The Dalton Highway stretches 414 miles from the Elliott Highway north of Fairbanks to the "community" of Deadhorse, which serves Prudhoe Bay. If you don't have your own vehicle, Arctic Outfitters can rent a vehicle specially prepared for travel along the gravel Dalton Highway from the end of May through mid-September. Traveling by rental car allows you to travel at your own pace as you explore Fairbanks, the Yukon River, Coldfoot, Alaska's Brooks Mountain Range, the Arctic Coastal Plain, and Deadhorse. Please note if you do travel to Deadhorse, access to Prudhoe Bay and the Arctic Ocean is restricted and visitors will need to arrange for seats on an Arctic Ocean Shuttle to access that area.

If your travel plans include traveling all the way to Prudhoe Bay, a minimum of 3 days would be encouraged to allow you to travel at a safe speed and allow a few stops along the way. While the trip from Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay is just 500 miles, the distance can easily take 12 - 16 hours depending on the conditions of the road and weather. Often visitors will break the journey up with a stop in the Brooks Mountain Range in Coldfoot on the way north and/or south.

VEHICLES

Contrary to popular belief, four wheel drive or SUV-style vehicles are not necessarily required, or even preferred for travel on the Dalton Highway. While the additional clearance provided by a truck or SUV can sometimes be useful in areas of road maintenance or construction, this feature can be offset by the higher center of gravity, uneven weight distribution and reduced gas mileage of these vehicle types. Under almost all conditions, a mid-sized passenger vehicle, with a stable center of gravity is more than adequate for the recreational traveler on the Dalton Highway.

All of our vehicles are made gravel-road ready with the following features:

2009 RATES

Daily rates will vary by vehicle type and number of days:

 Vehicle Type              1 Day              2 Day            3 Day          4 or more days

     Ford Escape         $229/day        $199/day       $199/day         $179/day

Plus mileage and current taxes: Currently 18%

PEAK RATES:                                                                                                                          June 15 - July 31, 2009 Daily rates will vary by vehicle type and number of days:

 Vehicle Type              1 Day              2 Day            3 Day          4 or more days

      Ford Escape         $249/day        $219/day       $209/day         $199/day

Plus mileage and current taxes: Currently 18%

Vehicles come with 250 miles per day.  Additional mileage is $0.35 per mile.

RENTAL REQUIREMENTS

Driver must be 30 years of age, posses a valid U.S. or International Driver's License and carry his / her own insurance and provide name of insurance provider. For those without their own insurance to cover the rental vehicle or for those not covered by their current insurance, a Collision Damage Waiver can be purchased through Arctic Outfitters from Travel Guard for $9.00 per day + $3.00 processing fee (as of 08 Feb 06). NOTE -- Travel Guard has their own requirements, one is purchasers need to have a US or Canadian address.

Maximum # of people per vehicle: 4

Rental Agreement Form             Terms of Rental

 

  Renters are required to have their own insurance to cover any damage to the vehicle.  Travel Guard International and its affiliate companies provide integrated travel insurance, assistance and emergency travel services for millions of travelers and thousands of companies throughout the world