The MILEPOST: Alaska Travel Guide and Trip Planner

Connects: Tern Lake Junction, Seward Highway to Homer, AK
Routes#: Alaska 1
Length: 143 miles
Road Surface: Paved
Season: Open all year
Maps (2 detailed pdf files available):
Tern Lake Junction, Seward Highway to Soldotna, AK
Soldotna, AK to Homer, AK

The Sterling Highway begins 90 miles south of Anchorage at its junction with the Seward Highway at Tern Lake, travels west to Soldotna, then south to Homer. The Sterling Highway passes through Chugach National Forest and Kenai National Wildlife Refuge lands. For sportfishermen, the Sterling accesses Kenai Peninsula lakes, rivers and streams, and the waters of Cook Inlet.Most of the Sterling Highway is 2 lanes, with some passing lanes, and a few short sections of 4-lane highway. The Sterling Highway opened in the fall of 1950, and was named in honor of Hawley Sterling, an engineer of the Alaska Road Commission.

The MILEPOST® Quick Reference Log
Mileposts reflect distance from Seward (S), followed by distance from Anchorage (A) and Homer (H).

S 37 A 90 H 142.5 Junction of the Sterling Highway with the Seward Highway at Tern Lake.
S 44.9 A 97.9 H 134.6 Sunrise Inn; cafe, gas, lodging, RV park, bar. Junction with Quartz Creek Road to day-use areas and USFS campground on Kenai Lake and Crescent Creek USFS campground.
S 47.5 A 100.5 H 132 Alaska Clearwater Sport Fishing.
S 47.7 A 100.7 H 131.8 Turnoff for Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge and RV Park.
S 48 A 101 H 131.5 Cooper Landing State Recreation Site; boat launch, day-use area.
S 48.3 A 101.3 H 131.2 Kenai River Drifter’s Lodge; cabins, Kenai River rafting and fishing trips.
S 48.4 A 101.4 H 131.1 COOPER LANDING (pop. 353); food, gas, lodging, camping.
S 48.5 A 101.5 H 131 Kenai River Float-n-Fish, guided fishing; The Hutch B&B, lodging.
S 49.7 A 102.7 H 129.8 Kenai Riverside Campground, RV Park and B&B.
S 49.9 A 102.9 H 129.6 Alaska Rivers Co.; Kenai River trips.
S 50.1 A 103.1 H129.4 Kenai River Trips with Alaska Wildland Adventures.
S 50.5 A 103.5 H 129 Cooper Creek USFS Campground.
S 52 A 105 H 127.5 Gwin’s Lodge; historic roadhouse with food, lodging, booking service for charters.
S 52.6 A 105.6 H 126.9 Russian River USFS Campground.
S 58 A 111 H 121.5 Junction with Skilak Lake Road which loops southwest to recreation sites in Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.
S 59.9 A 112.9 H 199.6 Jean Lake Campground.
S 68.8 A 121.8 H 110.6 Petersen Lake and Kelly Lake public campgrounds.
S 71.3 A 124.3 H 108.2 Watson Lake public campground.
S 80.3 A 133.3 H 99.2 Real Alaskan Cabins and RV Park; lodging, camping. Acess to Bing’s Landing State Recreation Site; camping.
S 80.8 A 133.8 H 98.7 Northland Wildlife Studio.
S 81 A 134 H 98.5 STERLING (pop. 5,123); food, gas, diesel, lodging, camping. Bing Brown's RV Park & Motel.
S 81.2 A 134.2 H 98.3 Moose River RV & Auto Parts.
S 81.4 A 134.4 H 98.1 “Mike’s” Moose River Resort & Hot Tub, Riverfront Chalet & RV Sites.
S 81.7 A 134.7 H 97/8 Gas, diesel, food.
S 81.9 A 134.9 H97.6 Izaak Walton State Recreation Site; camping, boat launch.
S 82.5 A 135.5 H 97 Bill White’s Alaska Sports Lodge; lodging.
S 83.4 A 136.4 H 96.1 Junction with Swanson River Road to canoe trails; Sterling Baptist Church. Jana House Hotel & RV Park (email), 0.4 mile north; The Wash Out Laundromat, 0.1 mile north.
S 84 A 137 H 95.5 Alaska Canoe & RV Park; cabins, gear rental, shuttle service, charters, campground.
S 84.9 A 137.9 H 94.6 Turnoff to south for Scout Lake Loop Road to Morgan’s Landing State Recreation Site; camping, Kenai River bank fishing access.
S 88 A 141 H 91.5 Theresa Drive, access to Alaskan Serenity Bed and Breakfast.
S 88.3 A 141.3 H 91.2 Alaska Horn & Antler Carvings and Rock Shop.
S 88.8 A 141.8 H 90.7 Gas station.
S 91.3 A 144.3 H 88.2 Gas, diesel, grocery, liquor.
S 92.7 A 145.7 H 86.8 Stillwaters Chalets.
S 94.1 A 147.1 H 85.4 Fred Meyer's, fast food, gas station. East Redoubt Avenue to Swiftwater Park Soldotna city campground and Kenai River Hideaway B&B.
S 94.2 A 147.2 H 85.3 Junction with Kenai Spur Highway at Soldotna Y; drive 11 miles north for city of KENAI (pop. 6,975); all services. Kenai Spur ends at Discovery Campground in Captain Cook State Recreation Area (39 miles).
S 95.2 A 148.2 H 84.3 SOLDOTNA (pop. 3,983) is a retail, governmental and medical hub for the Kenai Peninsula; all services are available.
