The first major highway built in Alaska crosses from Fairbanks south to Valdez. The Richardson Highway runs 368 miles and connects the Interior to the coast. The highway winds through the Alaskan wilderness with twists and turns that will thrill and terrify you.

The Richardson has only two lanes and very little shoulder for most of its 400 mile path. A drive to Valdez is always terrifying and thrilling.
Jeffrey L. Cohen | Flickr
The Richardson was once a walking trail that went from Valdez to Eagle. It eventually became the first road the state wanted to improve.
Abhijit Kamerkar | Flickr
The most thrilling section is between Glenallen and Valdez when the highway cuts through the Chugach Mountains in the Thompson Pass.
Abhijit Kamerkar | Flickr

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The Thompson Pass is a 2,805 foot-high gap in the Chugach Mountains near Valdez. A drive down the Richardson Highway takes you over this terrifying pass.
Jimmy Emerson, DVM | Flickr
It can also be trecherous when rainy and slick, especially when the rain freezes to form a thick sheet of ice on the roads.
Abhijit Kamerkar | Flickr
Sometimes it's foggy and freezing, making traffic crawl along the dim, icy road.
Kim F | Flickr
But a drive down the Richardson Highway is always great to make you feel alive.
Travis | Flickr

If you like this article, try out This Remote Alaska Road Is Picture Perfect For A Country Drive. You may also enjoy Driving Down This Haunted Alaska Road Will Give You Nightmares.

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