100 Days, Alaska or Bust

Dain Cummings @Dain · October 21, 2026

Together, my wife and I traveled through 10 states, 3 Canadian territories (?), spent 100 nights in the camper, and traveled 20,000 miles.

My Adventure

Starting April 27th my wife and I departed on the adventure of a lifetime. What started out as a trip to Alaska quickly morphed into seeing how many national parks we could see "along" the way up there. I used quotes there because for wanting to go to Alaska we took the most indirect route possible. We departed Denver (home) and headed towards Moab, with stops along the way at Great Sand Dune National Park, Black Canyon of the Gunisson, and Ouray, CO. All places we had never been and it was a great start to the trip. We got snowed on in the Sand Dunes and our diesel heater decided that night was a great night to die on us. If Lone Peak ever needs a Hot Box tester (if we ever see it) I'm your man! Once we arrived in Utah we explored Arches and Canyonlands first which we had both been to but for but have not explored fully. Westward bound we stopped in Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, and Zion. Of all the scenery we were blessed to see I think Utah was our Favorite. Once we explored Utah we headed to Arizona. Arizona was quick and easy. We meet family in Flagstaff for the Overland Expo and explored Saguaro National Park. Saguaro was cool, but I am not a big cactus guy. We had stops along the way at the Grand Canyon and Petrified Forrest. The Grand Canyon was cool but anti climatic. Petrified forrest was PACKED for what reason I may never know. After Arizona we made the trek to California. Salton sea, cool, not worth the trip unless you like hot and toxic air/dust. Joshua Tree, great park to drive through but I'm not sure where all the trees were. Death Valley HOT. Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite are BEAUTIFUL. The snow and fog in all three was crazy. Trees disappearing into the fog was crazy but we couldn't fully grasp how tall the trees are. I would love to experience them in nicer weather. I want to make it extremely clear, I am grateful for what our country has to offer in our NPS. However, with that being said I would NOT recommend the Pinnacles. Cool? Sure. They do not have the infrastructure to have crowds neither and I have never met staff in a park that were as rude as the ones that we experienced. We went north to Lassen Volcano and Red Woods next. Lassen was cool but the majority of the hikes were still snowed in and closed. The Red Woods were awesome but after having seen BIG TREEs for the last couple of days I was kind of over it. Oregon, crazy cool scenery. Crater lake is amazing but same as Lassen, most of what we wanted to do was snowed in still and this was June. Just north of the park is Lava Tunnels you can walk through. I HIGHLY recommend if you are in the area you check them out. Washington. Wet, wet, and more wet. Olympic National Park was awesome and significantly bigger than I expected. The terrain was awesome and the sights and views are even better. I do not know why but I love the trees covered in moss, I find something so amazing about them. Next we went to Mt. Rainier and again, a lot of it was covered in snow but it was one of the only nights we stayed in a National Park CG along the way which was a nice treat. Up next was North Cascades and WOW. For having never heard of it I was amazed and the park. The water being as blue as it was I was shocked. Next up was the loooooooong drive through Canada. Beautiful scenery but after so many days of the same thing it got boring. A cool thing I noticed was most of the way 20-30 yds of the shoulders are mowed and not a single tree. We saw more wildlife here than anywhere else on the trip. We hustled on the way up to get to Alaska and did not spend much time exploring. We explored Banff and Jasper on the way back and while they were both amazing the Icefield Parkway on the way between the two was my favorite. It was probably the most awe struck part of the trip. Finally after 7 weeks we accomplished our goal of getting to Alaska. I will keep this one short as I am working on another writing for Alaska. To sum it up WOW I can not wait to go back again. 6 weeks in Alaska was not nearly enough time. On the way home we stopped in Montana and Wyoming to explore Glacier, Yellowstone, and the Tetons. I wish I could say more but with all of the wildfire smoke we hiked very little and could not see the beauty that was in front of us. Overall, it was a trip of a lifetime! If you happen to have read this far thank you, if you are looking for campsites in these areas let me know or look on the routes I have posted everything there, and if you are thinking of doing the same type of trip and have questions reach out I am happy to help.

