James W. Dalton Highway
Livengood, AK to Deadhorse (Prudhoe Bay), AK
The Dalton Highway — Alaska Route 11 — is the most remote public road in the United States, running 414 miles from Livengood north of Fairbanks to the Prudhoe Bay oil fields on the Arctic Ocean. For 240 miles between Coldfoot and Deadhorse, there are no services of any kind. Atigun Pass at 4,739 feet is the steepest paved highway section in Alaska. Temperatures reach -60°F. The road is used heavily by oil field supply trucks, and collisions between commercial rigs and passenger vehicles or RVs are frequent. This highway is not an ordinary route — it is a true wilderness road that demands specific preparation and equipment.
Length
414 miles
414 miles
Risk Rating
CRITICAL
CRITICAL
Risk Factors
240 miles with no services (Coldfoot to Deadhorse)
Atigun Pass — steepest paved section in Alaska (4,739 ft)
Extreme cold (to -60°F / -51°C)
Ice fog and blowing snow reducing visibility to zero
Gravel/unpaved sections damaging tires and windshields
Oil field truck traffic (heavy, fast, priority)
Permafrost road damage — severe frost heaves
Notorious Segments
- Atigun Pass and Brooks Range crossing
- Coldfoot to Deadhorse (240-mile no-service stretch)
- Finger Mountain area — frequent wildlife and ice
Regions
United States
Alaska