Alaska

Hitchhiking in Alaska in winter is very dangerous as there are not many major cities, nor many passing vehicles during the winter. For these reasons, most vehicles that do pass will most likely stop for hitchhikers, but trying to travel to precise locations and/or long distances is not recommended. On the other hand, Alaska in winters can be spectacular as you have the higher chance to see 'Aurora borealis'.

In summer it is great though. You can get from Fairbanks to Prudhoe bay in 2 days on the Dalton Highway. Be careful with hungry grizzly, black and polar bears though.

There are few roads in Alaska that cover any real distance that are not highways. Fortunately, most of the time, the highways are much more friendly than the interstates of the Lower 48. The epic and beautiful scenery calls for a huge number of turnoffs, giving the hitchhiker ample opportunity to walk down the road a bit and still have a decent spot. Many drivers are willing to stop, even from full speed, if they have a place to pull over, and they often do. Some would even slow down as just as they see you and stop where are you standing or walking.

By far the busiest stretch of road in Alaska is the Glenn Highway from Anchorage north to Wasilla and Palmer (in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley). It is illegal for pedestrians to be on the highway itself, so normal freeway rules apply here. (But I have never waited more than fifteen or twenty minutes for a ride, even while standing on a full speed stretch of that road).

The longest rides you can get are from hilltop cafe(couple of miles north of fair banks ) to the The farther one travels from Anchorage, the less traffic there is, particularly during winter. However, the Kenai Peninsula and the Parks Highway (up through Denali, to Fairbanks) are populated roadways all year long. The good thing about this is that you're likely to find a ride that is going where you are, or maybe even farther. That being said, one trip from Wasilla to Kenai (less than three hundred miles) took me a day and a half and ten rides.

The Alaska Highway from Dawson Creek in Canada runs to Delta Junction in Alaska, and then continues on to Fairbanks as the Richardson Highway. It took us a while to travel from Delta Junction and then later Tok Junction to the Canadian border, and locals seem more keen to give lifts than tourists (as a rule of thumb the more expensive the RV the worse reception you get) so you may not get very far at one go. That said, people will eventually stop and can be incredibly friendly and helpful to the point of giving you food and beds when they do.

In summer, it's not such a big deal to be caught out at some late hour. You may not even realize that it's midnight! Twenty hours of daylight is the norm, and at 'night' it still does not get dark enough even to see the stars. However, be particularly careful during the colder months, because getting stuck at the Seward Y at 10 p.m. can be very scary. Drivers are usually careful during the winter and may not drive so much at night, but it is likely that the first car that passes will stop for you.

Whatever the weather, always have an extra layer or two with you. The weather here can and will change violently in a matter of minutes, and the temperature can drop very, very quickly.

Law
13 AAC 02.180. Pedestrians soliciting rides or business

No person may solicit a ride in a manner which distracts a driver's attention, nor may a pedestrian upon a highway solicit employment, business, or contributions from the occupant of a vehicle.

It appears that hitchhiking may be illegal in some contexts if the hitcher is being obnoxious and drawing unreasonable attention to themselves (a good way to get a ride elsewhere.)

Cities

 * Anchorage
 * Fairbanks
 * Juneau
 * Prudhoe bay

Experiences
''After having hitched most of the major highways in the state, I can confidently rate it as well above average for hitchhiking. The Brooks Range along the Dalton Highway is a must-see as is the "top of the world" highway.'' Thewindandrain (talk) 23:09, 1 June 2013 (CEST)

isin: United States of America

Alaska trash:Alaska

Alaska