Alaska is a relatively young state. Far before we even became a state, gold miners flocked to Alaska to explore the “Last Frontier.” What started as a pack trail, the Richardson Highway in Alaska is now one of the most scenic routes in the entire state. This road routinely gets added to many people’s bucket lists, and it’s no surprise why!

The Richardson Highway started out as a pack trail in Valdez, Alaska.

lwtt93 / Flickr It ran from Valdez to Eagle, at a distance of around 408 miles. This pack trail was built in 1898 by the US Army, as an “All American Route” to the Klondike Gold Fields, instead of the many trails through Canada.

To this day, you can still find the original trail that cuts through Keystone Canyon outside of Valdez.

Abhijit Kamerkar / Flickr The trail parallels the paved Richardson Highway, until ascending up through the mountains into Thompson Pass. Even after the gold rush ended, the Army kept the trail open for easy access from Fort Liscum in Valdez, to Fort Egbert in Eagle.

The pack trail originally ended in Eagle, Alaska.

Alaska Center For Energy and Power / Flickr As Eagle is right on the border of Canada, the trail was a perfect way in for many miners going after the Klondike Gold Rush. The United States Army camp, Fort Egbert, was built at Eagle in 1900. A telegraph line was also completed between Valdez and Eagle in 1903.

When the 1902 gold rush hit Fairbanks and Nome, many people were lured away from Eagle.

Fairbanks Mike / Flickr In 1903 Judge James Wickersham moved the Third District Court to Fairbanks. Due to that and the significance of the strung telegraph, the trail was was considered one of the most important access routes to interior Alaska, and so the Alaska Road Commission upgraded it to a wagon road.

U.S. Army General Wilds P. Richardson headed up the highway project.

Ronald Woan / Flickr In honor of his work, the highway was later named for him. The government ended up hiring many of the failed gold prospectors to build the highway, and many of the Roadhouses that were built along the road ended up being on the National Register of Historic Places.

The first car that traveled the road from Valdez to Eagle drove it in 1913.

Richardson Highway / Wikipedia The entire road was finally upgraded to automotive standards in the early 1920’s. In 1933 The Alaska Road Commission ended up collecting tolls for commercial vehicles, sometimes up to $175 per trip, to help fund the maintenance of the road.

With the opening of the southern part of the highway in the 1950’s year-round, the road was paved in 1957.

Mr. Hicks46 / Flickr Nowadays, the Richardson Highway is absent of any tolls, and is a dream of a road trip. The views of the multitude of mountain ranges, culminating in the sight of Worthington Glacier right before Thompson Pass, stun the visitors of this highway each year. Recognized as the first major road in Alaska, the Richardson Highway is now a glorious 368 miles from Valdez, to Fairbanks.

For some first-person footage of views along the route and additional info about the history, check ou the short video below.

lwtt93 / Flickr

It ran from Valdez to Eagle, at a distance of around 408 miles. This pack trail was built in 1898 by the US Army, as an “All American Route” to the Klondike Gold Fields, instead of the many trails through Canada.

Abhijit Kamerkar / Flickr

The trail parallels the paved Richardson Highway, until ascending up through the mountains into Thompson Pass. Even after the gold rush ended, the Army kept the trail open for easy access from Fort Liscum in Valdez, to Fort Egbert in Eagle.

Alaska Center For Energy and Power / Flickr

As Eagle is right on the border of Canada, the trail was a perfect way in for many miners going after the Klondike Gold Rush. The United States Army camp, Fort Egbert, was built at Eagle in 1900. A telegraph line was also completed between Valdez and Eagle in 1903.

Fairbanks Mike / Flickr

In 1903 Judge James Wickersham moved the Third District Court to Fairbanks. Due to that and the significance of the strung telegraph, the trail was was considered one of the most important access routes to interior Alaska, and so the Alaska Road Commission upgraded it to a wagon road.

Ronald Woan / Flickr

In honor of his work, the highway was later named for him. The government ended up hiring many of the failed gold prospectors to build the highway, and many of the Roadhouses that were built along the road ended up being on the National Register of Historic Places.

Richardson Highway / Wikipedia

The entire road was finally upgraded to automotive standards in the early 1920’s. In 1933 The Alaska Road Commission ended up collecting tolls for commercial vehicles, sometimes up to $175 per trip, to help fund the maintenance of the road.

Mr. Hicks46 / Flickr

Nowadays, the Richardson Highway is absent of any tolls, and is a dream of a road trip. The views of the multitude of mountain ranges, culminating in the sight of Worthington Glacier right before Thompson Pass, stun the visitors of this highway each year. Recognized as the first major road in Alaska, the Richardson Highway is now a glorious 368 miles from Valdez, to Fairbanks.

Have you traveled the Richardson Highway in Alaska? What was your favorite part of the road? Tell us in the comments!

Are you looking for a great place to sleep or eat while traveling down the Richardson Highway? Check out this Gorgeous Wilderness Lodge In Alaska Where The Buffalo Roam!

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