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Draft data. Times, fares and step counts are desk estimates awaiting field checks. Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify

Major city · United States

Deadhorse

Go only if you are driving the Dalton Highway or flying to the Arctic coast: 1 night, no more. There is no town life, no alcohol and no ocean access.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Jun–Aug (midnight sun, road open)
avoid Nov–Mar (extreme cold, lethal exposure risk)
Airport
SCC
Nights
1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Deadhorse is an oil-field service camp at Mile 414 of the Dalton Highway, 16 km from the Arctic Ocean, with a permanent population of about 25 and 2,000–3,000 rotating workers. Everything is prefabricated, everything is barged or trucked in, and prices reflect that. You come for the end-of-the-road feeling, the pipeline and the tundra, not for a town. One night is enough; two only if weather traps you.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Deadhorse, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$4–7
  • Street or quick mealGeneral-store snack or drink$3–8
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week$20–40
  • Budget bedFamily room (up to 4), a night, per roomUS$300
  • Mid-range bedHotel double room, a night, per roomUS$260
  • High-end bedHotel double room, a night, per roomUS$400

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$120 · Mid US$200 · High US$320

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

End of the Dalton HighwayPrudhoe Bay oil fieldArctic Ocean 16 km awayMidnight sun and polar night
Airports
SCC Deadhorse Airport (Year-round Alaska Airlines flights from Anchorage, Fairbanks and Utqiaġvik; some seats are cargo-configured. Book early — check schedules.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Deadhorse: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

−22°C

−30°C

1 rd

Feb

−22°C

−30°C

1 rd

Mar

−21°C

−29°C

1 rd

Apr

−12°C

−20°C

1 rd

May

−2°C

−7°C

1 rd

Jun

8°C

1°C

2 rd

Jul

13°C

4°C

3 rd

Aug

10°C

3°C

4 rd

Sep

4°C

−1°C

2 rd

Oct

−5°C

−11°C

1 rd

Nov

−13°C

−21°C

1 rd

Dec

−19°C

−27°C

1 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The camp is small but has no sidewalks and heavy oil-field trucks move constantly. Walking works in summer with high-visibility clothing and constant attention; in winter drive. A rental or company vehicle is the practical option most of the year.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Arctic Ocean viewpoint / Prudhoe Bay tours

caution

Door to door: 2–4 h

Guided tour or oil-field escort by vehicle from Deadhorse

Access needs permission, photo ID and can be refused; not all tours reach the water.

Coldfoot

overnight

Door to door: About 6–8 h

Drive south on the Dalton Highway

386 km with no services; sleep there, don't turn around.

Wiseman

overnight

Door to door: About 7–9 h

Drive the Dalton south past Coldfoot

A real village with a handful of cabins; pair with Coldfoot.

Utqiaġvik

go

Door to door: About 1 h flight

Alaska Airlines from Deadhorse Airport

The other Arctic Alaska base; flights are limited, book ahead.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Airport and Spine Road cluster

Arctic Oilfield Hotel and the general store; walkable to the terminal, no sidewalks.

Lake Colleen Road

The Aurora Hotel and Prudhoe Bay Motel; quieter, still a short drive from everything.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$120–180 excl. bed
Mid
$180–260 excl. bed
High
$260+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Hotel double room1 × 1 night × US$260US$260
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$200US$400
Airport transfer, both ways2 × US$40 · checkUS$80
Arctic Ocean / Prudhoe Bay tour2 × US$250 · checkUS$500
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$25US$50
Buffer 15%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$194
Trip total≈ US$742 per person per day, bed includedUS$1,484

2026 estimate in US dollars; flights and the Dalton drive excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$4–7
Hot meal at a hotel restaurant$20–35
Gallon of fuelcheck$6–9
General-store snack or drink$3–8
eSIM or data SIM, about a week$20–40

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Polar climate, no alcohol, bears and trucks. The real risks are cold, exposure and wildlife — not crime.
  • Alcohol is banned: the North Slope Borough is dry and oil-field areas forbid it.
  • No services for 386 km south until Coldfoot — fuel up before leaving.
  • Polar bears appear on the coast mainly Aug–Sep and can show up any time; scan before leaving any building.
  • Grizzly bears inland: never leave food or food containers outside.
  • Winter wind chill has reached about −74 °C; exposure is lethal within minutes.
  • Prudhoe Bay itself needs oil-field permission, photo ID and can be refused — most tours never reach the water.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911
Alaska State Troopers (non-emergency)
907-269-5511

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

DeadhorseDeadhorse

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • Alaska State Troopers (non-emergency)907-269-5511

Embassy

No embassies or consulates in Deadhorse; nearest consular services are in Anchorage.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Alaska Airlines Anchorage → Deadhorse: about $400–700 one way, 3.5 h (check)
  • Alaska Airlines Fairbanks → Deadhorse: about $300–500 one way, 2 h (check)
  • Airport → hotel in Deadhorse: $15–30 by taxi or shuttle (check)

Say or show

  • Where is the general store? — Where is the general store?
  • Is the road open? — Is the road open?
  • I need help — I need help

Alcohol is not sold anywhere in Deadhorse.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Deadhorse. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Jun–Aug (midnight sun, road open) · avoid Nov–Mar (extreme cold, lethal exposure risk) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 2 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 6 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for SCC: flight banks, taxi and shuttle fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Two walking clusters with rescue anchors: airport/Spine Road and Lake Colleen Road.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (general store, fuel stations, airport) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Winter and polar-bear arrival fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources