The MILEPOST: Alaska Travel Guide and Trip Planner

Richardson Highway Locator

Connects: Valdez to Fairbanks, AK
Route#: Alaska 4
Length: 366 miles
Road Surface: Paved
Season: Open all year
Highest Pass: Isabel Pass, elev. 3,280 feet
Maps (2 detailed pdf files available):
Valdez, Ak to Delta Junction, AK
Delta Junction, AK to Fairbanks, AK

The Richardson Highway is a very scenic route, offering magnificent views of the Chugach Mountains and Alaska Range, and some of the best glacier viewing in Alaska. The Richardson is a wide paved highway in fair to good condition, with some sections of frost heaves and patched pavement.

The Richardson Highway junctions with the Edgerton Highway; the Glenn Highway; the Tok Cut-Off; the Denali Highway; the Alaska Highway; the Parks Highway; and the Steese Expressway/Steese Highway.

The Richardson Highway offers good views of the trans-Alaska pipeline. The trans-Alaska pipeline carries oil 800 miles from Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic Ocean to the pipeline terminus at Port Valdez.

The Richardson Highway was Alaska’s first road, known to gold seekers in 1898 as the Valdez to Eagle trail. Gold stampeders started up the trail again in 1902, this time headed for Fairbanks, site of a big gold strike. The Valdez to Fairbanks trail became an important route to the Interior, and in 1910 the trail was upgraded to a wagon road under the direction of Gen. Wilds P. Richardson, first president of the Alaska Road Commission. The ARC updated the road to automobile standards in the 1920s; it was hard-surfaced in 1957. Towing: M.B.C. Automotive, (907) 822-5900.

The MILEPOST® Quick Reference Log
Miles from Valdez (V) and Fairbanks (F) shown.

