Should You Drive the Dempster Highway?

People ask me about the Dempster Highway constantly. Should I drive it? Is it hard? Do I need a special vehicle? What if I get a flat tire? Let me try to give you an honest set of answers. ### What the Dempster Actually Is The [Dempster Highway](/dempster-highway) runs 671 km from the Klondike Highway junction (about 40 km east of Dawson City) north to Inuvik, Northwest Territories. The entire road is gravel. It crosses two mountain ranges — the Ogilvie Mountains through Tombstone Territorial Park, and the Richardson Mountains above the Arctic Circle. It crosses two rivers by ferry in summer and ice bridge in winter. There are long stretches with no services at all. It is also one of the most spectacular drives in North America. The Tombstone Mountains in the first 100 km are extraordinary — jagged granite peaks rising out of tundra, caribou occasionally crossing the road, Dall sheep on the slopes. The Arctic Circle crossing is a genuine landmark. The view from the Richardson Mountains is the kind of thing that people fly to other countries to see. ### Who It's Right For The Dempster is right for you if: you want to drive to the Arctic Circle or beyond; you're comfortable on gravel roads at reasonable speeds (80 km/h is fine, 100 km/h is asking for trouble); you're willing to carry two spare tires and take road conditions seriously; and you have the time for it — a there-and-back from Dawson City to Tombstone and back is a full day, to the Arctic Circle is two days minimum, to Inuvik requires four to five. You don't need a 4WD vehicle. You don't need a truck. People drive the Dempster in regular cars every summer. What you need is a vehicle in good mechanical condition, two full-size spares (not space-savers), and the patience to drive at appropriate speeds on gravel. ### What Can Go Wrong Flat tires are the most common problem, and they happen to a lot of Dempster drivers. A sharp rock at an inopportune angle, and you're on the side of the road changing a tire. This is fine if you have spares and know how to change a tire. It's a serious problem if you're driving on one spare and you're 200 km from the nearest town. Road conditions can change with rain. Gravel that drives fine in dry weather becomes slippery when wet. The Ogilvie Mountains section and the Richardson Mountains section can have patches of mud in sustained rain. Fuel is limited to Eagle Plains (km 363) between Dawson City and Inuvik. You need to fuel up in Dawson City before you start, and again at Eagle Plains. Do not assume you can stretch it. ### The Minimum Worthwhile Trip If you want to experience the Dempster without committing to the full return trip to Inuvik, drive to Tombstone Territorial Park (km 71–72) and spend a night at the campground. The interpretive centre is excellent. The hiking is first-rate. And the drive through the Tombstone Mountain section is the most visually spectacular part of the highway. See our full [Dempster Highway Hub](/dempster-highway) for everything you need to plan it well.