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Deadhorse

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Deadhorse(pop.25) is a town near Prudhoe Bay in Arctic Alaska at the end of the Dalton Highway.

Culture and History

Like the Dalton Highway, Deadhorse exists to support oil operations in Prudhoe Bay. While the official population is 25, the town boasts a non-permanent population of 2,000-3,000 employees of the various oil operations. Like Coldfoot and the camp at Mile 60, the facilities for visitors are the same as built to house construction workers for the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. All facilities are simple, prefabricated buildings which where brought to Deadhorse on barge or via the Dalton. Commodities, having to be shipped great distances, are expensive.

Travel to Deadhorse & Visa Requirements

The town is located at the northern terminus, Mile 414, of the Dalton Highway which provides a land link year-round to Fairbanks.

There is also a modest airport which functions year-round. The airport is served by commercial flights (ie. Boeing 737 aircraft) from Alaska Airlines, normally to Fairbanks, Anchorage, and Barrow. There are also several charter services which can provide flights to/from this airport, some offering tours which drive up the Dalton, then fly back (or visa versa).

Tours & Getting around Deadhorse

The town is rather small and during the summer months, walking is very feasible. During the winter, extreme temperatures make walking, even short distances, very uncomfortable and exposure to such temperatures can be lethal. While not very large, driving is the best option most of the year.

See/Do

The Dalton Highway ends just a few miles inland of the Arctic Ocean and only private, restricted roads extend to the ocean. Fortunately, tours can be booked through the hotels in the town which not only take you to the ocean and its gravel beach (where you can take a frigid dip, joining the "Polar Bear Club") but also include a tour of the oilfield and operations. The ocean is ice-free from late July to October.

Deadhorse souvenirs & shopping

The town contains a small, and pricey, general store as well as two fuel stations.

Deadhorse Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

There are a couple of restaurants in town at which to eat.

Deadhorse nightlife, bars, clubs & pubs

Alcohol is available in the general store. In a harsh environment like this, exposure to the elements is a grave danger which can easily occur while intoxicated.

Deadhorse cheap and luxurious hotels, youth hostels & lodging

There are a couple of modest hotels in town.

Stay safe

This area has a polar climate. The coldest recorded wind chill here was -102ºF!! During the winter, exposure to the elements can prove lethal.

Like many wild areas in Alaska grizzly bears are a concern. Don't leave food lying around, and keep an eye out for bears when walking around. In the winter, polar bears roam this area and are extremely dangerous. Whenever exiting a building in winter, immediately scan your surroundings for polar bears.

Get out

Remember when leaving that there are no services for 240 miles (386km) until you reach Coldfoot! Aside from that, Alaska Airlines provides service to Barrow and several charter air services can provide access to numerous small towns along the Arctic coast and North Slope. Head to the general store at the airport for more information.


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This page was last edited at 12:29, on 20 December 2008 by Wikitravel user Texugo. Based on work by Andrew Heneen and Ryan Holliday and Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel.

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