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Denali National Park and Preserve

Best Hiking Trails in Denali National Park and Preserve

63 reviews


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Seasonal Popularity

Overview

Crowned by the highest mountain in North America and with only one road in and out, Denali National Park is perhaps the most storied expanse of wilderness in the entire U.S. National Park system. In the summer, grizzlies, moose, and caribou roam the tundra, and long days feed an explosion of wildflowers, which seem to emerge all at once to make the most of Alaska's short growing season. Mountaineers line up to summit 20,312-foot Denali, which means The High One in the local Athabaskan language. In the spring and fall, cyclists bike the park road, and in the summer, the road is open only to buses, ferrying hikers and backpackers to the parks' various backcountry units and trails.

Getting Started

The park has a few trails, mostly around the visitor center. In the summer (late May through early the road is closed to passenger vehicles, but you can reserve a spot on the bus to see more of the park's interior. There are six campgrounds

Much of the park is trailless wilderness. If you're planning a backcountry trip, stop by the ranger station to prove you have a bear canister and bear spray, get a permit, and pick your backcountry unit. Pick one with a river corridor to limit bushwhacking, and bring sandals for river crossings. Make sure you're very experienced with backcountry safety before you embark on one of these.

When to Go

The best time to visit Denali is between mid-May and mid-September. Summer days at this latitude are long—expect only a few hours of daylight—which means you can hike as long as you want. May can bring late-season snow flurries and cold nights, but it can be a good choice, as mosquito season doesn't start in earnest until June. August brings relief from mosquitos as well as a healthy crop of wild berries.

You can start reserving campsites in mid-May when the park road opens to vehicles. Camping and backpacking in the off-season is currently free.

Permits

You'll need to buy a national parks pass or pay the entry fee to enter the park. Additional backcountry permits are required for backpacking and mountaineering.

Visit the park website to plan your trip, reserve a bus or campsite, or learn about passes, permits, and various fees.


Resources

  • wikipedia

  • Hiking Trails (36)
  • Reviews (63)
  1. 1
    Horseshoe Lake Loop
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ EASY 2.1 mi
  2. 2
    Savage River Loop Trail Loop
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ EASY 2.0 mi
  3. 3
    Horseshoe Lake Loop
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ EASY 3.8 mi
  4. 4
    Eielson Alpine Trail
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ EASY 1.6 mi
  5. 5
    Savage Campground via Alpine Loop
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ MODERATE 4.4 mi
  6. 6
    Polychrome Overlook via Denali Park Road
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ DIFFICULT 31.2 mi
  7. 7
    Savage Campground Loop via Mountain Vista Trail
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ EASY 1.0 mi
  8. 8
    Sled Dog Puppies via Rock Creek Trail
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ EASY 2.6 mi
  9. 9
    Horseshoe Lake
    ★ ★ ★ ★ EASY 1.5 mi
  10. 10
    Mt. Healy Trail
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ MODERATE 2.2 mi
    user_profile
    danmurraybv 8 months, 3 weeks ago
    Flight Talkeetna to Denali 8/31/21, 4:22:31PM)
    Flying around Denali awesome. Blow up pictures and see details. Fun way to use Gaia.
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

    user_profile
    jeffscheid 9 months, 2 weeks ago
    Riley Creek via Triple Lakes Trail
    What a beautiful hike and a real Denali gem. It’s accessible via the visitor center and is difficult only in the distance traveled which out and back was 18 miles. We split our group in two and swapped the car key mid way. The quiet surreal wilderness of the ridge line was stunning but the real winner was the lush tundra, alpine vegetation; the lichens, worts, fungi, mosses and berries. Saw no animals but plenty of sign. The lakes were beautiful but plan lunch on the ridge line. You’ll know you’re in Denali wilderness.
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    jasonsumsion 11 months, 2 weeks ago
    Savage Campground via Alpine Loop
    Amazing views!
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    ejuhnke7 1 year, 9 months ago
    Denali Ascent
    K2 Aviation trip
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    tbjohnson2 1 year, 10 months ago
    Mt. Healy Trail
    The views you get at the top are amazing but it’s definitely a difficult hike.
    ★ ★ ★

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    Logan 1 year, 11 months ago
    Mt. Healy Trail
    Super great view lots of good pictures, can be tough.
    ★ ★ ★ ★

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    chad 2 years, 9 months ago
    mcgonagall pass
    mckinley bar easier to cross upstream. lost trail several times and off trail to avoid grizz area is incredible
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    totimoconnor 2 years, 9 months ago
    Horseshoe Lake Loop
    Lovely but do not go with an elderly lady on oxygen and has to stop and complain about the steps going out!
    ★ ★ ★ ★

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    Ben 2 years, 11 months ago
    Busia Ridge Hike
    Great hike with moderate vertical, nice creek and high ridge-line with great views.
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    jstigs 2 years, 11 months ago
    Track (6/25/19, 12:27:46PM)
    Very steep but worth the hike!
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    njoysavi 2 years, 11 months ago
    Savage River Loop Trail Loop
    Really good hike
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    mrnickzel 1 week, 5 days ago
    Drive
    ★ ★ ★ ★

