Elliott Highway

The Elliott Highway (Alaska Highway 2) starts as pavement in Fairbanks but transitions to well-maintained gravel after mile 73, winding through boreal forest and muskegs to the remote village of Manley Hot Springs. The route passes the Dalton Highway junction at mile 73 and continues through classic Interior Alaska terrain of black spruce forests, beaver ponds, and rolling hills. Key landmarks include the Tolovana River crossing and the Tofty Road junction, with the final stretch dropping into the Tanana River valley.

This is an easy to moderate drive suitable for any vehicle, though the gravel sections after mile 73 favor higher clearance vehicles. The route is passable year-round but can be icy in winter. No permits required, and there’s decent cell coverage until mile 50, then nothing. Manley Hot Springs offers basic services including the famous hot springs resort. The real draw here is accessing genuine bush Alaska – this is where locals go to get away from tourists, with excellent fishing, hunting, and a taste of what Alaska was like before the pipeline boom.