V 0 F 366 Downtown VALDEZ (pop. 4,498); all services.
V 3.4 F 362.6 Acres Kwik Trip gas station, deli, market, laundromat. Turnoff for Valdez airport and Valdez Glacier campground.
V 4 F 362 Milepost 0 of the Richardson Highway at Old Valdez Townsite. Miles from Valdez (V) northbound now reflect physical mileposts.
V 0 F 362 Milepost 0 of the Richardson Highway, 4 miles from downtown Valdez.
V 2.8 F 359.2 Junction with Dayville Road; fishing, scenic views, camping at Allison Point Campground RV & Tent Sites.
V 24.1 F 337.9 Blueberry Lake State Recreation Site; camping.
V 25.9 F 336.1 Thompson Pass, elev. 2,678 feet.
V 28 F 334 Worthington Glacier State Recreation Site: day-use.
V 45.6 F 316.4 Lodge and tavern.
V 79 F 283 Tonsina River Lodge; restaurant, loding, RV park, bar.
V 79.5 F 282.5 Squirrel Creek State Recreation Site, camping.
V 82.2 F 279.8 Pippin Lake Bed and Breakfast.
V 82.5 F 279.5 Junction with the Edgerton Highway to Chitina and McCarthy Road; Kenny Lake Mercantile & RV Park (gas, groceries, RV park) at MIle 7.2 Edgerton Highway.
V 88.5 F 273.5 Willow Lake Bed and Breakfast.
V 100.2 F 261.8 Turnoff for historic COPPER CENTER (pop. 297) on Old Richardson Highway loop; Mountain View Grocery, Gas and Liquor; Stitches From the Attic; guided charters and camping at Klutina Salmon Charters; fishing and raft trips at Alaska River Wrangellers; cabin rentals, camping and fishing at Rough Waters Alaska; food and lodging at Copper Center Lodge/Roadhouse.
V 101.6 F 260.4 Turnoff for Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge; food and lodging.
V 106.8 F 255.2 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Visitor Center.
V 111 F 251 Tazlina River Trading Post; groceries, gas.
V 115 F 247 Junction with Glenn Highway. GLENNALLEN (pop. 454); all services. The Hub of Alaska (groceries, gas, diesel) and Copper Valley Visitor Information.
V 116.9 F 245.1 MBC Automotive; repairs, towing, auto parts.
V 118 F 244 Dry Creek State Recreation Site campground.
V 128.5 F 233.5 Junction with Tok Cutoff at Gakona Junction; Copper River Salmon Charters.
V 129.4 F 232.6 Sailor’s Pit; Ahtna Inc. camping and Gulkana River access.
V 132 F 230 Private campground.
V 147.5 F 214.5 Sourdough Creek BLM Campground.
V 147.7 F 214.3 Historic Sourdough Roadhouse (email); food, gas, lodging, camping.
V 170 F 192 Meier's Lake Roadhouse.
V 175 F 187 Paxson Lake BLM Campground.
V 185.5 F 176.5 PAXSON (pop. 16) at junction with the Denali Highway. Food, gas, diesel, lodging, RV sites at Paxson Lodge.
V 185.6 F 176.4 Denali Highway Cabins and Paxson Alpine Tours; lodging, float trips, kayak rentals, birding tours.
V 191.3 F 170.7 Water’s Edge Cottages; lodging.
V 197.7 F 164.3 Isabel Pass, elev. 3,280 feet.
V 200.4 F 161.6 Fielding Lake State Recreation Area; camping.
V 227.4 F 134.6 The Lodge at Black Rapids; historic roadhouse and adjacent modern lodge.
V 238 F 124 Donnelly Creek State Recreation Site, camping.
V 243.5 F 118.5 Pipeline Viewpoint.
V 261.1 F 100.9 FORT GREELY (pop. 413); restricted area.
V 265.4 F 96.6 Delta Petro-Wash; 24-hour gas station, deli, convenince store, dump station.
V 265.5 F 96.7 The Calico Cow quilting shop.
V 266 F 96 Junction with Alaska Highway at DELTA JUNCTION (pop. 984); all services. Visitor information. Attractions: End of the Alaska Highway monument, Sullivan Roadhouse Historical Museum.
V 267 F 95 Delta State Recreation Site campground.
V 268 F 94 Smith’s Green Acres RV Park and Campground.
V 270.3 F 91.7 Alaska 7 Motel.
V 275 F 87 Rika’s Roadhouse and Landing; historic roadhouse with fur shop, gift shop, historic rooms, 24-hour RV parking, and dining at Packhouse Restaurant.
V 275.4 F 86.6 Tanana River/Pipeline Crossing.
V 277.7 F 84.3 Quartz Lake State Recreation Area; camping.
V 293.5 F 69.5 Tenderfoot Pottery.
V 305.2 F 56.8 Birch Lake State Recreation Site; camping.
V 315 F 47 Private campground.
V 321.5 F 40.5 Harding Lake State Recreation Area; camping.
V 322.2 F 39.8 SALCHA (pop. 953): food, gas, lodging.
V 323.1 F 38.9 Salcha River State Recreation Site; camping.
V 328.3 F 33.7 Gas.
V 332.3 F 29.7 The Knotty Shop; gifts, wildlife display, ice cream, burl art work.
V 341.3 F 20.7 EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE (pop. 2,858). For information on tours, visit www.eielson.af.mil.
V 343.6 F 18.4 Groceries, gas, diesel.
V 346.6 F 15.4 Chena Lakes Recreation Area; camping, fishing, swimming and access to Moose Creek Dam Bikeway.
V 348.7 F 13.3 NORTH POLE (pop. 2,200); all services. Visitor information: www.northpolechamber.us. Attractions: Santa Claus House, KJNP radio/TV sod-roofed complex. Lodging at Beaver Lake Resort, Hotel North Pole and North Pole Cabins.
V 356.6 F 5.4 Turnoff for Riverview RV Park.
V 362 F 0 FAIRBANKS.