Is it Possible to Drive to Utqiagvik, Alaska?
Is it Possible to Drive to Utqiagvik?
No Roads Lead to Utqiagvik
Is it possible to drive to Utqiagvik? That is a question that is often asked by people wanting to visit the northernmost city in the United States. The answer to the question is, no, it isn’t possible to drive to Utqiagvik. No roads that connect Utqiagvik to the rest of Alaska due to the difficulty of building a highway across the tundra and permafrost.
What About the Dalton Highway?
The closest road to Utqiagvik is the Dalton Highway, which connects Fairbanks to Deadhorse. Deadhorse is over 200 miles from Utqiagvik, and no roads connecting the two cities.
Does Utqiagvik Have Roads?
All of the roads in Utqiagvik are unpaved, with the exception of a few hundred yards of pavement near the airport. These roads typically dead-end within a few miles of the edge of the city.
Getting to Utqiagvik
While we never know what the future will hold, as of today, the only way to reach Utqiagvik is by airplane.
How to Get to Utqiagvik - Table of Contents
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Flying to Utqiagvik (Barrow)
Utqiagvik used to be known as Barrow. In 2016, the city voted to restore its native name, which has created some confusion. On maps, the city is typically labeled as Utqiagvik, but the airport is still known as “Barrow Wiley Post-Will Rogers Memorial Airport.”
Alaska Airlines has at least one direct daily flight from Anchorage to Barrow. There also is often a flight that makes a stop in Prudhoe Bay before arriving in Barrow.
Alaska Airlines - Anchorage to Barrow (Utqiagvik)
I flew on Alaska Airlines’ direct flight from Anchorage to Barrow (Utqiagvik.) This flight was on a Boeing 737 and was no different than a typical Alaska Airlines flight. The only difference was upon arrival in Utqiagvik, we exited the plane using stairs instead of a gate.
Alaska Airlines (operated by Horizon Airlines) also flies an Embraer 175 from Anchorage to Barrow with a stopover in Prudhoe Bay.
Barrow Airport
Barrow Airport is extremely small and doesn’t even technically have a gate. The waiting room is before security, and passengers aren’t asked to clear the security checkpoint until the flight is ready to board.
Also, TSA has to hand search all checked luggage, so when checking a bag, arrive at Barrow Airport two hours before your flight. If you are not checking luggage, you can arrive closer to 75 to 90 minutes before your flight.
The only public restrooms I encountered in Utqiagvik were located inside Barrow Airport. I used these restrooms multiple times throughout my visit to Utqiagvik. One important thing to note is that there are no restrooms available once passengers pass through security at Barrow Airport.
Other Airlines Serving Barrow
A few smaller airlines and charter services also fly to Barrow. Before its restructuring, Ravn Alaska flew direct flights from Anchorage.
If you are looking to ship items to Utqiagvik, Northern Air Cargo flies its 737-300 cargo planes from Anchorage to Barrow.
Other Methods of Transportation to Utqiagvik
There is one other extremely seasonable method of transportation to Utqiagvik. This method is only available for a few months during the summer when the Arctic Ocean thaws enough to allow a barge to reach Utqiagvik. Barge and boat transportation typically is only for large items such as machinery and cars.
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