Realistic driving time to Fairbanks

[3gunyotehtr]

I am tentatively planning on driving to Alaska for caribou in 2027 or 2028. How many days should be planned from Portal, ND to Fairbanks?

 

[406flyfish]

Too many factors to consider.. Plan at last 3-4 nights at the minimum.

 

[Extrapale]

How good are you at long drives? How many drivers?

We made it in 40ish hours of drive time from Portland to Fairbanks. We stopped for about 6 hours 2x to get some sleep. One in Northern BC, and once just North of Delta jct. We could have skipped the 2nd stop, but we needed to be in FB during the day to pick some things up. 2 drivers.

 

[3gunyotehtr]

It would just be myself, but I don't mind long drives. I sleep in the vehicle, so it doesn't take much to pull over and get some sleep. Just weighing the pros and cons of flying verses driving.

 

[TaperPin]

Totally depends on how long you can safely drive. There’s nothing else to do in many places, so I found myself bored if stopping after 10 hours. On the other hand if you are camping at established campgrounds it’s nice to get there early.

The best advice I’ve heard and have passed on whenever it comes up, is the month before your big drive take a lot of long road trips to get used to a long periods of seat time. If you’re planning on driving 14 hour days and can’t pull off a single day at home driving that much it’s not realistic. The funny thing about taking long drives, you’ll wonder why you’ve avoided them so much in the past.

 

[handwerk]

I made that drive a bunch back in the day with sled dogs, always in the winter.
From N.E. Mn. I usually figured about 70 hours of driving, but you would have better roads in the fall and not dealing with 24 dogs.
Do it, it's a stunning drive!

 

[TaperPin]

Unlike driving in the lower 48, you’ll see nothing different all day until close to Alaska. If you like to enjoy the scenery it might even be worth going the more westerly route rather than cut straight up through Alberta.

If you’ve never made the drive it’s fun once. I’d much rather fly and enjoy a few extra days looking around Alaska.