Alaska is far away. In fact, you can be in Alaska and it's still far away. Case in point: if you place a map of Alaska over the contiguous 48 states, it stretches, end-to-end from Atlanta to Los Angeles. It's that big.

That does not stop thousands of visitors from making the trip by car each year, boats in tow. But before you go– and it could be an exceptionally long journey depending on where you live – there's a lot of necessary preparation – from having the right emergency supplies to trusted maps of the terrain.

Only a third of the state has roads. So it's no exaggeration to say that help can be a long time coming if you break down. Knowing where to go, how to get there and the best places to put in are a must. But once you do, Alaska awaits, offering some of the most powerful sights and experiences on the globe.

JEFF JOHNSONAlaska is a big state, but you don't need a big boat to enjoy it. Many people trailer their boats and drive part of the way. BE PREPARED

"My advice for anyone giving serious thought to pulling a boat to Alaska is this," offers John Wright, of Watsonville, Calif., who tows a 20-foot Crestliner, and has made the road trip eight times.

"Don't start with looking at what's in your boat. Instead, start with what's inside your head. Do some research. Get the necessary charts. Know where you can anchor, where you can get fuel, know the tides and the circumstances that may make them extreme [such as a full moon] and always have plans to be at anchor no later than 4 p.m. If you can do all of this, I will tell you you're not going to be sorry you made the trip. Alaska is an incredibly beautiful part of the world."

Richard Cook has traveled to Alaska a number of times from his home in Utah, towing a Bounty 257 as well as a C-Dory 22 Cruiser. The regular challenges, he says, include unpredictable and often cool, wet and windy weather.

"You need good clothing and outerwear, and a really well equipped and well maintained cruising boat, almost certainly with a cabin," Cook says. "You need backup for many systems, tools and spares, and experience using them. You need to keep on top of tides and currents, and marine weather conditions and forecast, and be willing to let the weather determine where and when you go – adhering closely to a schedule can be a disaster."

"I tell Alaska residents as well as visitors to do a serious pre-departure check," advises Johnson."Know how your boat trailer is put together and always carry spare parts, like bearings and a tire. Help isn't always close by and that holds true for the road and the water. We have to rely on ourselves. Let's put it like this: we don't have a lot of collisions up here."

Alaska offers world-class fishing.GETTING THERE

There are three ways to make the trip from the lower 48 contiguous states: drive, take a ferry or a combination of the two.

The 1,422 mile-long Alaskan Canadian Highway, also called "the AlCan," begins at Dawson Creek in British Columbia (it's 1,000 miles from Spokane, Wash. and about 810 miles from Seattle) and makes a westward turn at Prince Rupert before ending at Delta Junction, Alaska. Some boaters, like Cook and Jeff Nicholas, launch at Prince Rupert, crossing about 100 miles of open water before putting in for fuel, supplies and customs, at Ketchikan, Alaska, on the southeast corner of the state.

The AlCan was completed in eight months as a military supply route after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. Today, it's a paved, well-traveled road with gas stations. Many who have used the AlCan strongly suggest purchasing the magazine "The MilePost" which has an up-to-date guide to locations for fuel, hotels, food and places of interest along the way.

The second option will cost more but is a lot easier on tow vehicle mileage: the Alaskan Marine Highway. While expensive, it can save you up to 1,000 miles of driving, depending on your destination. Begun in the 1960's, the Marine Highway is a ferry system serving 30 communities between Bellingham, Wash., British Columbia and Alaska. A number of trailer boaters who have made the trip suggest driving one way and taking the ferry back. This allows time to witness the Alaskan landscape (puffins, whales, bald eagles and glaciers, just to name just a few of the common sights).

A third option, which is an amalgam, is preferred by Wright: from his home in Watsonville, Calif., he drives 972 miles to Bellingham where he takes on supplies (he and his wife stay on their boat) and does a thorough inspection of the trailer. Then they take a Washington State Ferry to Vancouver Island.

"Be prepared for Canadian Customs officials to do a search of everything you are bringing in," he warns. "I've done this numerous times and I can tell you if there is something suspicious going on, the inspections and searches will be all the more detailed." Wright recalls that on one trip officials found a plastic bag of aspirin in his car and did an inspection of each pill to be sure he wasn't trying to bring drugs into the country.

"It's important to have all your documents including passports and boat documentation ready," Wright says.