The MILEPOST: Alaska Travel Guide and Trip Planner

Parks Highway Locator Map

Connects: Anchorage to Fairbanks, AK
Routes#: Alaska 1 and 3
Length: 362 miles
Road Surface: Paved
Season: Open all year
Highest Pass: Broad Pass, elev. 2,400 feet
Maps (3 detailed pdf files available):
Anchorage, AK to Milepost A 169
Milepost A 169 to Fairbanks, AK
Mat-Su Valley Vicinity

The George Parks Highway—more commonly referred to as the Parks Highway—links Anchorage and Fairbanks and provides the most direct highway access to Denali National Park and Preserve from either city. Mount McKinley/Denali (elev. 20,320 feet) is visible from the highway, weather permitting. The entrance to Denali National Park is located at Milepost A 237.4 on the Parks Highway, 125 miles south of Fairbanks.

The Parks Highway shares a common alignment with the Glenn Highway (Alaska Route 1) between Anchorage and Wasilla, where it continues north as Alaska Route 3 to Fairbanks. The Parks Highway junctions with the Denali Highway (Alaska Route 8) at Cantwell, Milepost A 210.

The Parks Highway was called the Anchorage–Fairbanks Highway after its completion in 1971, then renamed the George Parks Highway in July 1975 in honor of George A. Parks, the territorial governor from 1925 to 1933. The entire route runs 362 miles through some of the grandest scenery that Alaska has to offer, crossing the Alaska Range at Broad Pass.

The Parks Highway is a good 2-lane paved road, with passing lanes on improved sections. Several sections of moderate S-curves and heavy foliage reduce sight distance: Pass with care. Drive with headlights on at all times. Watch for moose. Towing: Parks Highway Towing 1-800-478-8697.

The MILEPOST® Quick Reference Log
Miles from Anchorage (A) and Fairbanks (F) shown.

