Tuktoyaktuk All-Season Highway — Inuvik to the Arctic Ocean
Gravel to the Arctic Ocean — the continent's top.
Highway 10 — the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway — opened in November 2017 as the first all-season public road to reach the Arctic Ocean in Canada, ending the community of Tuktoyaktuk’s century-long dependence on winter ice roads. The 137-kilometre route follows the Mackenzie Delta eastward before climbing onto the coastal plain, crossing permafrost terrain that demanded an engineered gravel berm to insulate the ground beneath. The Caribou Creek bridge at roughly km 50 is the significant engineered crossing; north of there the tundra opens flat and enormous, and you start seeing caribou, muskox, and beluga whales offshore if the timing is right. Rolling into Tuk and walking down to touch the Arctic Ocean is a genuine bucket-list moment — dip your hand in and you’ve driven to the top of North America.
The highway is gravel from end to end — washboard is relentless and rock chips are brutal on glass; a good windshield protector and spare tire matter. Stock high-clearance trucks handle it fine in summer, though the road can be impassable during extreme freeze-thaw events in shoulder seasons. Fuel is available in Inuvik and Tuk; stock up in Inuvik regardless. No camping in Tuk without permission, but dispersed camping on Crown land south of the community is possible. Open year-round, but summer (June–September) is the practical window for most overland rigs.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Moderate |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Overland Route, Scenic Drive |
| Surface | Gravel |
| Features | Camping, Historic, Remote, Scenic |
| Length (miles) | 85 mi / 137 km |
| Duration | 1 day |
| Max elevation (ft) | 820 ft |
| Best season | June–September |
| Minimum vehicle | Stock 4WD high-clearance |
| Nearest town | Inuvik, NT |
| Land manager | Government of Northwest Territories — Infrastructure |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | No |
| Dispersed camping | Yes |
| Official sources | inf.gov.nt.ca |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
| Copy both for Google Maps directionsClick to copy the directions URL · or open it directly in a new tab | |
| Find on Google | Search on Google → |
Location
Trail Conditions
No recent condition reports. Be the first to post one.
Log in to post a condition report.
Frequently asked questions
Can a stock SUV handle the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway, or do I need a lifted rig?
A stock 4WD high-clearance vehicle handles this fine under normal summer conditions. The road is well-maintained gravel, not a rock-crawling trail — your concern is washboard, loose gravel, and the occasional pothole, not technical obstacles.
When is the highway open, and what happens if I try it in winter?
The highway is open year-round as an all-season road, but the best window for overlanding is June through September. Winter travel is possible but means extreme cold, potential whiteouts, and limited services — it's a serious expedition, not a casual drive.
Are there any permits or fees to drive the Inuvik to Tuk highway?
No permits or fees required — it's a public territorial highway. You drive it like any other road in Canada.
What's the hardest part of this route and what should I actually expect?
There's no single brutal section — the challenge is cumulative: 85 miles of gravel, zero services between Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk, and conditions that can deteriorate fast after rain. Washboard stretches will punish loose gear and shake loose anything on your vehicle that isn't secured.
There's no cell service on this highway — how far is the nearest fuel from Tuktoyaktuk?
Fuel is available in both Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk, with nothing in between, so top off before you leave either end. The 85-mile (137 km) stretch is manageable on a single tank, but carrying a jerry can is standard practice this far north.
Trail track
No GPX track for this trail yet. If you've driven it and have a track, contribute below.
Log in to contribute a GPX track.