Hike | Denali National Park | Alaska
The best hikes in Denali National Park
Text | Anninka Kraus
Photography | Tobias Kraus
US Alaska
Denali National Park is a vast wilderness in the central area of the Alaska Range and home to North America’s highest peak – Denali, at 6190m. Its diverse and ruggedly beautiful landscapes make the park the most visited tourist destination in Alaska.
We loved our stay and strongly recommend a visit, but want to point out that most of the park is accessible by bus only as soon as the transit busses begin operating around May 20, and access to Park Road for private vehicles is restricted beyond Mile 15. Unless you visit in spring, are a lucky winner in the Denali “Road Lottery”, camp at Wonder Lake Campground (you’ll still need to take the transit bus there), or have an overnight backcountry hike planned, your visit to the park, beyond Mile 15, will be squeezed into a single day and a narrow bus seat (unless you’re keen on a bumpy bus ride two days in a row).
While I strongly support the restriction of private vehicles in the park, taking the transit bus didn’t make for a memorable experience for us. Maybe I missed the opportunity to disembark for a short hike now and again, but with there being no maintained trails and the shuttles fully booked, we didn’t dare wander off into the wilderness when the next shuttle or the one after would likely have been full. I feel that a few marked trails along the road would hugely improve the experience, but then you’re always free to explore off-trail and if you leave very early in the morning, maybe you’ll have less trouble getting back on a bus.
If you’re visiting Denali in 2023 or 2024, you won’t be able to join the full-day bus tour to the end of the Park Road anyway, due to a landslide and the resulting closure of the road at Mile 43, and will have more time to hop on and off along the section that is still open.
related.
Your Visitor Guide to Denali State Park: Camping at Kesugi Ken Campground & Hiking the stunning Curry Ridge Trail that connects with the Kesugi Ridge Trail and is equally well suited for a half-day walk and multiday overnight hike
The beautiful wilderness that awaits you in Denali National Park.
The best views of Denali
Hiking in Denali National Park
Denali National Park is unique among national parks in the United States, in that it promotes a trail-less wilderness where only a few marked hiking trails exist. Instead, the park invites visitors to explore off-trail – which is a very exciting prospect for experienced hikers, but rather intimidating for the less experienced.
Even experienced hikers may miss out on the opportunity to explore off-trail, because by not providing easy access to a trail network but rather an unlimited number of options to wander freely through the alpine tundra wilderness, Denali puts the inhibition threshold quite high.
I missed a trail, however rugged, but with better preparation you can still have an amazing backcountry adventure. The freedom to roam about off the beaten track that Denali offers to hikers is unique, and if you’re interested in hiking off-trail, talk to the staff at the visitor centre.
If you’d rather stick to marked trails, there are not many options for longer hikes, but there are some. We thoroughly enjoyed the Savage Alpine Trail and the Savage River Loop (we combined the two into a 4.5-hour round trip from/to Savage River Campground) and the Mount Healy Overlook Trail near the visitor centre.
Camping in Denali National Park
Camping in the park is a great way to experience the wilderness up close. We hadn’t seen any wild animals on our hikes or the bus tour, except for some white dall sheep in the far distance, when nearing the end of our stay, I climbed out of the van and almost collided head-on with a large moose and its calf wandering around the campground. I quickly retreated to gain some distance (many locals consider the gentle-looking moose more dangerous than bears) but could still watch them for a long time as they slowly retreated into the woods.
Denali National Park offers six park-run campgrounds, three of which accommodate vehicle/RV camping: Riley Creek, Savage River or Teklanika River. The other three campgrounds – Igloo Creek, Wonder Lake and Sanctuary River – are tent-only and solely accessible by bus. If you stay at Teklanika River Campground at Mile 29, you’ll be allowed to drive to the campground in your private vehicle, if you stay at least 3 nights.
We stayed at Savage River and Riley Creek and thought both campgrounds were well looked after and conveniently located to a few hiking trails. Unfortunately, the individual sites are tiny and hidden deep in the woods. If you care for an open campsite with views, consider spending some time at Kesugi Ken Campground in Denali State Park.
what to expect.
Several well-maintained campsites within the park
location & trail information.
