Try searching for
Road Trip
Dempster Highway
Gravel, tundra, and the only public road in Canada that crosses the Arctic Circle.
Overview
The Dempster Highway is North America's great wilderness road. For 740 km of unpaved gravel, it climbs out of Dawson City, traverses the Tombstone Range, crosses the Arctic Circle, fords the Peel and Mackenzie rivers, and ends in the Inuvialuit hamlet of Inuvik above the tree line. There is nothing else like it.
Completed in 1979 and named for North-West Mounted Police Inspector W.J.D. Dempster, the highway opened the western Arctic to road travel for the first time. Services are spaced by hundreds of kilometres; cell coverage does not exist outside the trailheads. This is a drive that rewards self-sufficiency — a full-size spare, jerry cans of fuel, satellite communication, and a willingness to let weather dictate your pace.
The reward is solitude on a scale most travellers never experience. The Tombstone Territorial Park is a sub-arctic Patagonia of jagged peaks and tundra ridges. The Eagle Plains lodge, at kilometre 369, is the only fuel and food between Dawson City and Fort McPherson. Beyond, the road crosses the Arctic Circle, traverses the Richardson Mountains, and descends into the Mackenzie Delta — a flat green world of channels and lakes that feels closer to Siberia than to Canada.
The route
From start to finish
An approximate path through 5 key waypoints along the drive.
Approximate route · 5 of 5 stops mapped
Day by day
The itinerary
A suggested route designed to balance driving time with the stops that matter.
Dawson City to Tombstone
Stock up in Dawson City, drive 70 km up the Dempster, and overnight at the Tombstone Interpretive Centre — alpenglow on the peaks at midnight in June.
Tombstone to Eagle Plains
Climb out of the Ogilvie Mountains, cross the Continental Divide, and reach the lonely Eagle Plains lodge at km 369 for fuel and a meal.
Arctic Circle to Fort McPherson
Cross the Arctic Circle at km 405, ferry across the Peel River, and overnight at the Tetlit Gwich'in community of Fort McPherson.
Fort McPherson to Inuvik
Ferry the Mackenzie River at Tsiigehtchic, drive the final 140 km through black spruce forest, and arrive at the Igloo Church in Inuvik.
Inuvik & the Mackenzie Delta
Tour the community, take a flightseeing trip over the delta, or extend on the Inuvik–Tuktoyaktuk Highway for the Arctic Ocean dip.
Return to Dawson City
Retrace the highway south. With practice and confidence, the return drive moves faster — but build in weather contingency.
Signature stops
Don't miss
Tombstone Territorial Park
Arctic Circle crossing
Peel & Mackenzie ferries
Inuvik & the Igloo Church
Where this road leads
Related destinations
Good to know
Frequently
asked.
Practical answers from travellers who have driven this route.
- Do I need a 4x4 for the Dempster?
- Not strictly — but you need a vehicle with high ground clearance, sturdy all-terrain tires, and at minimum a full-size spare. Many travellers carry two spares. Standard rental sedans are not appropriate.
- When is the highway open?
- The road is technically open year-round, but spring breakup (May) and freeze-up (October) close the ferries and make it impassable. Late June through early September is the realistic window.
- How do I refuel on the route?
- Fuel is available in Dawson City, Eagle Plains (km 369), Fort McPherson (km 555), and Inuvik (km 740). Carry one or two jerry cans for insurance — stations have been known to run dry during peak season.
Planning the bigger trip?
Read our full guide to Canadian road-trip itineraries.
Plan smarter
Related travel guides
Getting Around · 8 min
Getting Around Canada
Flights, trains, road trips, and ferries — how to cross the world's second-largest country.
Read guide →What to Pack · 6 min
Packing by Season
A season-by-season packing list for a country that swings from -40°C in February to +35°C in July.
Read guide →Money & Budget · 5 min
Money, Tipping & Daily Costs
How much to budget per day, how tipping really works, and where to get the best exchange rate.
Read guide →Connectivity · 4 min
Phones, SIMs & Connectivity
How to stay connected without a CAD $300 roaming bill.
Read guide →Keep exploring
Other road trips
Alberta
Icefields Parkway
Lake Louise to Jasper through a corridor of glaciers, turquoise lakes, and roadside grizzlies.
Explore →Nova Scotia
Cabot Trail
A loop around Cape Breton's wild northern coast, with whale-watching, hikes, and lobster suppers.
Explore →British Columbia
Sea-to-Sky Highway
Vancouver to Whistler along the Howe Sound fjord — waterfalls, granite walls, and ocean on one side.
Explore →Québec
Gaspé Peninsula
A grand loop around Québec's eastern peninsula where the St. Lawrence meets the open Atlantic.
Explore →Ready to go?
Plan this road trip with us.
Tell us when you'd like to travel and what you're hoping to experience. A Canadian trip designer will reply within one business day with a custom itinerary built around "Dempster Highway" — no obligation, no pressure.
Free consultation · Reply within 1 business day