Steese Highway
MP 0
| Fairbanks –
Intersection with Richardson Hwy MP 362
Intersection with Parks Highway MP 358
| Also see MP 362 Richardson Highway for additional Fairbanks information. | Links: Steese National Conservation Area
White Mountains Trail Condition Report
Downloads: Steese & Elliott Hwys Travel Guide – BLM
Steese National Conservation Area Map
BLM Campgrounds Steese-Taylor-Elliott Highways
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MP 2.7
| Birch Hill Recreation Area
| Access: Turn west on Fairhill Road and then an immediate left on Birch Hill Road. Drive 1.95 miles and turn right at the “T”. The park will be straight ahead of you.
Turn off: Lat N 64⁰ 52.138’ Long W 147⁰ 40.286’ Elevation 503’ | Links:
Nordic Ski Club Birch Hill Facilities
Downloads: Birch Hill Sunnyside Trail Map 2017
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MP 4.5
| Chena Hot Springs Road Intersection MP 0
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| Links: Chena River State Recreation Area
Trail Reports and Park Conditions
River Guide for Chena River SRA
Downloads:
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MP 9.5
| Gold Dredge #8 National Historic Site
| Access: Turn left on Goldstream Road, drive .3 mile and turn left on Old Steese Highway; the entrance to the parking lot is on the right at .1 mile. Privately owned.
Turn off: Lat N 64⁰ 56.580’ Long W 147⁰ 38.661’ Elevation 696’ | Links:
Downloads: |
MP 11
| Fox
Intersection with Elliot Highway MP 0
| Be sure to turn right for the continuation of the Steese Highway (unless you stop for gas here. If you stop for gas, you need to go straight when you get back to the intersection– this is very easy to miss). This is the last gas for 116.7 miles on the Steese Highway (there is most likely gas in Central and Circle, but call before you proceed – see below). |
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MP 16.6
| Felix Pedro Monument, Rest area, and interpretive trail
| Access: West side of the highway.
Lat N 65⁰ 00.572’ Long W 147⁰ 29.893’ Elevation 1097’
Distance: .3 mile Elevation Drop: 23’ Difficulty: Easy Best Months: Year-round Valerie’s Rating: ❸ | Downloads: |
MP20.5
| Ski Land
| Access: Turn right for Ski Land and drive .8 miles. Although there is a sign to the left for Cleary Summit, it has not operated since 1993.
Turn off: Lat N 65⁰ 02.794’ Long W 147⁰ 26.242’ Elevation 2222’ | Links:
Historic Cleary Summit Ski Area
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MP 20.9 | Cleary Summit
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| Links: MP 20.9 Road Weather Conditions
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MP 39
| Upper Chatanika River SRS
| Access: Turn west into the campground. This is an older campground with 24 sites, but it’s nice enough. There is a well, but you’ll want to bring your own water due to the poor taste. Camping fee only; no charge for day use.
Lat N 65⁰ 11.549’ Long W 147⁰ 15.365’ Elevation 661’ Valerie’s Rating: ❸ | Links:
Gage Chatanika River at Steese Hwy Bridge
Gage Chatanika River at Elliot Hwy Bridge
Downloads: |
MP 42.5
| McKay Creek Trailhead
| Access: West side of the road.
Lat N 65⁰ 13.250’ Long W 147⁰ 09.966’ Elevation 901’
Distance: See the download for distances of trail network Elevation Gain: Varies Difficulty: Varies Best Months: Year-round.
Summer uses include hiking, mountain biking, and ATV’s. In winter trails are groomed for snowmachines, skijoring, dog mushing, skiing, and snow shoeing. | Links: White Mountains Trail Condition Report
Downloads: Steese & Elliott Hwys Travel Guide – BLM
Cabin Reservations - White Mountains NRA
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MP 57.3
| Davidson Ditch Historic Site | Access: Pullout on the west side of the highway, just before U.S. Creek Road. |
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MP 57.4
| U.S. Creek Road to Nome Creek Road
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Rest area
| The intersection is on the west side of the highway. Drive 6.9 miles to another intersection: Mt. Prindle campground is 4 miles to the right (13 sites), and Ophir Campground is 12 miles to the left (20 sites). Both campgrounds are very nice and in a pretty sub-alpine Boreal Forest. In winter, there are over 200 miles of maintained winter trails.
Turn off: Lat N 65⁰ 16.044’ Long W 146⁰ 43.490’ Elevation 1157’
From the 6.9 mile intersection, take a right turn and drive 3.2 miles to the Quartz Creek trailhead (parking on the left). For the Table Top Mountain trailhead, turn left and drive 8.34 miles (parking on the right). For the put-in for the Beaver Creek Wild & Scenic River, turn left and drive 12.3 miles to the end of the road.
Quartz Creek Trail: “Off Highway Vehicle Trail/multi-use trail. This 16-mile developed trail climbs into alpine tundra and passes through white spruce forest valleys. The trail traverses a series of ridge lines with sweeping valley views to end at Quartz Creek. The Quartz Creek trail includes steep grades, rough terrain and several stream crossings.”
