Arctic Circle Sign — Attraction in Alaska

Okay, this was very cool to go to as it's the Arctic circle! BUT the road is horrendous. Half is unpaved (which is better) and the rest is broken up and psychotic potholes for like 4 hrs! It was the worst drive ever. Nothing for 3 hrs in and because the road was so bad and winding and bumpy we had to fill gas which cost $5 a gallon in the only place up there to do so. There was a small visitor center to our right going there, which was nice to stop at as the man working there is very informative. They give you a card/certificate saying you made it to the Arctic circle and you can take pics with the Alaskan pipeline right behind you. Accross the road was a restaurant in a pod, normal, nice clean washrooms and a small gift shop that mostly had t-shirts. This is also where you can fill up on gas. Anyways, that is the only place you can stop the whole way. We loved seeing the Alaskan pipeline all along the way, literally is nothing else. Once we got to the Arctic circle, all it was was a sign and a small parking lot saying you are at the Arctic circle. Absolutely nothing else! We were flagged down by a lady whose truck popped two tires because of the potholes. She was begging us to call someone once we got back (no service entire way there or back and we did not have a satellite phone). We stopped at the visitor center (2 hrs back) and told them she was stranded. So scary, seriously nothing there if you pop your tires. It was raining the whole way and if you are stuck behind a truck I suggest staying far back as we got hit by several rocks that almost broke our windshield. Also, if a car is in front of you or it's raining, you cannot see the crazy, big potholes! Have spare tires and a can of gas if you plan on going, as it is a very trecherous drive there. I would highly suggest applying rainex to your car windshield if it rains, there was no visibility half the way back because of the rain. Unless it's on your bucket list, I do not suggest the drive. We drove from Colorado all the way through Canada and up here and this by far was the worst road/drive...

First and foremost, understand one thing - - - you are traveling to a sign!! Just a sign. A sign in the middle of a cleared area with a restroom and pull over parking to pitch a tent or pull up an RV. Traveling from North Pole was for sure an all day trip. We took the advise from other reviewers about the bumpy roads and ended up taking our full size truck. No, we did not have any broken windshields or have any tire blow outs. I do not know if we were lucky or if people over exaggerated on their reviews. The reviews did not exaggerate about half the way the road not being paved. For almost half the miles driven we were not on a paved road. If you are a frightened driver - do not make this journey. There are parts of the roads where if you slide off, you’re not coming back and there’s constant semi trucks coming and going. We also took our four dogs and there were plenty of stops to let them out. There was a “gift shop” at some run down gas station about mid way but it proved to be quality merchandise. Not a lot of choices but worth it if you want a souvenir. Once we got there, it was exactly what we thought. Just a sign and views of the Alaska Pipeline. Still a very memorable moment especially with our fur babies. One more item on the bucket list...

The drive to the Arctic Circle is by definition a scenic drive. There is nothing else in terms of convenience stores and business. You will see one, maybe two rest areas. The Alaska pipeline is visible as you progress from Fairbanks to the Arctic Circle. Most car rental companies do not allow their vehicles to be driven on the Dalton Highway. The road is very rough and not maintained. Rocks are kicked up by other vehicles and big rigs. Rock damage to the undercarriage, body panels and windshield is likely. Ensure your vehicle is ready for the journey. A spare tire(s), extra fuel, non-perishable food, and other emergency items is HIGHLY recommended. This is the same road shown and mentioned on the show ICE ROAD TRUCKERS. The Dalton Highway is not your traditional smooth high speed drive as you would expect in the lower 48 States. Yet, I give the experience a 3-4 star rating and I recommend it for a first time experience. Lastly, those with fancy sports cars who want to travel down this road...you have...