Outdoor Recreation along the Dalton Highway

Watching for wildlife

Muskox, caribou, snowy owl — will you see these and other wild creatures along the Dalton Highway? Your chances improve if you know where, when, what and how to look for wildlife. Follow these tips and those on our watchable wildlife page to improve your chances of spotting something exciting. If you're lucky, hundreds, or even thousands, of caribou may cross the road

Caribou at Franklin Bluffs, milepost 383

right in front of your eyes.

• Be patient.
• Take time to scan open areas along mountain slopes, riverbanks, lakes and meadows.
• Use binoculars, spotting scopes or telephoto lenses for a closer look.
• Stay inside your vehicle — it acts as a viewing blind and animals are less likely to flee.
• Animals tend to be more active in the evening and early morning.
• Check at the visitor centers to see when and where other Dalton travelers have seen wildlife

Camping

Recreational camping is limited to 14 days at any one spot. Park well off the road — passing vehicles can fling rocks more than 30 feet (9 m) off the highway — and do not block access roads to the pipeline.

	Campers relax at the Marion Creek Campground.

There is a fee for BLM's Marion Creek Campground, located just north of Coldfoot. A host is on-site from Memorial Day to Labor Day. All other camping areas are free and undeveloped.

Please note that dump stations are available only at 60 Mile Campground (just north of the Yukon River) and Deadhorse.

Hiking

The best hiking is in the Brooks Range, where ridges and stream drainages provide firm footing and the forest thins to low-growing tundra. Throughout the Arctic, wetlands and bogs hinder walking. Areas of tussocks — sedges that grow in basketball-sized clumps — are particularly aggravating. Tussock fields occur in mountain valleys and dominate the landscape of the North Slope. Waterproof boots with good ankle support are essential.

Hiking east from the highway will lead you to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, while hiking west leads to Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve. Choose your route with care and bring topographic maps and a compass with you. A GPS can also be useful, especially when visibility is poor. At the visitor center in Coldfoot, backcountry visitors can obtain orientation, register, and borrow bear barrels for food storage.

Note: In this part of the world, magnetic declination varies from 27 to 30 degrees east of true north; be sure to adjust your compass.

Birding

The Dalton Highway provides birders with a unique opportunity to drive through the northern boreal forest, the Brooks Range, and the tundra of the North Slope and Arctic Coastal Plain. Many of the 158 species recorded in these habitats are easily seen along the highway in their bright summer plumage. A checklist, Birds Along the Dalton Highway, is available at the Alaska Public Lands Information Center in Fairbanks, the Yukon Crossing Visitor Contact Station, and the Arctic Interagency Visitor Center in Coldfoot.

For the avid birder, the Dalton area offers 24 hours of daylight from mid-May through mid-July. This is the time when the birds are most active. They court, breed, raise their young and prepare to fly south during the short summer.

	Whimbrel

Early to mid-May brings flocks of migrating waterfowl. Open water south of the Brook Range holds these birds until the lakes on the North Slope and coastal plain thaw. Many of the roadside ponds are crowded with loons, ducks, geese, and swans. Shorebirds, gulls, terns, raptors, and jaegers follow close behind the flocks of waterfowl. Mid-June is the peak time for territorial displays by newly arrived songbirds. Singing starts about 3:00 a.m. but often continues around the clock.

Rarely seen species from Asia and Africa, such as yellow wagtails and wheatears, are sometimes seen on the Dalton. Bluethroat is another species highly sought by many birders.

Recreational gold panning

Some BLM-managed public lands along the Dalton Highway south of Atigun Pass are open to recreational mineral collection, including the use of gold pan, pick, shovel, rocker and sluice box. Motorized equipment is not allowed. Closed areas include the pipeline right-of-way (27 feet on either side of the pipeline) and land legally claimed for mining or other purposes. For recommendations on places to try your luck, pick up a copy of the brochure Dalton Highway Recreation Mineral Collection at the BLM office or Alaska Public Lands Information Office (Fairbanks), the Yukon Crossing Visitor Contact Station, or the Arctic Interagency Visitor Center (Coldfoot).

Biking

Motorists should watch out for bicyclists on the highway.

The Dalton Highway provides unique challenges and opportunities for bicyclists: the road surface is rough gravel for long distances, services are few and far between, and the road crosses true wilderness. Bicyclists must be in top physical condition, prepare thoroughly, have realistic expectations, and be flexible enough to deal with changing conditions. For further information on bicycle touring on the Dalton Highway, download BLM's seven-page bicycling guide (134 KB PDF file).

Fishing

Arctic grayling, whitefish, Dolly Varden, Arctic char, lake trout, burbot (lingcod) and northern pike can all be found in the far north. Fish in the Arctic grow and reproduce slowly and are susceptible to overharvest. Anglers are encouraged to practice catch-and-release fishing techniques and to use barbless hooks to minimize injury.

The following regulations are in effect 5 miles (8 km) on either side of the highway. Fishing for salmon is prohibited; lake trout are catch-and-release only; daily bag and possession limit for Arctic grayling is five fish. You need an Alaska sport fishing license and a regulations booklet for the Arctic-Yukon- Kuskokwim region. For complete regulations, please visit the Alaska Department of Fish and Game web site or contact them by phone at 907-459-7026. The free brochure Sport Fishing Along the Dalton Highway is also helpful — look for it at BLM visitor centers.

Off-Road Vehicles

A state law prohibits off-highway vehicles within 5 miles (8 km) on either side of the highway from the Yukon River to the Arctic Ocean.

Hunting

Sport hunting is permitted in most areas, but there are special regulations. A summary of regulations, including restrictions on off-highway vehicles, can be downloaded here (51 KB PDF). For complete regulations, maps of closed areas and assistance in planning your hunt, please visit the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Web site or contact the agency by phone at (907)-459-7206.

Canoeing and Rafting

There are several excellent river trips along the Dalton Highway, including the Jim river, the Middle Fork of the Koyukuk River, and the Sagavanirktok River (for experience boaters). For more detailed descriptions of these rivers, contact the Fairbanks Alaska Public Lands Information Center by phone at (907) 456-0527. You can also contact the Arctic Interagency Visitor Center at (907) 678-5209.

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