Table Top Mountain Trail: Distance: 4.1 miles (including .15 spur trail to mesa top) Elevation Gain: 1083’ Difficulty: Easy-Moderate Best Months: Year-round
This is a loop trail designated for non-motorized use only (you would not want to bike this). The trail information says 3 miles, but it is actually 4.1 miles. “As the trail climbs above tree line, it passes through a regenerative spruce forest burned in a 2004 wildfire. A short side trip to the summit of the mesa-shaped mountain (elev. 3130’) is well-worth the extra effort.” There are some trees down over the first mile (easy to get around), but overall the trail is in good shape. At 1.6 mile you will start to see some large rock cairns; weather can come in quickly here, so carry a GPS and/or compass, and watch for cairns. At 1.84 you will come to an unsigned fork – going straight will take you on the .15 spur trail to the mesa, and going right will take you back to your car. Be sure to note where this is, because you will have to find this intersection after coming down from the mesa. Valerie’s Rating: ❹ | Links:
White Mountains Trail Condition Report
Beaver Creek Wild & Scenic River Brochure
Table Top Mountain Trail Conditions
Downloads: BLM Campgrounds Steese-Taylor-Elliott Highways
BLM White Mountains Brochure - Winter Trails and Cabins
Beaver Creek Wild & Scenic River Brochure
Table Top Mountain GPS Trail Topo Map
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MP 60
| Cripple Creek Campground | Access: East side of the highway, just before the MP 60 marker. 21 campsites, nice campground with private sites.
Lat N 65⁰ 16.653’ Long W 146⁰ 38.861’ Elevation 1205’
Cripple Creek Interpretive Trail: Distance: .6 mile interpretive loop, .4 mile pond loop Elevation Drop: 62’ Difficulty: Easy Best Months: Year-round
The trail information here starts from the trailhead at the boat ramp area, though you can access the trails from the campground. After crossing the first bridge, an unmarked return loop to the right at .15 miles takes you past an old trapper’s cabin, but you can continue along the river bank to the campground and come back to the loop. At .25 you reach the campground walk-in sites; turn right here to reach the campground road. On the return loop, the trail doesn’t appear to be maintained, but it is still fairly easily passible. It is well-worth seeing the trapper’s cabin, and noticing how well it was built for a log structure back in the day. Valerie’s Rating: ❹ | Links:
Downloads: BLM Campgrounds Steese-Taylor-Elliott Highways
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MP 76.8 | Montana Creek Maintenance Station
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| Links: MP 76.8 Road Weather Conditions
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MP 81.3 |
| Pavement ends. The road past here can be slippery in places when wet. |
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MP 85.4
| Twelvemile Summit Wayside & Pinnell Mt. Nat’l Recreation Trail
| Access: The parking area is on the right side of the road; cross the Steese highway to access the trail on the west side.
Lat N 65⁰ 23.878’ Long W 145⁰ 58.355’ Elevation 3213’
Distance: 27.3 miles one-way to the MP 107.1 trailhead Elevation Gain: 1691’ with many elevation changes Difficulty: Strenuous (8-25% grade – see brochure) Best Months: Mid to late Summer
Even though I was unable to hike on this trail due to weather (socked-in), I was able to catch glimpses of how beautiful this alpine area is. Weather can come in quickly so you will want to have a GPS and a compass as a back-up. This route requires route-finding and navigational skills. Do not attempt this trail without first obtaining a copy of the brochure (see Downloads or contact the Fairbanks BLM office). Valerie’s Rating: ❺ | Links:
Birch Creek Wild and Scenic River
Downloads: Birch Creek National Wild River brochure
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MP 94.1
| Upper Birch Creek Wayside
| Access: East side of the road. The access road is steep, and very slippery when wet.
Lat N 65⁰ 23.675’ Long W 145⁰ 43.572’ Elevation 2060’ | Links: Birch Creek Wild & Scenic River
Birch Creek Wild and Scenic River
Downloads: |
MP 107.1
| Eagle Summit Wayside & Pinnell Mt. Nat’l Recreation Trail
| Access: West side of the road. There is also a .3 mile easy interpretive trail with a 23’ elevation gain.
Lat N 65⁰ 29.013’ Long W 145⁰ 24.612’ Elevation 3611’
Distance: 27.3 miles one-way to the MP 85.4 trailhead Elevation Gain: 1691’ with many elevation changes Difficulty: Strenuous (8-25% grade – see brochure) Best Months: Mid to late Summer
Even though I was unable to hike on this trail due to weather (socked-in), I was able to catch glimpses of how beautiful this alpine area is. Weather can come in quickly so you will want to have a GPS and a compass as a back-up. This route requires route-finding and navigational skills. Do not attempt this trail without first obtaining a copy of the brochure (see Downloads or contact the Fairbanks BLM office). Valerie’s Rating: ❺ | Links:
Birch Creek Wild and Scenic River
Downloads: Eagle Summit - Steese - Photographing Midnight Sun –BLM
Birch Creek National Wild River brochure
Pinnell Mountain National Rec Trail brochure
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MP 127.7
| Central
| There is gas here at the intersection on the right, but call first before taking the Steese Highway – 907-520-5800. Circle Hot springs is no longer open, but check back, since it is for sale.
Lat N 65⁰ 34.332’ Long W 144⁰ 48.236’ Elevation 929’ | Links:
FAA Webcam Weather Conditions
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MP 140.4
| Lower Birch Creek Wayside
| Access: East side of the road.
| Links: Birch Creek Wild & Scenic River
Birch Creek Wild and Scenic River
Downloads: |
MP 147.1 | Birch Creek Bridge
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| Downloads: |
MP 162 | Circle | End of the Road. Gas at H.C. Company Store – 907-773-1222, but call first. |
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