The Denali Highway; Best Road Adventure in Alaska.
Alaska
Route 8 - Start your engines, it's time to really get to see what the
real Alaska is all about. The Denali Highway; aka, Alaska State Route 8,
will take you on a 135 mile journey from the Paxson Lodge on the Richardson
Highway to the town of Cantwell on the Parks Highway. 
Driving the Denali Highway
This is not one of your high speed, get down the road, multi lane raceways
like so many other scenic drives. No, the Denali Highway is still a combination
of two lane blacktop for 22.5 miles before turning to a narrow gravel packed
road for the remaining 122 miles from the campground at Tangle Lakes to Cantwell
Alaska. But really, this is a blessing in disguise. Slowing what little traffic
you get on this drive to a pleasurable 30 mile per hour make taking in the
scenery not just possible but totally pleasurable. You have the time to experience
every scene in all it's glory and stopping along this drive is made convenient
with the abundant pull outs available at key points along the drive.
How Bad is the Road
You're not going to race down this one at normal highway speeds. The gravel, though loose, is plenty good for normal travel. Just follow the posted speed limits and prepare for an awesome Alaskan experience, one that has no equal. Plan on a full day for this trip as there are so many places that you will want to stop, making better time would be nothing short of a wasted trip. Typically we camp out along the way at Tangle Lakes or Brushkana Campground and make this a full two day drive.
Mileposts run from the Richardson Highway west to the Parks Highway. The topography is rugged Alaskan being primarily hills and mountains. A couple of wilderness style campgrounds are available at Tangle Lakes, MP 22, and Brushkana Creek, MP 104, and there are many scenic pullouts along the highway where you can camp on public lands as well. See Denali Highway Campgrounds.
At 4,086 feet, MacClaren summit is the highest point on the Denali Highway.
Getting There From Tok or Fairbanks!
Driving
to Alaska? Getting to the Denali Highway from Tok is as easy as
continuing on through town and heading towards Fairbanks. The reverse is
true coming from Fairbanks. Once you reach the town of Delta Junction it's
time to turn south onto the Richardson Highway and now it's just a scenic
drive south past Summit Lake and the town of Paxson before reaching the turnoff
for the Denali Highway located at Paxson Lodge, milepost 185.5 from Valdez
or milepost 176.5 from Fairbanks Alaska. Watch for signs pointing to the
Denali Highway, SR-8.
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