Top of the World Highway Into Alaska

We made it across the Top of the World Highway and into Alaska!

After dipping our fingers in the Arctic Ocean, we were ready to head south and continue on to Alaska. However, the Peel River Ferry was once again closed. We stayed at Happy Valley Territorial Park in Inuvik, less than 100 miles from he Arctic Ocean.

Alaska Road Trip Overall Progress:
Shepherdsville, KY to Tok, Alaska
37 Days (5/9/25 to 6/14/25)
5,514 miles

Fortunately the ferry was only closed for about 36 hours, and as soon as we heard it was operating, we started south. Slow going on the gravel road, but everything had dried up and without the slippery mud we progressed.

The ferry landing is simply some gravel on the side of the river and therefore is impacted by the fluctuating water levels. Apparently as the spring melt occurs, the water in the river raises since it can’t easily flow into the frozen Arctic Ocean. As the Arctic shoreline starts to thaw, the river level gradually drops.

The Peel River Ferry Crossing

We wanted to cross both ferries while they were open. A long travel day across almost 500 miles of bumpy, dusty, dirty Dempster Highway taking us about 14 hours and all the way into Dawson City. The highlight was seeing a grizzly bear galloping around and then walking straight into a pond. Definitely worth a few minutes to sit along the road with binocs and observe our first grizzly bear.

Making it through before dark was not an issue since the sun never sets this time of the year. Above the Arctic Circle, it’s daylight all night long. Sleeping wasn’t too bad with the van window curtains dimming the sunlight a little, but with the sun shining bright high in the sky it was often later in the evening than we thought. There was no visual cue such as a setting sun to indicate it was starting to get late.

A quick reset in Dawson City – mainly vacuuming the dust out of the campervan and doing laundry – and we were off to take the Top of the World Highway to Alaska. Importantly, with the lingering taste of dust in our mouths from the ride down the Dempster Highway from the Arctic Ocean, we invigorated our taste buds at Bonton & Company restaurant in Dawson City.

“Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them.”
— Madam C. J. Walker, American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and political and social activist

The Top of the World Highway starts with yet another ferry across the Yukon River and is a dirt and gravel road with brief stretches of gently rolling blacktop from the frost leaves. It snakes along the mountain ridges with steep drop offs along the edge of the road with no guardrails.

Typically, The Top of the World Highway affords scenic views. Unfortunately, our views crossing The Top of the World Highway were somewhat obscured by distant forest fire smoke drifting through. The mountains appeared to be hues of varying shades of blue and not the crisp clear snow capped mountain ridges often seen.

Literally in the middle of nowhere, at a nondescript remote border crossing, we entered back into the United States on June 14, 2025. So remote, that there is one building staffed on one side by United States Customs and Border Protection officers and the other side staffed by the Canada Border Services Agency. The officers actually live in cabins adjacent to the shared border crossing.

And just like that we were in Alaska! First time for both of us to be in Alaska. After a few short miles of paved road into Alaska, The Top of the World Highway becomes the Taylor Highway and continues with various combinations of dirt, gravel and broken asphalt. We also gained another hour as we entered the Alaska Time Zone, four hours behind Eastern Time.

Top of the World Highway US Port of Entry: Poker Creek, AK

With crossing the Top of the World Highway into Alaska, I have now stepped foot in all 50 states and 16 different countries. Albeit I have only scratched the surface in many of those states and countries. Certainly lots more to experience and learn in each of those places. I look forward to many more adventures after the Alaska grand tour winds down.

A vey brief stop in Chicken, Alaska, and we continued on and landed in Tok, Alaska. Glad to be back on regular paved roads after a couple weeks without seeing flat asphalt. Cleaned inside and outside the van, ate sour dough pancakes for breakfast and got ready to explore Alaska.

Wildlife Sightings:

Grizzly Bear, Caribou, Arctic Fox, Wood Bison, Chilcotin Wild Horses, Black Bear, Moose, Porcupine, Pronghorn Antelope, Beaver, Weasel, Deer, Elk, Big Horn Sheep, lots of birds (bald eagle/willow ptarmigans/northern harrier/swan/ducks/geese/hawks/swallows/magpies/and many more)

States and Provinces Visited on this Adventure:

7 USA States: Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Alaska
5 Canada Provinces: Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories