (turn-off at Slana, around Mile 60 Tok Cutoff): the second road access to Wrangell-St. Elias, around 42 miles, mostly gravel with creek crossings in the far section – only with a suitable vehicle and a rental contract that allows it; ask about conditions at the Slana Ranger Station.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Porcupine Creek State Recreation Site (Mile 64 Tok Cutoff, near the Nabesna turn-off): 12 sites in the woods by the creek, drinking water and toilets, no RV length limit, first come, first served, maximum stay 3 nights; run by a concessionaire, firewood for sale on site. Further north: Eagle Trail State Recreation Site (Mile 109.5, around 16 miles before Tok) with 35 sites, only five of them suitable for larger RVs, drinking water, toilets, maximum 15 nights.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Along the Tok Cutoff there is a lot of Native and private land (including around Gakona, Chistochina and Mentasta). The Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge only begins east of Tok. Free camping here only after checking land ownership; the State Recreation Sites are the safe choice.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Fuel strategy: fill up in Chitina or Glennallen; on the Tok Cutoff there are only a few stations before Tok, and they are not always open. At the end of a long gravel drive, check the air filter, tyres, wheel nuts and underbody, and document stone chips in the windscreen early – rental companies often require this.

### Stage 7: Porcupine Creek to Delta Junction (approx. 270 km)

- **The drive:** Over Mentasta Pass to Tok, the first town at the Alaska Highway junction, then on the Alaska Highway (AK-2) north-west along the Tanana River to Delta Junction, where the Alaska Highway officially ends at Mile 1422. The Tok–Delta stretch is notorious for frost heaves, dips and patches; take “Bump” warning signs seriously and drive more slowly with a trailer. Long, straight sections through burned forest with views of the Alaska Range. Driving time 3.5–4 hours.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Tok: a supply town with fuel stations, a supermarket and the Alaska Public Lands Information Center, which provides information on roads, fires and campgrounds across eastern Alaska.
  - Tanana River and Alaska Range: between Dot Lake and Delta, on clear days, Mount Hayes and the glaciers of the central Alaska Range appear to the south.
  - Delta Junction: the Alaska Highway end-point marker at the visitor center, next to the historic Sullivan Roadhouse; a free-ranging bison herd lives in the surrounding area, and with luck you’ll see it by the fields.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Delta State Recreation Site (Mile 267 Richardson Highway) just north of the junction: a basic campground with around 24 sites, drinking water and toilets, views across the plain to the Alaska Range, first come, first served. Quieter: Quartz Lake State Recreation Area (Mile 277.8), around 10 miles north, with the large campground at Quartz Lake (boat ramps, swimming area) and the small Lost Lake Campground, both first come, first served, maximum 15 nights. Near Tok, Tok River State Recreation Site and Moon Lake State Recreation Site lie on the Alaska Highway. Check season dates on the Alaska State Parks website.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Around Delta Junction there are larger areas of state and BLM land, but also military land (Fort Greely and training areas) that must not be entered. Closed areas are signposted; if in doubt, don’t drive in.
- **Insider tip for campers:** In Tok, top up fuel, propane and water and empty your tanks at one of the dump stations. On frost heaves, distance is what counts: if you’re driving behind a truck, you won’t see the bumps coming. Between mid-August and late September, it’s worth looking north at night – the northern lights are visible here even at moderate activity as soon as it gets dark enough.

### Stage 8: Delta Junction to Fairbanks (approx. 155 km)

- **The drive:** On the Richardson Highway north-west along the Tanana River via Big Delta, past Quartz Lake, Harding Lake and Salcha to North Pole and Fairbanks. A wide, well-built road with passing sections, speed limit up to 65 mph; four lanes from North Pole. The Trans-Alaska Pipeline crosses or runs alongside the road several times. Driving time around 2 hours. Fuel stations in Delta Junction, Salcha and North Pole.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Big Delta State Historical Park with Rika’s Roadhouse: a restored roadhouse complex on the old Valdez–Fairbanks Trail with gardens, animals and a small museum; next to it the pipeline spans the Tanana River on a suspension bridge.
  - Harding Lake and Chena Lakes: swimming lakes of the Fairbanks region; in North Pole, the Santa Claus House makes for a quirky stop.
  - Fairbanks: the University of Alaska Museum of the North with views of the Alaska Range, Pioneer Park and the pipeline viewpoint on the Steese Highway north of town.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Chena Lakes Recreation Area (Fairbanks North Star Borough) near North Pole: two campgrounds (Lake Park and River Park) on an artificial lake with a swimming beach, drinking water, toilets and a dump station; day fee for the area. The Chena River State Recreation Site close to town in Fairbanks is now a day-use area only, with no camping. In Fairbanks itself, that leaves the private RV parks with full hookups, of which there are plenty.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Overnight parking on streets is not allowed within the city limits of Fairbanks and North Pole; some businesses tolerate it if you ask. Free camping isn’t worth it here – the campgrounds are cheap and well equipped.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Fairbanks is the best place at the end of the route for a garage, tyres and a thorough wash: the gravel dust from the McCarthy Road gets into every crack, and many rental companies charge a cleaning fee. For the return to Anchorage, the Parks Highway runs past Denali National Park – described in the CampingSpirit guide to Seward, the Parks and the Denali Highway.

