The Prudhoe (Prew-dough) Bay complex is more than a huge oil field -- it's an amazing achievement. Massive, complex machinery must operate in winter's deep, dark cold, and in summer must avoid harm to a critical habitat for migrating caribou and waterfowl, on wet, fragile tundra that permanently shows any mark made by vehicles. Workers are forbidden even to set foot on the tundra. Most places, as you look from the edge of one of the gravel pads, the heathery ground looks as undisturbed as a calm sea.
But that doesn't make it a good place to go on your vacation. The grim town of Deadhorse, which serves the oil facility, is really more of an industrial yard, barely deserving to be called a town; it certainly isn't anything you'd travel to see. To get beyond it to Prudhoe Bay, you have to sign up for a tour. The tour has never gone inside the buildings, and under post-9/11 security measures, it doesn't even go close to the most interesting areas. Visitors do get to stop at the Arctic Ocean, the only way to the water for those who drive up on the Dalton Highway. That hardly justifies the trip, however, unless you are bent on driving the highway anyway. Frankly, we can't recommend spending the time and expense required for a Prudhoe tour. If you're curious about the Arctic, a trip to Barrow or Nome makes more sense.
If you do go to Deadhorse with the objective of touching the Arctic Ocean, you must reserve at least 24 hours ahead and provide information to clear security for the ride. The tours are operated by the Arctic Caribou Inn, P.O. Box 340111, Prudhoe Bay, AK 99734 (www.arcticcaribouinn.com; tel. 907/659-2368). They will need your name and identification information such as a driver's license or passport number to run a background check before allowing you on the oil field. The inn also offers the area's visitor services, including a hotel and cafeteria; although tours operate only in the summer, the hotel and restaurant are open year-round. Rooms have two twin beds, and management asks that you call for prices on rooms and tours. The restaurant offers breakfast ($15), lunch ($18), and dinner ($20). No alcohol is for sale in the town, and it isn't allowed in the inn. The hotel is near the airport in Deadhorse and serves as the starting point for the tours. The tour itself lasts 2 hours. Visitors are carried by bus past the oil field to the shore, with a 15-minute stop at the Arctic Ocean. It costs $45. There is no other way to get from the end of the road to the water.
Alaska Airlines (tel. 800/252-7522; www.alaskaair.com) has a couple of flights daily to Prudhoe Bay from Anchorage. A round-trip ticket costs around $800.
Several companies drive bus tours up the Dalton Highway all the way to Prudhoe, flying the other way. Northern Alaska Tour Company (tel. 800/474-1986 or 907/474-8600; www.northernalaska.com) offers these trips, with add-ons to make it more interesting: flightseeing stops, dayhikes, village visits, and other choices. The basic 3-day, 2-night tour is $989.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.