Places to travel – Travel Over Road

So, the date for the next adventure of your biker team is fixed. But you have a lot of disputes in the team about the venue of the motorcycle trip. Did you know that Alaska has always been a top choice for adventure riders? The bike roads of Alaska offer you pristine landscapes of North America. Do you want to know the best destinations for motorcycle trips to Alaska? Fortunately, you can travel almost everywhere in Alaska with a motorcycle. If you want to start from the furthest north, Prudhoe Bay could be your first destination. Manley Hot Springs, McCarthy, Denali Highway, and Crown Point are a few of the must-see destinations in Alaska. You can enjoy the scenic beauty of Alaska while roaming around on your bike. In this article, we have listed the must-go destinations for an adventurous motorbike rider in Alaska. We have also suggested some routes that we believe will help you cover all the beautiful bike destinations in Alaska. For beginners, we have included a list of things that you must carry on your motorcycle trip to Alaska. Top 10 Places To Visit On A Motorcycle In Alaska The natural beauty of Alaska is unreal. But you have to reach far to the north to enjoy them. As a motorcyclist, you will find all kinds of adventurous trails and roads in greater Alaska. You will feel like being in heaven if you love being around nature and taking photographs apart from being a biker! Below is a list of places you should visit if you are planning a motorcycle trip in Alaska: Prudhoe Bay We are starting from the farthest north. Prudhoe Bay is the last destination that you can go to with a motorcycle in North America. The road to Prudhoe Bay is 496 miles long from Fairbanks. We went there with a team of five, and we never felt bored on the way to Prudhoe Bay. The 12-hour journey showed us a broken chip seal and a dirt surface infused with calcium chloride. After reaching the destination, we forgot all the tiredness and body aches from the long journey. The natural beauty of Prudhoe Bay is extraordinary, to say the least. If you want to know about Alaskan bike trails, you cannot miss this destination point. Do not forget to get all your winter gear on this tour because Prudhoe Bay is known to have tough weather. Every winter, there are many weeks when the sun does not appear at all since Prudhoe Bay is situated above the Arctic Circle. You may need to stay the night there. The Central While visiting Central Alaska, all members of our biking team agreed that this is a very underrated biking destination. This place falls under the Yukon-Koyukuk area, with only a population of 96. The people of the locality are very hard-working and friendly. What we liked the most about Central was the rugged and raw environment. You should take at least two days for the trip. In Central, you will have the opportunity to take roads that are rarely taken nowadays. Do not forget to travel the old gold mining roads. They are full of natural beauty and historical sites that depict the struggles of first-generation American citizens. You should visit Circle City in the Yukon too. Manley Hot Springs In the age of the gold rush, Manley Hot Springs came into being as a stop-over city for gold-seekers. The beauty of this place is in the surrounding wilderness. There are many hot springs in the area that offer refuge to tired travelers. After crossing some wild roads with your bike, when you reach there, you will feel the same comfort that people did a hundred years ago. When we reached there, we thought Manley Hot Springs would be like an oasis in the middle of a desert. In the town, you can enjoy shelters, camping facilities, raw foods, and a bar. Of course, do not forget to take a dip in one of the hot springs. While in Manley Hot Springs, there are two roads you can travel on with your motorcycle. One road goes to Tofty and the other towards Ruby. You need to be careful about the "No Trespassing" signs because this is the gold mining territory. Local people are very generous if you act friendly with them. The Hope This old gold mining town will take you back to the past and will make you feel like you are a part of an epic movie. You will get to see bald eagles and salmon fishing in the river of Hope City. As a rider, you will love the roads through the mountains. We enjoyed these roads, which are full of adventures. While visiting Hope, you may stop by the local cafes for seafood chowder or pies. They taste much more authentic than those of a bigger city. If you take Palmer Creek Road, you will almost certainly end up at an old gold mine. The road is full of fun for motorcyclists. You can either make it a day trip or stay the night there. McCarthy If you want to see Alaska’s best with a motorcycle, you cannot ignore McCarthy at all. This town was established as an entertainment town for the miners of the old times. The miners from Kennicott's copper mine used to come here for recreation. The road to McCarthy is a 60-mile dirt blast. Down the road is an old railroad that connected the copper mine until the 1930s. One thing our team very much enjoyed at McCarthy was the Kuskulana Bridge. We loved the fact that only motorcycles could move between the town and the mine. Both the town and mine will take you on a tour of the past. You may also enjoy the wagon road crossing an old cemetery. Denali Highway On the way to Denali National Park, the Denali Highway is made up of 120 miles of dirt. The view of the road is classic. When you take this