The East Access Route is one of 2 major access routes to the Alaska Highway logged in The MILEPOST® (the other is the West Access Route). This was the first and only access route to Dawson Creek, BC—and the start of the Alaska Highway—when the Alaska Highway opened to civilian traffic in 1948. The original route differed somewhat from today’s because Highway 43 was not completed until 1955. Instead, motorists had to drive north from Edmonton via Highway 2 to Athabasca, then west to High Prairie, then south to Grande Prairie, AB. Today’s route goes directly from Edmonton to Grande Prairie and Dawson Creek via Highway 43 through Whitecourt and Valleyview.

The MILEPOST® Quick Reference Log
Miles from Great Falls (GF) shown.

• GF 0 GREAT FALLS (pop. 58,536); all services.
• GF 86 Exit 364 to Lewis & Clark RV Park (www.lewisandclarkrvpark.com).
• GF 119.5 U.S.–Canada border (Sweetgrass, MT/Coutts, AB). Shared U.S.–Canada Port-of-Entry; 24-hour customs and immigration.
  
• GF 182.5 LETHBRIDGE (pop. 83,960); all services. Best Western Heidelberg Inn (www.bestwestern.com/ca/heidelberginn), Henderson Lake Campground (www.hendersoncampground.com). Visitor information: www.chinookcountry.com.
  
• GF 187.5 Bridgeview RV Resort (www.holidaytrailsresorts.com); camping.
  
• GF 216 FORT MACLEOD (pop. 3,072); all services. The Sunset Motel, email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
• GF 219 Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, a World Heritage Site.
  
• GF 241.5 CLARESHOLM (pop. 3,700); all services. Lazy J Motel, toll-free 1-888-625-3899.
• GF 318.5 CALGARY (pop. 1,065,455); all services. Visitor information: www.tourismcalgary.com.
• GF 320.5 Junction with Trans-Canada Highway 1 west to Banff (79 miles), Lake Louise (113 miles) and Icefields Parkway.
• GF 344 Junction with Highway 72 east to Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller (60 miles), Canadian Badlands; camping at Dinosaur Trail RV Resort (www.holidaytrailsresorts.com).
  
• GF 406.5 RED DEER (pop. 87,816); all services.
• GF 461 WETASKIWIN (pop. 11,673); all services. Wetaskiwin Lions RV Campground; email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
• GF 488 Exit 525 Devon Bypass to DEVON (pop. 6,361) 8.6 miles east. Visitor information: www.devon.ca. Devon Lions Park Campground (www.devonlionspark.com); Canadian Petroleum Discovery Centre (leducnumber1.com); Devonian Botanic Garden.
  
• GF 505.5 Exit west on Highway 2 for West Edmonton Mall (westedmontonmall.com).
  
• GF 509 EDMONTON (pop. 752,391), capital of Alberta; all services. Visitor information: www.TravelAlbertaEdmonton.com. Major attractions (www.edmonton.com/attractions) include Fort Edmonton Park, Muttart Conservatory and Valley Zoo .
  
• GF 513 Glowing Embers Travel Center & RV Park (www.glowingembersrvpark.com).    
• GF 577 Ol’ Pembina River Ferry Crossing RV Park; email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
• GF 613 WHITECOURT (pop. 9,202); all services. Visitor information: Whitecourt and District Forest Interpretive Centre, Heritage Park & Visitor Information Centre; www.whitecourt.ca.
• GF 665 FOX CREEK (pop. 2,278); all services.
• GF 688 Poplar Ridge RV Park & Campground, open May to September, 30-amp service.
• GF 717 VALLEYVIEW (pop. 1,884); all services. Camping at Sherk's RV Park, 30-amp service. 24-hour gas and diesel at Valleyview Esso Service. Visitor information: http://valleyview.govoffice.com.
• GF 719 Junction with Highways 49/2 north to Peace River (www.northernsunrise.net).
• GF 783 Junction with Highway 2 north to historic Dunvegan, Peace River and Grimshaw, Mile Zero of the Mackenzie Highway to Northwest Territories (www.dechotravel.com).
• GF 786 GRANDE PRAIRIE (pop. 50,227); all services. Visitor information: www.gptourism.ca. Camping at Country Roads RV Park (www.countryroadsrvpark.com); Camp Tamarack RV Park (www.camptamarackrv.com); and Nitehawk Wilderness RV Park (www.nitehawkskiarea.com).
• GF 790 Junction with Highway 40 (Bighorn Route) south 114 miles to Grande Cache, 202 miles to Yellowhead Highway 16.
  
• GF 814.5 BEAVERLODGE (pop. 2,419); all services.
• GF 845.5 Alberta–British Columbia border.
• GF 847.5 Junction with Heritage Highway 52, which leads south 91 miles to Tumbler Ridge.
• GF 872 DAWSON CREEK, Mile 0 of the Alaska Highway.