S 95.7 A 148.7 H 83.8 Soldotna Visitor Information Center south side of Kenai River (David Douthit-Veterans Memorial) Bridge.
S 95.8 A 148.8 H 83.7 Junction with north end of Kalifornsky Beach Road; access to Centennial Park campground, Diamond M Ranch and Kenai Landing.
S 102 A 155 H 81.5 Gas, diesel, convenience store.
S 108.6 A 161.6 H 70.9 Junction with south end of Kalifornsky Beach Road.
S 109 A 162 H 70.5 KASILOF (pop. 560); general store.
S 109.2 A 162.2 H 70.3 Kasilof Riverview Tesoro; groceries, gas, diesel, propane; espresso; liquor store; tackle; ATM, fax, copier.
S 109.5 A 162.5 H 70 Access to Gallery Lodge and turnoff for Kasilof River State Recreation Site (boat launch, picnicking).
S 110.1 A 163.1 H 69.4 Central Emergency Services/Kasilof Station to west; turnoff to east for access to Johnson Lake State Recreation Area, Tustumena Lake and Kasilof RV Park.
S 111 A 164 H 68.5 Junction with Cohoe Loop Road; access to Crooked Creek State Recreation Site (1.6 miles) and Crooked Creek RV Park, Cabins & Guide Service (2.3 miles)
S 117.4 A 170.4 H 62.1 Clam Gulch State Recreation Area; camping, clam digging.
S 118.2 A 171.1 H 61.4 CLAM GULCH (pop. 175); post office and Bakers Clam Shell Lodge (email), food, lodging.
S 119.6 A 172.6 H 59.9 Clam Gulch Lodge; lodging, camping.
S 127 A 180 H 52.5 Scenic View RV Park.
S 128.3 A 181.3 H 51.2 Ninilchik Cabins and Fish Camp.
S 130.5 A 183.5 H 49 Ninilchik Point Overnighter.
S 132.2 A 185.2 H 47.3 Heavenly Sights Charters and Campground.
S 132.6 A 185.6 H 46.9 Ninilchik Cabins & RV Park.
S 134.5 A 187.5 H 45 Ninilchik River Campground.
S 134.9 A 187.8 H 44.7 Ninilchik River Scenic Overlook campground.
S 135.1 A 188.1 H 44.4 NINILCHIK VILLAGE turnoff; access to Ninilchik Beach Campground.
S 135.4 A 188.4 H 44.1 Alaskan Angler RV Resort, Cabins and Afishunt Charters.
S 135.5 A 188.5 H 44 Inlet View Lodge (restaurant, cabins), The Buzz Cafe, and Ninilchik View State Campground.
S 135.8 A 188.8 H 43.7 Afishunt Charters and Cabins and Ninilchik General Store (groceries, bait, licenses, supplies).
S 135.9 A 188.9 H 44.6 Junction with Oil Well Road; gas station. NINILCHIK (pop. 853) has all services. Reel ‘Em Inn/Cook Inlet Charters, The Captain's Retreat B&B, Elby Charters.
S 136 A 189 H 43.5 Ninilchik Charters.
S 136.2 A 189.2 H 43.3 Deep Creek View Campground and J&J Smart Charters.
S 136.7 A 189.7 H 42.8 Deep Creek North (camping) and Deep Creek South (day-use area).
S 137.3 A 190.3 H 42.2 D&M RV Park and Charters at turnoff for Deep Creek State Recreation Area.
S 151.9 A 204.9 H 27.6 Stariski State Recreation Site campground.
S 153.1 A 206.1 H 26.4 Beehive RV Park.
S 154.1 A 207.1 H 25.4 Timberline Creations Gift Shop.
S 156.3 A 209.3 H 23.1 Grocery, 24-hour gas station.
S 156.4 A 209.4 H 23.1 ANCHOR POINT (pop. 1,829) post office. Visitor information.
S 156.7 A 209.7 H 22.7 Junction. Access west on Milo Fritz Avenie for Anchor River Lodge (0.7 mile) and Fireweed Meadows Golf Course & RV Park. Access east on North Fork Road for Sleepy Bear Cabins (0.8 mile) and the Russian “Samovar” Café (9 miles).
S 157.1 A 210.1 H 22.4 Junction with Anchor River (Beach) Road; food and lodging at Anchor River Inn. Access to campgrounds and fishing in Anchor River State Recreation Area; lodging and charters at O'Fishial Charters; camping at Kyllonen RV Park. Anchor River (Beach) Road dead ends at Cook Inlet at the most westerly point in North America accessible by continuous road system.
S 161 A 214 H 18.5 Black Water Bend Espresso.
S 164.8 A 217.8 H 14.7 Junction with Old Sterling Highway; access to Northwood Cabins (1 mile).
S 168.2 A 221.2 H 11.3 Peninsula Suites, lodging.
S 169 A 222 H 10.5 Baycrest RV Park, Burgers & Fuel, convenience store.
S 169.1 A 222.1 H 10.4 Alaskan Suites; lodging.
S 169.6 A 222.6 H 9.9 Popular viewpoint/rest area for photos of Homer Spit and Kachemak Bay.
S 169.9 A 222.9 H 9.6 Bay View Inn.
S 172.7 A 225.7 H 6.8 Best Western Bidarka Inn.
S 172.8 A 225.8 H 6.7 Oceanview RV Park. Turnoff for Pratt Museum in HOMER (pop. 5,390); all services.
S 173 A 226 H 6.5 Homer Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center.
S 173.2 A 226.2 H 6.3 Alaska Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
S 177.8 A 230.8 H 1.7 Heritage RV Park.
S 179.2 A 232.2 H 0.3 Homer Spit Campground.
S 179.3 A 232.3 H 0.2 Alaska State Ferry Terminal.
S 179.5 A 232.5 H 0 Sterling Highway ends at end of Homer Spit. Land’s End Resort.