An AlN/AlGaN high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) fabricated on a free-standing AlN substrate is demonstrated. A metal stack, composed of Zr/Al/Mo/Au, was found to show low contact resistivity for source and drain ohmic contacts. The fabricated AlN/AlGaN HEMT exhibited a maximum drain current of 38 mA/mm with a threshold voltage of -3.4 V. Negligible drain current degradation was observed at temperatures from 300 to 573 K, demonstrating that an AlN/AlGaN approach on an AlN substrate is promising for stable high-temperature operation.