A 0 F 362 ANCHORAGE (pop. 291,826); all services.
A 35 F 327 Glenn-Parks Interchange. Junction of the Parks Highway with the Glenn Highway.
A 36.1 F 325.9 Matanuska–Susitna Convention & Visitors Bureau.
A 37.8 F 324.2 Access to Big Bear RV Park.
A 40 F 322 Grand View Inn & Suites; lodging, dining.
A 40.1 F 321.9 Alaskan View Motel (email).
A 40.7 F 321.3 Pilgrims Baptist Church.
A 42.2 F 319.8 Junction with Knik–Goose Bay Road to Iditarod Trail Headquarters Mile 2.2, museum, gift shop; Knik Knack Mud Shack (email), Alaska native clay pottery, at Mile 10.1. Also access to Little Susitna River Public-use Facility (30.3 miles) on Point Mackenzie Road.
A 42.2 F 319.8 WASILLA (pop. 7,831); food, gas, lodging, shopping. Visitor information. Attraction: Dorothy G. Page Museum and Historic Town Site, Farmer's Market Wednesdays in summer. Alaska Good Sam RV Rally, July 18-22nd, 2012.
A 43.5 F 318.5 Best Western Lake Lucille Inn, and Alaska's Lake Lucille Bed & Breakfast.
A 47 F 315 Museum of Alaska Transportation and Industry.
A 47.7 F 314.3 Gas station.
A 48.2 F 313.8 Alaska Trails RV and Camper Park.
A 48.6 F 313.4 Gas station.
A 49.5 F 312.5 The Roadside Inn; food, lodging.
A 50.2 F 311.8 Iceworm RV Park.
A 52.3 F 309.7 Junction with Big Lake Road to BIG LAKE (pop. 3,350); food, gas, groceries at Steve's Food Boy (Mile 4). Access to Martin Buser’s Happy Trails Kennel (sled dog kennel tours) and Big Lake North and Big Lake South state recreation sites (camping, day-use).
A 57.3 F 304.7 Little Susitna River Campground.
A 57.4 F 304.6 HOUSTON (pop. 1,588), a popular fishing center on the Little Susitna River; food, gas, lodging.
A 57.5 F 304.5 Miller’s Place; camping, grocery/post office, laundry, cabin rentals.
A 57.7 F 304.3 Riverside Camper Park (email); RV park, showers, laundromat.
A 64.7 F 297.3 Dream A Dream Dog Farm; B&B, sled dog kennel tours.
A 66 F 296 Alaskan Host Bed & Breakfast.
A 66.5 F 295.5 Nancy Lake State Recreation Site (camping).
A 67.3 F 294.7 Parkway to Nancy Lake State Recreation Area; camping, canoe trails, picnicking, hiking.
A 68.5 F 293.5 Gas station.
A 69 F 293 Willow Creek Service, gas, mechanic; Willow Creek Grocery; and Willow Creek True Value Hardware.
A 69.5 F 292.5 WILLOW (pop. 2,102). 24-hour Townsite Foodmart (groceries, food, gas, diesel), post office.
A 70 F 292 Willow Air Service (email)
A 70.8 F 291.2 Turnoff to west for Willow Creek State Recreation Area (3.7 miles) and Deshka Landing (7 miles); camping, fishing.
A 71.2 F 290.8 Junction with 49-mile-long Willow-Fishhook (Hatcher Pass) Road to Independence Mine Historical Park (32 miles east). Albino Hare Gallery/Garden (6.3 miles).
A 87.7 F 274.3 Gigglewood Lakeside Inn.
A 88 F 274 Sheep Creek Lodge (current status unknown).
A 90.8 F 270.2 RV Park.
A 91.5 F 270.5 Big Susitna B&B.
A 96.5 F 265.5 Montana Creek Campground; camping, tackle and food store, public fishing access.
A 98.6 F 263.4 Cubby's Marketplace (email), full-service supermarket and deli.
A 98.7 F 263.3 Talkeetna Y; Talkeetna/Denali Visitor Center. Junction with Talkeetna Spur Road which leads 14 miles to TALKEETNA (pop. 876); a popular tourist stop with shops, restaurants and lodging. Talkeetna is the jump-off point for Mount McKinley/Denali climbers (flightseeing available) and for riverboat trips to Devil's Canyon.
A 98.8 F 263.2 Gas, diesel.
A 99.5 F 262.5 His & Hers; food, gas, diesel, camping.
A 113.6 F 248.4 McKinley View Bed and Breakfast.
A 114.6 F 247.8 Trapper Creek Inn & RV Park; food, groceries, gas, lodging, camping.
A 114.8 F 247.2 TRAPPER CREEK (pop. 426); post office.
A 114.9 F 247.1 Junction with Petersville Road to Alaska's Northland Inn (0.8 mile), Gate Creek Cabins (10.3 miles). The historic Forks Roadhouse at Mile 18.7 was destroyed by fire in April 2012.
A 115.7 F 246.3 Trapper Creek Pizza Pub–Angela’s Heaven.
