Embarking on the journey from Ketchikan to Anchorage covers 936.8 miles and is estimated to take around 48 hours and 30 minutes of driving time. This extensive trip is best tackled over approximately 4 recommended days, making it unsuitable for a single day's travel. The primary routes involve the Alaska Marine Highway, specifically the Whittier-Yakutat, Ketchikan ↔ Juneau, and Juneau-Yakutat segments, with no traditional highway driving. You'll want to budget around $203 for fuel. Given the distance and the ferry-based nature of the trip, expect a comprehensive Alaskan experience that requires careful planning.
Trip Pace
Best split across 4 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
13 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
468.4 miles from Ketchikan, AK
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 20h 21m into the drive
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Given the 48.5-hour drive time and the ferry-dependent nature of this route, it's crucial to book your ferry reservations well in advance, especially during peak season. Splitting this trip over 4 days is highly recommended to avoid excessive fatigue and to allow for the ferry schedules. Plan for roughly 13 stops, which can include ferry terminals and potential layover points. Keep a close eye on your fuel levels, especially when transitioning between ferry legs, as services can be sparse in remote Alaskan areas. A key piece of advice is to confirm your ferry departure times the day before, as schedules can sometimes be adjusted due to weather.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
This drive is better paced as a 4-day trip.
Plan roughly 13 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 468.4 miles from Ketchikan, AK, or about 20h 21m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 334.5 miles.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 206 miles or 5h 59m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 468.4 miles or 20h 21m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 234.2 miles or 6h 48m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 47h 7m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Anchorage, AK than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
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Open the route before leaving Ketchikan, AK so your first major turns are already loaded.
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Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
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Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
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Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
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Treat this as a 4-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Ketchikan, AK
Aim for roughly 234 miles and 12.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Keep the middle miles efficient
Aim for roughly 234 miles and 12.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 3
Keep the middle miles efficient
Aim for roughly 234 miles and 12.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 4
Finish the approach into Anchorage, AK
Aim for roughly 234 miles and 12.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 206 miles from Ketchikan, AK.
This route usually feels better as a 4-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 13 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat for about 334.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 876.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|AK 7 / Water Street
At end of road, turn right onto AK 7 / Water Street
Navigation decision point
5
2.3 mi into trip|~5m in|Ketchikan Ferry Terminal Road
Turn left onto Ketchikan Ferry Terminal Road
Navigation decision point
5
279.1 mi into trip|~8h 6m in|Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat
Turn sharp left onto Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
541.7 mi into trip|~25h 6m in|Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat
Turn sharp left onto Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
876.3 mi into trip|~47h 6m in|West Camp Road
At end of road, turn right onto West Camp Road
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$183.16 one way
$366.31 round trip
$4.97/gal25.4 MPG avg328 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.28
$194.66
$389.33
premium
$5.46
$201.19
$402.38
diesel
$4.80
$176.89
$353.77
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$183
Hotel (3n)
$240–$420
Meals
$100–$200
Total
$523–$803
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 327.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $98 in charging
· 3 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
281
3
$98.36
$44.97
Efficient EV
234.2
2
$81.97
$37.47
EV Truck/SUV
374.7
4
$131.15
$59.96
Gas CO2
328 kg
EV CO2
110 kg (66% less)
Plan for 3 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Jul 17, 2026
Origin
Ketchikan, AK
Evening
in Ketchikan on Saturday
Local time
6:53 PM
AKDT
Current temp
71°F
Sunny
NW 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 17 at 9:41AM AKDT until July 17 at 7:00PM AKDT by NWS Juneau AK
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued July 17 at 8:20AM AKDT until July 20 at 12:00PM AKDT by NWS Fairbanks AK
Destination
Anchorage, AK
Evening
in Anchorage on Saturday
Local time
6:53 PM
AKDT
Current temp
57°F
Light Rain Likely then Widespread Rain Showers
W 0 to 10 mph78% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 17 at 9:41AM AKDT until July 17 at 7:00PM AKDT by NWS Juneau AK
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued July 17 at 8:20AM AKDT until July 20 at 12:00PM AKDT by NWS Fairbanks AK
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
14 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
48h 30m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route offers a unique driving experience, as it exclusively utilizes the Alaska Marine Highway system, meaning you'll be traveling primarily by ferry. With a 0% highway share, you won't encounter typical interstate conditions. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 334.5 miles on the Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat segment. Prepare for a journey where the road is replaced by waterways, offering a different perspective on Alaska's vastness as you navigate between coastal communities.
0% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 334.5 mi on Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
At 48h 30m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near AK 7 / Water Street.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 936.8 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (AK 7 / Water Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (Ketchikan Ferry Terminal Road): Navigation decision point; at 279.1 miles (Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
102 ft0 ft
Total Climb
102 ft
Total Descent
27 ft
Highest Point
102 ft
~936.8 mi in
Elevation Range
102 ft
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Ketchikan is a scenic town of approximately 14,000 people (2014) along the Tongass Narrows, at the foot of Deer Mountain, on Revillagigedo Island in Southeast Alaska. It is the southernmost and fourth largest city in Alaska.
Top landmarks
•Ketchikan Federal Building
•Burkhart-Dibrell House — historic house in Alaska, United States
•Gilmore Building — building in Ketchikan, United States of America
Anchorage is the largest city in Alaska, in the Southcentral region. Anchorage is a cosmopolitan port city with a population of 291 247 (2020). It is a consolidated city-borough referred to as a municipality. The urbanized city is defined by Muldoon Road to the east, Rabbit Creek Road to the south, and Cook Inlet to the north and west. Several small suburbs are within the Municipality of Anchorage while physically outside what most Anchorageites would call the "Anchorage" proper area. These include Eagle River and Chugiak to the north and Girdwood to the south.
Top landmarks
•Fort Richardson National Cemetery — United States National Cemetery in Anchorage, Alaska
•Alaska Native Heritage Center — cultural center in Anchorage, Alaska, United States
•Crow Creek Consolidated Gold Mining Company — historic gold mine near Girdwood, Alaska
The longest stretch is about 334.5 miles on Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — a 4-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 234 miles on day one.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Anchorage, AK before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 13 meaningful breaks. There are 1 rest area along the route for bathroom stops.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through AK can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (AK 7 / Water Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (Ketchikan Ferry Terminal Road): Navigation decision point; at 279.1 miles (Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach.
Not recommended in a single day. At 48.5 hours each way, a round trip means 97.0 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Anchorage, AK before the return drive.