highway, you will surely feel a chill down your spine. But you cannot stop by or explore the area beside the highway. It is extremely dangerous. So, before taking this path, make sure to check your bike properly. On the entire Denali Highway, you will find the Alaska Range just beside you. It means there will be plenty of natural beauty. You get the real taste of Alaska right on this highway. You will be tempted to venture off the main road onto the mining roads. Carefully resist the temptation if you are alone or lack proper security measures. You can stay the night at Gracious House, right beside the highway, to explore more of the area. If you are into fishing, you can bring the gear with you as well. There are plenty of fishing opportunities near the Denali Highway. It is not uncommon to meet some wild animals on the way. However, be sure to keep your distance! Crown Point The road to Crown Point is short but has intense, epic adventures. It will take only one day to enjoy the motorcycle ride to Crown Point. So, you can easily plan for it on any of the weekends. When we visited Crown Point, we liked the fact that we had the opportunity to visit some other wonderful places too. If you move south from the Kenai Peninsula borough, you will get to see Moose Pass. Cross the Moose Pass and move towards the Trail River. After crossing the Trail river bridge, take the left turn. After driving for a couple of miles, you need to take the first left turn to reach Crown Point. This is an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) trail. It means you need to make your motorcycle as light as possible. At Crown Point, you will get the golden opportunity to climb thousands of feet with your bike. At the top, there is an old gold mine. From the gold mine area, you can see Kenai Lake and the Harding Icefield. Petersville Road To get the best view of Denali and enjoy an adventurous road for motorcycles, you should visit Petersville Road. It is the access road to Trapper Creek. You will enjoy the magnificent tree line while climbing up the road on your motorbike. If you are fond of on-the-peg riding, you will love the tour. You will also enjoy a few creek crossings on the way. We suggest you take off two to three days to experience the fun of exploring the trails on your way back. After Petersville, you will notice the road getting rougher. If you continue on the rough road for about a mile, you will find a turnaround trail. The trail goes straight to Denali State Park. If you take the trail, you will enjoy the view of mining activities. Nabesna Road By taking the Nabesna Road, you will get an opportunity to see the northern reaches of the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. On the way, you will get the company of three mountains: Wrangell, Mentasta, and Nutzotin. The roadside is full of campsites, hiking routes, and wildlife views. Despite all the beauty, this road is not very popular yet. The Wrangell-St. Elias National Park itself is a very attractive site. It has nine of the 16 tallest peaks in North America. But you need to be cautious while taking the Nabesna road. It is said that metal mining for a long time has made some parts of this area toxic. Also, you should not try to enter any mining areas since they are all privately owned. Top Of The World Highway Beginning at a junction of the Taylor Highway near Jack Wade, the Top of the World highway should be on your travel list if you want to see all of Alaska. The highway will take you to some of the high points of a series of ridges. And, the view is mesmerizing. Apart from motorbiking, this is a divine destination for photography. It will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you if you are into both biking and photography. The best time to visit the Top of the World Highway is in the fall when the hills turn vibrant with the colorful leaves of the trees. Thing You Must Carry On Your Motorcycle Trip In Alaska You need to be a good planner to enjoy the excitement of a motorcycle journey to the fullest. In the farthest parts of Alaska, they will not be able to offer many of the facilities of the civil world. So, the preparation should be well-thought-out and intense. Here is a list of things that we believe you must carry with you on your motorcycle trip to Alaska. A Smaller Bag For most of the trails in Alaska, you will need the help of a support truck. The truck will follow you to your destination. But the support truck will not always move along with your motorcycle. So, if you keep all your necessary belongings in one big bag that the support truck will carry, you may not get the urgent things in your hand in an emergency. The smaller bag may contain a first aid box, urgent medicines, water, dried food, an extra set of dresses, and anything else you think should always be with you. We suggest keeping extra gloves, a rain suit, identification documents, and your wallet in the small bag with you. Do not forget to keep the camera in the bag if you have one. Documents Before leaving your home for the motorcycle tour, you should get all the necessary documents with you. They can be checked by the police or any other security forces at any point in your journey. So, you must carry your identification documents with you. Social security cards, passports, and driver’s licenses are some of the types of identification documents. You should always keep multiple photocopies of these documents with you. Sometimes, you may have to submit photocopies to the authorities