Mountain valley vista with forested slopes, rocky terrain in foreground, and dramatic cloudy sky overhead showing coniferous forest landscape

Alpine lake surrounded by rocky scree slope and dramatic columnar basalt rock formations under overcast sky

Rocky shoreline of an alpine lake surrounded by barren mountains with coniferous forest in the valley under partly cloudy skies

Rocky shoreline of an alpine lake surrounded by evergreen forests and bare mountain peaks under cloudy skies

Two hikers in colorful caps rest on a rocky scree slope with coniferous forest and overcast sky in background

Three hikers stand by a stream at sunset with forested mountains and golden sky in the background during evening trek

Bull moose with large antlers standing in dense sage brush and willow vegetation in an alpine meadow

Fine dining menu cover for La Coille restaurant with elegant gold script lettering on burgundy leather at an upscale table setting

A red wooden arched bridge with green railings and lanterns spans a clear stream, surrounded by tall evergreen and deciduous trees in a serene riverside park setting

Mixed aspen and conifer forest with tall spruce trees on hillside terrain under clear blue sky, vehicle visible on right edge

Historic log cabin with green roof on flat meadow valley with snow-capped mountain range backdrop under clear blue sky

Wide valley landscape with sagebrush vegetation, distant jagged mountain range, scattered fence posts, and puffy white clouds under blue sky

Vibrant hot spring with emerald green center and golden orange rings, surrounded by white mineral deposits and coniferous forest in Yellowstone National Park

A small white teddy bear figurine held in someone's hand on a paved outdoor path

A black bear resting on a grassy hillside in a forested mountain landscape with a dead tree and power transmission tower visible in the background

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone with turquoise river flowing through colorful canyon walls surrounded by dense evergreen forest

Powerful waterfall cascading down rocky canyon walls with mist spray, evergreen forest clinging to steep terrain, and wildflowers in foreground

Mammoth Hot Springs terraces in Yellowstone National Park with layered mineral deposits, travertine formations, and clear blue sky

American bison standing in sagebrush grassland with forested hills and mountains in background

American bison grazing in sagebrush terrain with sparse vegetation in high desert landscape

Sunset through tall pine forest with dirt trail and scattered rocks in foreground

Yellow winding road warning sign covered in stickers indicating next 99 miles, mounted on wooden posts with coniferous forest in background

Red Toyota Tacoma with roof rack parked on gravel overlook facing massive columnar basalt cliffs and forested valley under clear blue sky

White mountain goat grazing in a lush alpine meadow surrounded by coniferous forest and rocky terrain

Clear shallow water with visible rocks and pebbles on a beach, featuring a large boulder in the upper left and smooth stones scattered across the sandy bottom

Red Toyota Tacoma pickup truck with roof-mounted pop-up tent camper parked on gravel forest road surrounded by tall evergreen trees

Two people smiling at turquoise alpine lake with snow-capped mountains and evergreen forest backdrop under blue sky

Hand holding a red Bavarian Bites pastry box with a chocolate-filled pastry dusted with powdered sugar outdoors

Hikers viewing a turbulent glacial river from a rocky overlook surrounded by coniferous forest with misty mountains in the background

Snow-capped mountain rising above a forested shoreline and calm lake under dramatic cloudy sky in boreal landscape

Mountain lake view with rocky peaks and dense conifer forest under overcast sky, glacial water shoreline visible

Straight highway stretches toward a dramatic rocky mountain peak with dense coniferous forest on both sides under cloudy skies, with a truck visible in the distance

Group of visitors celebrating at Sourdough Campground in Tok, Alaska, under a log structure with mountain mural and a sign for the lodge and cake toss activity

Red Toyota Tacoma with pop-up roof tent parked in a forest campsite surrounded by tall evergreen trees on a dirt road

Sea lion resting on rocky shore near visitor platform with seagulls and evergreen forest backdrop at a marine facility

A sea lion rests on dark rocky shoreline with a seagull perched on a wooden post and kelp-covered rocks visible in the calm coastal waters behind

Expansive glacier with blue ice formations and dark sediment stripes, overcast sky, dark mountain visible on right side

Two people wearing safety caps stand on a metal railway trestle bridge high above a coniferous forest

