How far is Ketchikan, AK from Utqiagvik, AK?

The driving distance from Ketchikan, AK to Utqiagvik, AK is about 1843.8 miles (2967.3 km), with a travel time of about 74h 20m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 1328.4 miles (2137.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 148h 40m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM AKDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
1843.81 mi
74h 20m
Flight
1328.39 mi
2137.84 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Ketchikan.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
1328.39 mi
Kilometers
2137.84 km
Flight Time
02h 40m

Driving Distance

Road route
1843.81 mi
Kilometers
2967.33 km
Drive Time
74h 20m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 74h 20m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Utqiagvik
Wed, Apr 22, 5:46 AM AKDT
Return by in Ketchikan
Sat, Apr 25, 8:06 AM AKDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Ketchikan
2026-04-19T03:26
Arrive Utqiagvik
Wed, Apr 22, 5:46 AM AKDT
Route Timing
74h 20m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM AKDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
8:20 AM to 9:50 AM AKDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
7:20 AM AKDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Ketchikan
8:00 PM AKDT
Overnight-style route

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Anchorage
AK

The most populous city in Alaska and the center of the Anchorage metropolitan area.

From Ketchikan
919.1 mi
37h 10m
To Utqiagvik
924.7 mi
37h 10m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
45°F
Sunday

Chance Rain And Snow

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM AKDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph NW
Destination
Utqiagvik Weather
AK
Live fallback forecast
40°F
Sunday
Using College as the closest live forecast in the Alaska weather hub.

Chance Light Snow

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM AKDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph E

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Ketchikan and Utqiagvik.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Ketchikan and Utqiagvik.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    760 ft · 34 sec

  2. 2

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Water Street

    66 m · 12 sec · Water Street

  3. 3

    Continue on Water Street

    1875 ft · 37 sec · Water Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Tongass Avenue

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Tongass Avenue

  5. 5

    Turn left

    39 m · 5 sec

  6. 6

    Turn right

    131 m · 37 sec

  7. 7

    Turn left onto Ketchikan Ferry Terminal Road

    143 m · 41 sec · Ketchikan Ferry Terminal Road

  8. 8

    Turn straight onto Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Juneau

    276.8 mi · 8 hr · Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Juneau

  9. 9

    Turn sharp left onto Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat

    262.6 mi · 17 hr · Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat

  10. 10

    Turn sharp left onto Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat

    334.5 mi · 22 hr · Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat

  11. 11

    Continue straight

    114 m · 7 sec

  12. 12

    At the end of the road, turn right onto West Camp Road

    53 m · 9 sec · West Camp Road

  13. 13

    Continue on West Camp Road

    1.4 mi · 2 min · West Camp Road

  14. 14

    Continue on Portage Glacier Highway

    4.7 mi · 11 min · Portage Glacier Highway

  15. 15

    Continue on Portage Glacier Road

    5 mi · 7 min · Portage Glacier Road

  16. 16

    Turn right onto Seward Highway

    47.2 mi · 59 min · Seward Highway

  17. 17

    Continue on Ingra Street

    1 mi · 2 min · Ingra Street

  18. 18

    Turn right onto East 6th Avenue

    1924 ft · 57 sec · East 6th Avenue

  19. 19

    Continue on East 5th Avenue

    1 mi · 2 min · East 5th Avenue

  20. 20

    Continue on Glenn Highway

    33 mi · 38 min · Glenn Highway

  21. 21

    Keep slight left to continue on East Parks Highway

    14.5 mi · 20 min · East Parks Highway

  22. 22

    Continue on West Parks Highway

    4.2 mi · 6 min · West Parks Highway

  23. 23

    Continue on George Parks Highway

    299.8 mi · 5 hr 59 min · George Parks Highway

  24. 24

    Take the exit slight right

    990 ft · 24 sec

  25. 25

    Keep slight left

    1078 ft · 28 sec

  26. 26

    Turn left onto Geist Road

    1.6 mi · 2 min · Geist Road

  27. 27

    Continue on Johansen Expressway

    4.2 mi · 5 min · Johansen Expressway

  28. 28

    Turn left onto Steese Highway

    9.1 mi · 13 min · Steese Highway

  29. 29

    Continue on Elliott Highway

    68.1 mi · 1 hr 39 min · Elliott Highway

  30. 30

    Continue on Dalton Highway

    415.8 mi · 14 hr 21 min · Dalton Highway

  31. 31

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Colleen Lake Road

    1.5 km · 2 min · Colleen Lake Road

  32. 32

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Spine Road

    34.5 mi · 1 hr 23 min · Spine Road

  33. 33

    Continue on Spine Road

    1860 ft · 51 sec · Spine Road

  34. 34

    Continue on Spine Road

    1.4 mi · 3 min · Spine Road

  35. 35

    Keep slight right to continue on Oliktok Road

    4.9 mi · 12 min · Oliktok Road

  36. 36

    Turn left

    1.2 km · 2 min

  37. 37

    Turn left

    10.4 mi · 25 min

  38. 38

    Turn right

    2.9 mi · 18 min

  39. 39

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Ketchikan and Utqiagvik.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
39 steps
18 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
1
0 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
2.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Dalton Highway
416 mi · 23%
Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat
335 mi · 18%
George Parks Highway
300 mi · 16%
Alaska Marine Highway - Ketchikan ↔ Juneau
277 mi · 15%
Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat
263 mi · 14%
Elliott Highway
68.1 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

Dalton Highway

Continue on Dalton Highway

416 mi · 14h 21m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
74h 20m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
148h 40m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+515.4 mi
1328.4 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Anchorage
37h 10m from Ketchikan
Leave By
7:20 AM AKDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Chance Rain And Snow leaving Ketchikan and Chance Light Snow near Utqiagvik.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Ketchikan to Utqiagvik?

The road trip is about 1843.8 miles (2967.3 km) and usually takes 74h 20m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Anchorage is a useful midpoint, sitting about 919.1 miles from Ketchikan and 924.7 miles from Utqiagvik.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 1328.4 miles (2137.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 515.4 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM AKDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $322.11 one way or $644.22 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 578.2 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Rain And Snow around Ketchikan and Chance Light Snow near Utqiagvik.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Ketchikan and Utqiagvik. Straight-line distance: 1328.39 mi (2137.84 km).

Ketchikan

#1 Ketchikan

City in Alaska, USA

Population8,187
Coordinates55.3418000, -131.6475700
Altitude8
CountryUnited States
Utqiagvik

#2 Utqiagvik

Most northerly city in Alaska, USA

Population4,390
Coordinates71.2905800, -156.7887200
Altitude3
CountryUnited States
Start: Ketchikan (-131.64757, 55.3418)
End: Utqiagvik (-156.78872, 71.29058)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 2967 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)61h 26m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)46h 05m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)36h 52m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)30h 43m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)26h 20m
80 mph (129 km/h)23h 00m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
65.06 gal
246.29 L · about $322.11
Round trip
$644.22
130.12 gal · 492.58 L
Estimated CO2
578.2 kg one way
Round trip: 1156.4 kg / 2549 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.95 $322.11 $644.22
Mid-grade $5.34 $347.29 $694.58
Premium $5.57 $362.12 $724.25
Diesel $6.37 $414.17 $828.34

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Alaska · Apr 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Ketchikan and Utqiagvik. The current time is 03:26:09.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.