Do we have to go through Canada to go to Alaska?

Alaska is most certainly American, but it's more than 2,000 miles away from the nearest state, Washington. Getting there with a vehicle requires either driving through Canada or taking a ferry. Both options boast unrivaled scenery and an adventurous experience, but require a little planning.



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If you drive to Alaska you must drive through Canada. If you drive to Alaska you will need to drive through the province of British Columbia and the Yukon Territory. The Alaska Highway is 2,224 Km/1382 miles long and stretches from Dawson Creek, British Columbia to Delta Junction, Alaska.

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Getting there with a vehicle requires either driving through Canada or taking a ferry. Both options boast unrivaled scenery and an adventurous experience, but require a little planning. Here are our recommendations for getting yourself and your vehicle to the Great Land, including road and water options.

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There are several ways to get to Alaska, including flying, taking the ferry, or driving. Of these, by far the quickest and most popular is flying into Anchorage.

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One of the most popular routes to get to Alaska from the mainland United States is along the Alaska-Canada Highway, also referred to as the Alaska Highway or the Alcan Highway, which starts in Dawson Creek, British Columbia and ends in Delta Junction, Alaska.

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Crossing the border to Canada is Easy! provide proof of vaccination; undergo pre- or on-arrival testing; carry out COVID-19-related quarantine or isolation; monitor and report if they develop signs or symptoms of COVID-19 upon arriving to Canada.

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For U.S. citizens, a passport or visa is not required. Instead, a birth certificate and one photo identification card may be used; however, a photo identification card by itself is not enough. For permanent residents of the United States, “Green Cards” may be used in lieu of their passports.

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If you're arriving by land, follow the signs to the first checkpoint, also called “primary inspection.” Here, a border services officer will examine your identification and other travel documents and take your verbal declaration. Visit U.S. to Canada border wait times for estimated wait times at certain locations.

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Only 20 percent of Alaska is accessible by road. Despite a land mass of 586,412 square miles, Alaska only has 12 numbered highways. This means most of Alaska is wilderness – untamed, untouched wilderness, rare to find anywhere else in the US. When planning your Alaska vacation, distances can be deceptively large.

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The Alaska Ferry (officially called the Alaska Marine Highway System) departs from Bellingham, Washington to access America's remote north through the awe-inspiring Inside Passage.

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A government-issued photo ID or state driver's license is enough to gain you entry into Alaska.

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