Where and getting there: Denali National Park is located in the Alaska Range, about halfway between Anchorage and Fairbanks
Where to stay: There are 6 campsites in Denali National Park, 3 are vehicle and RV-friendly (though none offer electrical or water hookups and no RV over 40 feet long allowed) – Riley Creek, Savage River or Teklanika River – and another 3 – Igloo Creek, Wonder Lake and Sanctuary River – are tent-only. Note that sites are not assigned upon booking but that you book a specific category and on arrival will get to choose a vacant campsite of that type. We stayed at Riley Creek and Savage River, and while the facilities and services for campers were great, the sites themselves were without charm. Check-in is at 11 am (at the Denali Bus Depot or Riley Creek Mercantile), and with sites not pre-assigned, it pays to get there early.
Where to eat: Bring your own food, as there are few dining options in the park. In peak season, the Morino Grill, a sit-down restaurant next to the Visitor Center, serves burgers and the like and Mercantile in Riley Creek Campground has snacks and camping foods.
When to go: in summer, early June through mid-September
How to get around: When the busses begin operating around May 20, access to Park Road for private vehicles is restricted beyond Mile 15. You will therefore need to take the transit (non-narrated) or tour (narrated) bus to visit the park beyond Mile 15. Also note that the Park Road is currently closed beyond Mile 43 due to a landslide and is expected to remain closed in 2024.
How to prepare: If you’re planning to stay overnight, book your campsite well in advance. Also, take bear spray because Denali National Park is home to brown and black bears.
Permits: The entrance fee is $15 per person for 7 consecutive days unless you have the annual America the Beautiful Pass ($80/1 year/2 pass owners), which covers entrance fees at all national parks and many other recreational areas in the States. For further information visit the National Park Service website.
Alaska | US
Hike | Out & back trail | 4.5 hours
Savage Alpine Trail and Savage River Loop Trail
We’d visit Denali National Park again if only to hike the Savage Alpine Trail a second time! The trail takes you through the alpine tundra and offers the most stunning views of the Savage River Valley and surrounding mountains.
The 4.8-mile (7.7km) round trip hike is a little more challenging, with steep inclines and rocky terrain, but the view from the top is breathtaking. You also have the option to hop on the Savage River Shuttle back to the Savage River Campground, visitor centre or bus depot if you don’t want to return by the same trail.
Also, like us, you could combine the Savage Alpine and Savage River Loop Trails into a 4.5-hour, 10-mile (16.2km) round trip that offers a great mix of rugged alpine wilderness with panoramic views and a lovely amble along the Savage River where you might spot some white dall sheep high up on the ridge.
track details.
Start/End: Savage River Campground (if you decide to walk just the Savage River Loop Trail, you’d start your hike at the Savage River bus stop and parking area)
Distance: 10 miles (16.2km)
Time: 4.5 hours
Elevation: 885 meters (+/-) (lowest point: 770m / highest point: 1260m)
Difficulty: moderate; the trail is rocky in parts with a steep elevation gain
Options: You can hike the Savage Alpine and Savage River Trails separately or combine them into a longer round trip. If you walk just the 1.7-mile (2.7km) Savage River Loop Trail, you can take the Savage River Shuttle to the trailhead or park your car at the Savage River parking area.
Savage Alpine Trail and Savage River Loop Trail map
Alaska | US
Hike | Out & back trail | 2:15 hours
Mount Healy Overlook Trail
Another great out & back hike is the Mount Healy Overlook Trail halfway up Mount Healy. It’s a moderate 4.5-mile (7.5km) round trip, with some slightly more challenging sections, that offers incredible views across the entrance area of Denali National Park.
The hike commences with a gentle opening stretch and then takes you through dense forests and rocky terrain before the trail emerges on a rocky plateau with stunning panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and valleys that are absolutely worth the effort.
track details.
Start/End: The trailhead is located off the Taiga Trail, about half a mile from Denali Visitor Center – follow the Taiga Trail until you come to a well-marked trail junction and the start of the Mount Healy Overlook Trail
Distance: 4.5-mile (7.5km)
Time: 2:15 hours
Elevation: 525 meters (+/-) (lowest point: 540m / highest point: 1065m)
Difficulty: moderate; the trail is steep in parts with numerous switchbacks
Mount Healy Overlook Trail map
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