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    mrnickzel 1 week, 5 days ago
    Walk Denali AK
    ★ ★ ★ ★

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    mrnickzel 1 week, 5 days ago
    Walk
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    mrnickzel 1 week, 5 days ago
    Cabin walk, AK
    ★ ★ ★ ★

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    rtownsend 6 months ago
    Track (7/22/21, 10:34:21AM)
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    ian.jones 8 months, 1 week ago
    Track (9/21/21, 10:20:21AM)
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    wmlong0711 8 months, 4 weeks ago
    Mt. Healy Overlook @ Denali National Park 7/28/20 9:15:48 AM
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    shellygager 9 months ago
    Mt. Healy Trail
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    shellygager 9 months ago
    Horseshoe Lake Loop
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    shellygager 9 months ago
    Mt. Healy Trail
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    robertkloos 9 months, 1 week ago
    Horseshoe Lake Trail, Mckinley Park to Denali National Park Visitor Center, Denali Borough, AK, USA
    ★ ★ ★ ★

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    jeffscheid 9 months, 2 weeks ago
    Triple Lakes Trail
    ★ ★ ★

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    bduzik 9 months, 2 weeks ago
    Savage Campground via Alpine Loop
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    jmzuma44 9 months, 2 weeks ago
    Track (7/18/21, 8:15:24PM wonderlake Denali
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    Jacki 9 months, 3 weeks ago
    K2 Flightseeing at Denali
    ★ ★

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    kearley62 10 months, 1 week ago
    Healy overlook out and back 7/19/21
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    j.r.phillips2023 10 months, 1 week ago
    Savage Campground via Alpine Loop
    ★ ★

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    lannymommsen 10 months, 3 weeks ago
    Track (7/7/21, 3:40:01PM)
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    bdurden44 10 months, 3 weeks ago
    Savage River
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    gaialeb 11 months, 2 weeks ago
    A&K WW 0611 K2 glacier landing 6/14/21
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    jonjon0406 11 months, 2 weeks ago
    Track (6/7/21, 11:49:25)
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    jasonsumsion 11 months, 2 weeks ago
    Savage Alpine Trail
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    P_schem 12 months ago
    Track (5/29/21, 11:56:59)
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    igetaround2 1 year ago
    Track (8/9/19, 6:43:36AM)
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    per.pedersen 1 year, 4 months ago
    Windy Corner
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    kylejknies 1 year, 6 months ago
    Denali Bus Tour, Denali National Park, AK, USA
    ★ ★ ★ ★

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    Inna Rivkin 1 year, 8 months ago
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    Steve Moffitt 1 year, 9 months ago
    Healy Ridge from Bison Gulch
    ★ ★ ★ ★

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    gunnar ebbesson 1 year, 10 months ago
    Healy trail
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    modee1961 1 year, 10 months ago
    Track (7/26/20, 7:17:06AM)
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    kylejknies 1 year, 10 months ago
    Mt. Healy Overlook Trail and beyond, Denali Nat’l Park, AK, USA
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    kylejknies 1 year, 10 months ago
    Mt. Healy Overlook Trail and beyond, Denali Nat’l Park, AK, USA
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    echevet 1 year, 11 months ago
    Camp 4 (High Camp)
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    emtmike760 1 year, 11 months ago
    Track (6/16/20, 15:48:9)
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    Jaret 1 year, 11 months ago
    Track (6/13/20, 5:42:50PM)
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    Jaret 1 year, 12 months ago
    Track (5/30/20, 6:10:47PM)
    ★ ★ ★ ★

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    gunnar ebbesson 2 years ago
    Riley creek
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    farberluke 2 years, 7 months ago
    Track (9/1/19, 10:05:26AM)
    ★ ★ ★ ★

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    thoover67 2 years, 8 months ago
    Track (9/14/19, 8:24:57AM)
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    jstigs 2 years, 8 months ago
    Triple Lakes Trail
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    Fangkai 2 years, 8 months ago
    Track (8/31/19, 3:17:14PM)
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    pamelahurley50 2 years, 9 months ago
    Mt. Healy Trail
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    elliottpayne 2 years, 9 months ago
    Track (8/13/19, 10:36:41AM)
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    Johnnyboy0327 2 years, 9 months ago
    Horseshoe Lake Loop
    ★

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    vulcanir 2 years, 10 months ago
    Denali Savage Alpine Trail
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    Chris 2 years, 11 months ago
    The crazy glacier route
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    jstigs 2 years, 11 months ago
    Triple lakes trail
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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    Don 2 years, 11 months ago
    Eielson To savage river
    ★ ★ ★ ★

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    natedr 2 years, 11 months ago
    Denali Visitor Center, Denali Borough, AK, USA
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

    user_profile
    jstigs 3 years ago
    Mount Healy Trail, Denali Borough, AK, USA
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

    user_profile
    jstigs 3 years ago
    Track (5/11/19, 8:38:25PM)
    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

    user_profile
    deshi6984 3 years, 2 months ago
    ★

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