## Camping practice & local rules

### Wild camping & overnight parking

- Alaska has no statewide ban on free camping, but land ownership decides: along the Glenn, the Richardson and the Tok Cutoff, state land, federal land, Native corporation land (including Ahtna) and private property alternate. On General State Land, according to the Alaska DNR, camping is allowed in one spot for up to 14 days; Native land only with the corporation’s permission.
- Cities and boroughs are stricter: in the Municipality of Anchorage camping outside campgrounds is prohibited, and in practice the same applies in Valdez, Fairbanks and North Pole. Heed “No Overnight Parking” signs at highway department pullouts.
- Wrangell-St. Elias: the NPS runs no vehicle campgrounds on the McCarthy Road; private land along the road and in Kennecott must be respected. Wrangell-St. Elias does not currently charge an entrance fee; for other national parks, visitors without US residency have faced higher fees and surcharges in some cases since 2026 – check current amounts on nps.gov.
- State Recreation Sites (Matanuska Glacier, Squirrel Creek, Liberty Falls, Porcupine Creek, Eagle Trail, Delta, Quartz Lake) are mostly first come, first served with no online reservations, with maximum stays of 3 to 15 nights; many are run by concessionaires. The season usually starts mid to late May and ends in September – in October many sites are closed or without water.
- Bears: brown and black bears occur along the entire route, especially on salmon rivers (Valdez, Klutina, Copper River). Keep food, cool box, rubbish and toiletries in the closed vehicle or in bear-proof boxes, never in the tent or under the awning. Carry bear spray on your body, within reach.
- Apps: iOverlander, Campendium, The Dyrt; for property boundaries, a map app with a land ownership layer or the BLM maps. Park4Night is hardly used in Alaska.

### Waste disposal & supplies

- Dump stations in places including Palmer, Glennallen, Valdez (also at Valdez Glacier Campground when open), Tok, Delta Junction, North Pole (Chena Lakes) and Fairbanks; few or none in Chitina, on the McCarthy Road and on the Tok Cutoff.
- Drinking water is available at most State Recreation Sites, often only via a hand pump and not before the season. Always filter or boil creek and river water (glacial silt, giardia); fill your tanks in Palmer, Glennallen, Valdez and Tok.
- Never drain grey water onto the ground – the smell attracts bears. Empty chemical toilets only at dump stations.
- Propane in Anchorage, Palmer, Glennallen, Valdez, Tok, Delta Junction and Fairbanks; European gas bottles are generally not refilled, and rental RVs have built-in US tanks.
- Fuel distances: Glennallen–Valdez around 115 miles without a reliable station; McCarthy Road there and back around 120 miles without fuel (last station Chitina); Tok Cutoff with only a few small stations. Rule of thumb: never pass an open fuel station with less than half a tank.
- Shopping: large supermarkets in Anchorage, Palmer, Valdez and Fairbanks; decent shops in Glennallen, Tok and Delta Junction. McCarthy has only a small, expensive shop.

### Vehicle size & traffic rules

- Speed limits are mostly 55 mph, up to 65 mph on upgraded sections (Glenn Highway near Anchorage, Richardson near Fairbanks); on the McCarthy Road, 25–35 mph is realistic. Frost heaves are often marked only with flags – drive more slowly at dusk.
- In Alaska, slow vehicles must pull over at the next safe turnout as soon as five or more vehicles are backed up behind them. On signposted sections, headlights are required during the day too.
- No tolls, no low-emission zones. Take single-lane bridges (Copper River at Chitina, Kuskulana Bridge) one after another; drive slowly on wooden decks.
- Rental contracts: many RV and car rental companies explicitly prohibit the McCarthy Road (often also the Denali Highway and Nabesna Road); violations void insurance cover and breakdown assistance. Before booking, clarify in writing whether the road is allowed and with which vehicle.
- Kennicott River footbridge: for pedestrians and bicycles only; vehicles stay in the fee-based parking areas at the end of the road.
- Check current road conditions on 511.alaska.gov: roadworks with a pilot car on the Glenn Highway, landslides, avalanche debris on Thompson Pass into early summer and wildfire closures are normal. There is no mobile coverage on long stretches (McCarthy Road, Tok Cutoff, parts of the Glenn Highway). Emergency number 911.

## CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist

- Full-size spare wheel, tyre repair kit and 12-volt compressor: on the McCarthy Road, tyre damage from sharp gravel and old railway spikes is the most common problem, and help is hours away.
- Bear spray in a holster (buy it locally, it can’t go on the plane) and odour-proof food bags: the salmon rivers near Valdez and Copper Center are bear country.
- Spare jerrycans for fuel or water: on this route the gaps between fuel stations and water points are longer than the range of many RVs running a generator and heating.
- Microspikes or light crampons and waterproof hiking boots: for the Root Glacier near Kennecott and the moraine at the Worthington Glacier.
- Sleep mask and thorough blackout: in June and July it doesn’t get dark at night in the interior.
- Mosquito head net and repellent with DEET or picaridin: the taiga and lakes around Glennallen, Tok and Delta are mosquito country in early summer.

_As of 2026-10. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go._

## Sources

- [National Park Service – Camping Along the McCarthy Road and Kennecott area (Wrangell-St. Elias)](https://home.nps.gov/wrst/planyourvisit/camping-along-the-mccarthy-road-and-kennecott-area.htm)
- [Alaska State Parks – Campground and Campsite List](https://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/units/campsitelist.htm)
- [Alaska State Parks – Squirrel Creek State Recreation Site](https://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/matsu/squircksrs.htm)
- [Alaska State Parks – Liberty Falls State Recreation Site](https://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/matsu/libertyflsrs.htm)
- [Alaska State Parks – Porcupine Creek State Recreation Site](https://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/matsu/porcksrs.htm)
- [Alaska State Parks – Eagle Trail State Recreation Site](https://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/northern/eagletrailsrs.htm)
- [Alaska State Parks – Blueberry Lake State Recreation Site](https://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/kenai/blueberrylksrs.htm)
- [Alaska State Parks – Quartz Lake State Recreation Area](https://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/northern/qtzlksra.htm)
- [Alaska State Parks – Chena River State Recreation Site](https://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/northern/chenariversrs.htm)
- [Fort Greely Family and MWR – Valdez Glacier Campground](https://greely.armymwr.com/programs/valdez-campground)
- [Fort Greely Family and MWR – Allison Point Campground](https://greely.armymwr.com/programs/allison-point-campground)

## Which stops are on the route from Anchorage to Fairbanks?

1. **Anchorage** (AK)
2. **Palmer** (AK)
3. **Matanuska Glacier** (Sutton, AK): A glacier 27 miles long whose white tongue reaches the Glenn Highway valley. See it from the Matanuska Glacier State Recreation Site; walking on the ice is only possible through a private access point for a fee.
4. **Glennallen** (AK)
5. **Copper Center** (AK)
6. **Worthington Glacier** (Valdez, AK): A glacier that comes down almost to the Richardson Highway near Thompson Pass, with a short paved path to the viewpoint.
7. **Keystone Canyon** (AK)
8. **Valdez** (AK)
9. **Chitina** (AK)
10. **McCarthy** (AK)
11. **Kennecott** (AK)
12. **Tok** (AK)
13. **Delta Junction** (AK)
14. **Fairbanks** (AK)

## When is the best time for the route from Anchorage to Fairbanks?

No month is ideal everywhere on this route; the most pleasant are usually June–August. Cold, short days in November–April. July and August are the busiest months: book campsites early. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)

## FAQs

**How long is Glacier tongues, copper mines and frost heaves in the asphalt – by camper over the Glenn and Richardson Highways to Valdez, McCarthy and Fairbanks?**
8-day road trip of about 1,311 km (815 mi) with 14 stops, from Anchorage to Fairbanks. About 14 h 33 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for Glacier tongues, copper mines and frost heaves in the asphalt – by camper over the Glenn and Richardson Highways to Valdez, McCarthy and Fairbanks?**
We suggest 8 days: about 14 h 33 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does Glacier tongues, copper mines and frost heaves in the asphalt – by camper over the Glenn and Richardson Highways to Valdez, McCarthy and Fairbanks start and end?**
It starts in Anchorage and ends in Fairbanks.

**Which states does Glacier tongues, copper mines and frost heaves in the asphalt – by camper over the Glenn and Richardson Highways to Valdez, McCarthy and Fairbanks pass through?**
Alaska.

## Part of these destinations

- [Alaska Highway](https://camping-spirit.com/destinations/alaska-highway/)