Cinnamon roll with cream cheese frosting held in a white foam container during an outdoor adventure

CH-47 Chinook helicopter flying over coniferous forest valley with mountains and alpine meadow in background

Alpine valley with dense coniferous forest, mountain peaks with patches of snow, and green meadows under clear blue sky

Snow-capped volcanic mountain reflected in calm alpine lake surrounded by green shrubland under dramatic cloudy sky in Alaska

Alpine stream cascading over rocky terrain with lingering snow patches and moss-covered mountainside in overcast conditions

Alpine mountain valley with snow patches, rocky terrain, and distant snow-capped peaks under cloudy skies in a high-altitude wilderness area

Large crowd gathered on a gravel beach along a braided river with coniferous forest and mountain backdrop under dramatic cloudy sky

Snow-capped mountain with glacier overlooking a turquoise alpine lake surrounded by dense evergreen forest and low clouds

Valley glacier and snow-capped peaks viewed from a forested mountain pass with a glacial stream running through the dark rocky canyon

Snow-capped volcanic mountain with glacier visible beyond forested valley under overcast sky

Snow-capped mountain peaks with glacier visible above dense green forest and paved road in Alaska's coastal valley under overcast sky

Black Ford pickup truck parked at a marina with a white cabin cruiser boat, snow-capped mountains and forested slopes visible in background under overcast sky

Red sedan parked in front of a modern A-frame building with yellow barriers at the entrance, surrounded by dense coniferous forest

Snow-capped mountain range visible across forested valley with river winding through dense boreal forest under clear blue sky

Snow-capped mountain with forested slopes under clear blue sky, viewed from a high vantage point with evergreen trees in foreground

Historic Fairbanks Valdez stage coach with red body and bright yellow wheels displayed in a museum with historical photographs on the walls behind it.

End of Alaska Highway milestone marker at Mile 1422 in Crossroads of Alaska, with conifer trees and grassy landscape under partly cloudy sky

Stone monument marker engraved with 'TREATY 1921' and 'CANADA' at a scenic overlook with mountains, forest, and American flag visible in background

Welcome to Alaska sign with yellow state outline on blue wooden board, roadside landmark with evergreen trees and clear blue sky

Yukon welcome sign with colorful visitor patches on a gravel road surrounded by boreal forest and mountains under partly cloudy sky

Visalia city limit sign surrounded by hundreds of road signs and memorabilia nailed to wooden posts under overcast skies in Oregon

Tree-lined forest path covered with stickers and signs on wooden poles creating a tunnel effect, with overcast sky visible overhead

Cinnamon roll with powdered sugar topping held in a white container inside a vehicle

Red Toyota Tacoma double cab with roof-mounted pop-up camper on dirt road surrounded by birch trees under blue sky

Dawson Creek Mile 0 post with Canadian and local flags at the start of the Alaska Highway in downtown Dawson Creek, British Columbia

Turquoise alpine lake surrounded by dense evergreen forests and snow-capped mountains under clear blue sky with white clouds

Stone arch bridge spanning a mountain stream with waterfall in lush forest canyon surrounded by tall evergreen trees and moss-covered rocks

Red Toyota Tacoma with roof-mounted tent parked on a forest road surrounded by evergreen and birch trees under blue sky

Hiker in orange jacket standing in a moss-covered rocky stream bed within an old-growth conifer forest with tall evergreen trees

Weathered wooden sign in dense forest showing timber harvest dates from 1930s to planned 2035 harvest, surrounded by lush green vegetation and conifer trees

Person standing in front of a massive natural rock arch formation on a sandy beach with ocean and overcast sky in background

Two ice cream cones with chocolate and strawberry flavors in paper cups at an indoor ice cream shop

Misty coastal headland with rocky outcrops and forested cliffs overlooking a temperate ocean bay with breaking waves

A herd of elk grazes in a lush meadow in front of a rustic wooden barn surrounded by dense forest in a mountain valley

Towering ancient redwood tree with massive trunk surrounded by lush ferns and green forest canopy in old-growth forest

Bridalveil Fall cascades down granite cliffs in Yosemite Valley with hikers on boulder field below

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