America's Scenic Byways

Richardson Highway

128 miles - 2 hours one way.

The Richardson Highway is Alaska's oldest highway, beginning as a gold rush trail to Eagle in 1898. General Wilds P. Richardson worked to upgrade it to a wagon road in 1910 after the Fairbanks gold strike. It was made suitable for automobiles in the 1920s and was paved in 1957. Major side excursions include Chitina and McCarthy via the Edgerton Highway and McCarthy Road.