A 132.9 F 229.1 Turnoff for Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge (food, lodging) and D & S Alaskan Trail Rides.
A 134.5 F 227.5 Mary’s McKinley View Lodge; food, lodging.
A 134.8 F 227.2 Denali Viewpoint South Campground (Denali State Park).
A 137.2 F 224.8 Lower Troublesome Creek Campground. (Denali State Park).
A 147 F 215 Byers Lake Campground (Denali State Park).
A 147.1 F 214.9 Alaska Veterans Memorial/POW–MIA rest area.
A 162.7 F 199.3 Denali View North Campground (Denali State Park).
A 174 F 188 Hurricane Gulch Bridge.
A 185.6 F 176.4 East Fork Chulitna Wayside; camping.
A 201.3 F 160.7 Broad Pass summit (elev. 2,409 feet).
A 210 F 152 Junction with Denali Highway at CANTWELL (pop. 183); post office, lodging at Backwoods Lodge; camping at Cantwell RV Park; Chevron gas, diesel; flightseeing with Atkins Guiding & Flying Service.
A 210.3 F 151.7 Chevron gas, diesel.
A 210.8 F151.2 BluesBerry Inn; lodging, cafe, weekend music.
A 224 F 138 Food, lodging.
A 229.1 F 132.9 Denali Air, Inc. (flightseeing).
A 231 F 131 Lodging, dining, camping at Denali River Cabins and Cedars Lodge, McKinley Village Lodge and Denali Grizzly Bear..
A 237.4 F 124.6 Junction with Park Road, entrance to Denali National Park and Preserve.
A 238 F 124 Mile 238 Rest Area. Also access to Era Helicopter Tours Flightseeing Tours and Nenana Raft Adventures and Cabins at Denali.
A 238.1 F 123.9 Grande Denali Lodge; dining, lodging.
A 238.4 F 123.6 Canyon Market & Sled Dog Liquor; Denali Bluffs Hotel.
A 238.5 F 123.5 Denali's "World Famous" Salmon Bake & Cabins; Denali Crow’s Nest Log Cabins and Overlook Bar & Grill; and Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge.
A 238.6 F 123.4 Traffic light. Store, gas station, Denali Rainbow Village RV Park & Country Mall, Denali ATV Adventures, and Denali Raft Adventures.
A 238.9 F 123.1 Traffic light. McKinley Chalet Resort, Prospector's Historic Pizzeria and Ale House, Denali Outdoor Center.
A 245.1 F 116.9 Denali RV Park & Motel.
A 247 F 115 Junction with Otto Lake Road to Denali Park Hotel, Denali Outdoor Center and Black Diamond Grill & Golf Course.
A 248 F 114 White Moose Lodge.
A 248.5 F 113.5 McKinley RV & Campground, Gas Station, Miners Market & Deli, 49th State Brewing Co.
A 248.7 F 113.3 HEALY (pop. 1,027); all services. Healy has the state's only commercial coal mine.
A 249.2 F 112.6 Gas, diesel, propane.
A 249.5 F 112.5 Motel Nord Haven.
A 251.1 F 110.9 Junction with Stampede Road to Denali Touch of Wilderness B&B and EarthSong Lodge and Henry’s Coffeehouse.
A 263.5 F 96.5 Denali Alaskan Wildrose Lodging (email).
A 276 F 86 Tatlanika Trading Co. & River RV Park; camping, wildlife mounts, arts and crafts.
A 280 C 70 F 82 Clear Sky Lodge; dining, cocktail lounge, liquor store, ice and propane.
A 283.5 F 78.5 Junction with paved access road to Clear Air Force Station and community of ANDERSON (pop. 536); Riverside Park (city campground), Bluegrass Festival July 27-29, 2012 (email).
A 304.4 F 57.6 Gas, diesel.
A 304.5 F 57.5 NENANA (pop. 553); all services. Home of the Nenana Ice Classic. Visitor information.
A 313.6 F 44.4 Parks Highway Towing; phone 1-800-478-8697.
A 351.2 F 10.8 Turnoff for ESTER (pop. 2,041); Judie Gumm Designs (jewelry).
A 353.4 F 8.6 Gold Hill Imported Beer & Wine, Gas station.
A 356.8 F 5.2 Exit to Geist Road/Chena Pump Road; access to University of Alaska Museum of the North in FAIRBANKS (pop. 32,506); all services.
A 357.8 F 4.2 West Airport Way exit to airport and to Riverboat Discovery
A 358 F 4 East Airport Way exit to River’s Edge RV Park/River's Edge Resort and University Avenue businesses. Access to Chena River State Recreation Site.
A 360.3 F 1.7 North Peger Road to Pioneer Park; Alaska's only Pioneer THeme park with RV parking, museums, salon bake, shops, etc.
A 362 F 0 Junction with Richardson Highway and Steese Highway at east entrance to Fairbanks.