In the 17th century, vast lands along the Lena River were annexed to Russia. In 1632, the Yakutsk ostrog was founded, solidifying Moscow's power over these territories. To ensure reliable communication with distant ostrogs in various parts of Siberia, postal and trade routes were established. The Yakutsk Road became one of the main arteries on the route from Irkutsk to Yakutsk.

Cossacks and settlers of the Yakutsk ostrog were in urgent need of constant communication with the central part of the country. It was necessary to maintain contact with Moscow, transport yasak, and deliver gunpowder and salt. The first postal road from Moscow to Yakutsk was established in 1698 by order of Peter the Great, passing through Transbaikalia, via Nerchinsk.

Later, the exploration of the territories along the Pacific coast began. The first and second Kamchatka expeditions of Vitus Bering, as well as other research, were conducted. These complex expeditions required constant supply of food and supplies to Okhotsk and other ports in eastern Russia. The Amur River was still inaccessible to Russian pioneers and merchants, so a separate route from Irkutsk to Yakutsk was decided upon.

Construction of the Yakutsk Road began in 1736. Initially, the road started from Irkutsk, passing through the valleys of the Kuda River and reaching the Lena River. In summer, boats and rafts were floated down the Lena, while in winter a sled road was opened. By the early 19th century, dozens of postal stations operated along the road. New settlements were established by migrants from Central Russia and former exiles.

Russian settlers living along the Yakutsk Road faced difficulties in agriculture and animal husbandry. The harsh climate and unfavorable soils often led to crop failures and livestock deaths. Local residents, the Buryats and Yakuts, helped the Russians by teaching them fur harvesting, making warm clothing, surviving in harsh conditions, and gathering firewood. The Russians brought wooden architecture to these lands, introducing the indigenous peoples to baths, barns, izbas, and horse mills.

The Yakutsk Road sustained the lives of settlers and local residents, serving as an important trade artery between Irkutsk and Yakutsk. It played a significant role in the exploration of Russian America, carrying commercial cargo eastward and precious furs westward. Postal communication between St. Petersburg and Novo-Arkhangelsk was conducted along it. The Irkutsk-Yakutsk postal road held a leading position in the communication routes of Northeast Siberia and connections with Russian America in the 18th and 19th centuries.

In 1797, in the village of Anga on the Yakutsk Road, the future first Orthodox bishop of Kamchatka, Yakutia, Priamurye, and North America, Metropolitan Innocent (in the world Ivan Evseevich Popov-Veniaminov), was born. He became the first enlightener of many indigenous peoples of Siberia and Alaska.

By the early 20th century, the total length of the Yakutsk Road was 2766 versts. Today, the road has lost its function as the main artery. Since the mid-20th century, it has been referred to as the Kachugsky Road, named after a locality in the Irkutsk region. However, the roads laid over 300 years ago still exist and are used by the descendants of those settlers who, despite numerous difficulties, expanded the empire's borders with their labor and perseverance.