on your journey. Before taking a trial, make sure it does not require any special permission. Riding Gear You have to prepare and take all the riding gear you need to use with your motorcycle. The list should include a full-face helmet with a fog resistance shield, many pairs of riding gloves with finger squeegees, and waterproof over gloves. You also need to carry a riding jacket and pants with armor, over-the-top rain gear, and waterproof riding boots. To make your motorcycle rides more comfortable, you may also take thick wool socks, bandanas, gaiters, sunglasses, earplugs, etc. You can add anything to this list of your preferences too. Clothing While packing your luggage for the Alaska tour, you should take a few pairs of pants and cold weather leggings for the lower part of your body. You may want some quick-dry pants too. If, for some reason, you get soaked, quick-dry pants will save you from getting colds. Do not forget to have quick-dry shirts—fleece or thermal vest, windbreaker, and, of course, rain gear. Do not forget to take comfortable clothes, socks, and shoes that you may wear after or before riding your motorcycle. You have to get plenty of socks and underwear depending on the duration of the tour. Other Accessories Having a waterproof duffel bag is always helpful to keep your clothes, and other items dry all the time. You can take an extra haversack to use as well. Sunblocks, toilet paper, and toiletries are also important to carry on trips. Mobile phone chargers and camera batteries are some of the things you should not leave at home. On the trails and highways of Alaska, you will face a lot of dirt and dust. If you are allergic to dust, do not forget to take all your medicines with you. For an emergency, take some pain relievers and medicines that you might need. Finally, you should take nail clippers, razors, and any other grooming devices you use. Some Awesome Motorcycle Rides In Alaska Preparing a concrete plan that includes all the great motorcycle destinations in Alaska can be difficult. If you are feeling undecided on which destination to pick and which to leave, here is another suggestion for you. Instead of picking destinations, you can pick some motorcycle routes from Alaska. Most of the finest destinations can be covered by these popular routes. Anchorage to Fairbanks This is one of the most popular routes in Alaska for motorcyclists. The best part of this route is the heavenly view of Mt. McKinley from Talkeetna, which can be a great stopover for you. From Talkeetna, you can take the road to Denali State Park. On the way to Denali Park, you will encounter some beautiful mountains. To get onto this route, you have to take US Route 1 North from Anchorage and move towards the southeast of Wasilla. From there, you need to get on US Route 3 East. If you are planning to drive on the 110 miles of unpaved roads, you must get information about the safety situation on the road. There could be gravel, which is extremely dangerous for motorcycles. You can check out the picturesque backwoods of the Denali Highway. From Denali to Fairbanks, there is little opportunity to refuel your motorcycle. So, you should fill up your motorcycle’s oil tank at Denali. From Denali, you can take a break at the famous Moochers Tavern in Nenana. Your next and final stop will be Fairbanks. You can sightsee the North Pole at the beginning of your ride. The North Pole is just a few miles away from Fairbanks. It will take a couple of hours on your motorbike to check out the whole site. Fairbanks to Tok This is a wonderful route for a motorcycle trip in Alaska. To explore the whole beauty of the route, we suggest you spend at least two days. Your first stop will be at Delta Junction, which is around 100 miles southeast of Fairbanks. The point is significant because it is the end of the Alaska highway. Delta Junction is surrounded by Alaska’s three most beautiful mountain ranges. The beauty of the mountains will spellbind you. Take your time to realize the beauty and get them into your photo frame. You can take a break at Tanana Valley State Forest, which houses Alaska’s best wilderness. From there, your final destination will be Tok. Anchorage to Seward To get onto this route, start from Anchorage, taking US 1 South road. From there, take the US 9 South road. The road will take you to Seward. The starting point of the route is Girdwood. It has a great mountain range. From there, you need to head south to get to the city of Moose Pass. Here you can enjoy the beauty of Trail Lake. Trail Lake is one of the headwater streams of the Kenai River. From Moose Pass, you need to travel about half an hour towards the south to reach Seward, where the Pacific Ocean awaits you. While enjoying the roads, be aware of any intermittent gravel. Always take a look at the warning signs. Most of the road signs are for motorcyclists. Another attraction of this route is a part of the Alaska Railroad, which is open for tourists. Fortunately, there are a lot of places for food and fuel in between the routes. It is more populated than any other motorcycle route in Alaska. Final Words There are few places on this earth as beautiful as Alaska. So, your motorcycle trip to Alaska will be challenging and mesmerizing at the same time. If you have the right biking skills, time, and money to go after a dream adventure, Alaska is waiting for you with all its glories. However, before taking any trip to Alaska, you should be aware of all the safety precautions for that particular route.