Hiking in Denali National Park
The Northern Epics Denali Hiking Hub
What Denali hikes do you want to do?
Hikes Inside Denali National Park
Denali National Park itself doesn’t have an abundance of trails. What trails there are tend to be near the National Park entrance, and are better maintained than those outside of the National Park. Most are fairly short, and don’t afford real alpine views, with a few notable exceptions (the Savage Alpine Trail and Mt. Healy Overlook Trail). You won’t see a large change in scenery between trails that are inside the National Park and those outside, although your chances of spotting wildlife are slightly higher inside Denali National Park.
Hikes Near Denali National Park
Trails outside of Denali National Park are generally more adventurous than those inside the National Park, and less maintained. Many of the trails listed here will fade in and out in places, and require some route finding. They usually follow some natural terrain feature like a ridge or valley. There are more above-treeline hiking trails outside of Denali National Park than there are inside — at least that I know of. These trails tend to be more strenuous than those inside the National Park, with less switchbacks and more loose dirt and rock.
Hikes & Trails Inside Denali National Park
Easy
Savage River Trail
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The Northern Epics Quality Score is our trail rating system. We only list and review trails that we personally have hiked. Fortunately, as a guided hiking outfit, we hike a lot.
Why is the Northern Epics Quality Score out of 7 instead of 5 or 10? Because we wanted to. 7 is a fun number!
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This trail is short with very little elevation gain and is suitable for hikers and walkers of most ability levels.
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According to the National Park Service.
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According to the National Park Service.
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The Savage River Trail is a short trail located at Mile 15 of the Denali Park Road. It’s our pick for the best easy trail in Denali National Park. It follows the Savage River through a steep canyon, with great mountain views on both sides.
Oxbow Loop Trail
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The Northern Epics Quality Score is our trail rating system. We only list and review trails that we personally have hiked. Fortunately, as a guided hiking outfit, we hike a lot.
Why is the Northern Epics Quality Score out of 7 instead of 5 or 10? Because we wanted to. 7 is a fun number!
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This trail is short with very little elevation gain and is suitable for hikers and walkers of most ability levels.
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According to the National Park Service.
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According to the National Park Service.
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The Oxbow Loop Trail follows an oxbow bend on the Nenana River. It goes through lovely boreal forest. It’s wide and well-maintained, with better views than you would expect.
Easy
Triple Lakes Trail (From the North)
Easy
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This is not the rating for the entire Triple Lakes Trail (that would be a 5/7). This rating is for the first couple of miles of the Triple Lakes Trail hiking from the north.
The Northern Epics Quality Score is our trail rating system. We only list and review trails that we personally have hiked. Fortunately, as a guided hiking outfit, we hike a lot.
Why is the Northern Epics Quality Score out of 7 instead of 5 or 10? Because we wanted to. 7 is a fun number!
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If you start from the north end of Triple Lakes and only go the first couple of miles before turning around, this trail is very mellow. You can avoid the steep grade near the beginning by taking the McKinley Station Trail down to the wooden bridge over Hines Creek.
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This is only the mellow part of the Triple Lakes Trail. About 2 miles out and 2 miles back.
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There is only one short hill — you can either do it short and steep or longer and mellower via the McKinley Station Trail.
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The north end of the Triple Lakes is very mellow, and primarily follows Riley Creek. It crosses two bridges — one wooden, and one a suspension bridge. Expect nice river views and boreal forest.
Easy
Spruce Forest Loop Trail
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The Northern Epics Quality Score is our trail rating system. We only list and review trails that we personally have hiked. Fortunately, as a guided hiking outfit, we hike a lot.
Why is the Northern Epics Quality Score out of 7 instead of 5 or 10? Because we wanted to. 7 is a fun number!
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This is the easiest trail in Denali. It’s extremely short, has zero elevation change, and is completely flat compacted gravel.
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Based on our own best estimates and experience.
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Based on our own best estimates and experience.
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This short loop is a nice forest stroll and that’s about it. There are no great views, riverside vistas, or rocky outcrops. If you need a super short flat walk, this is great. Otherwise, choose something else.
McKinley Station Trail
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The Northern Epics Quality Score is our trail rating system. We only list and review trails that we personally have hiked. Fortunately, as a guided hiking outfit, we hike a lot.
Why is the Northern Epics Quality Score out of 7 instead of 5 or 10? Because we wanted to. 7 is a fun number!
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The only elevation change on this trail is very gradual without steep grades. It’s not particularly long either.
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According to the National Park Service.
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According to the National Park Service.
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This is a nice mellow trail with interesting informational signage and nice riverside views. It’s not my favorite of the easy trails, but it’s certainly not a bad choice!
Easy
Taiga Trail
Easy
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This rating is not entirely Taiga Trail’s fault. It’s a fine trail. The scenery is very similar to Spruce Forest Loop, but that trail is shorter and there are some people I could imagine that trail being the best choice for. In my opinion, Taiga Trail is not the best choice for anyone. If you can do this one, you can do others that are better.
The Northern Epics Quality Score is our trail rating system. We only list and review trails that we personally have hiked. Fortunately, as a guided hiking outfit, we hike a lot.
Why is the Northern Epics Quality Score out of 7 instead of 5 or 10? Because we wanted to. 7 is a fun number!
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This trail is short with very little elevation gain and is suitable for hikers and walkers of most ability levels.
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According to the Hiking Project.
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According to Hiking Project.
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This is a nice little walk through the woods, although it’s unquestionably best used as a connector trail between Rock Creek, Mt. Healy Overlook, and Horseshoe Lake Trails.
Rock Creek Trail to Roadside Loop
Moderate
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The Northern Epics Quality Score is our trail rating system. We only list and review trails that we personally have hiked. Fortunately, as a guided hiking outfit, we hike a lot.
Why is the Northern Epics Quality Score out of 7 instead of 5 or 10? Because we wanted to. 7 is a fun number!
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This trail has some elevation gain, steeper grades, and is longer than 4 miles. With that said, most of it is still quite mellow, and hikers of most abilities will be able to do it — even if it’s a bit of a challenge.
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Based on our tracking and estimates.
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According to the National Park Service.
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This is a nice moderate hike that’ll give you a taste of what Denali has to offer. Of the trails going out of the Visitor Center, this is one of my favorites. You’ll find a few great viewpoints, numerous berries, and pass through a few different ecosystems. I also see a lot of wildlife on this trail, so keep your eye out!
Moderate
Nenana River Trail
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This trail is unfinished, and is actually really nice so far, so this rating is likely to go up.
The Northern Epics Quality Score is our trail rating system. We only list and review trails that we personally have hiked. Fortunately, as a guided hiking outfit, we hike a lot.
Why is the Northern Epics Quality Score out of 7 instead of 5 or 10? Because we wanted to. 7 is a fun number!
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This trail doesn’t climb up high onto any mountains, but it does have short steep sections that will cause difficulties for some people. It’s also a decent-length trail, and getting longer.
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We forgot to record our hike on this trail, so the exact distance when we hiked it is unknown. Our best estimate is around 5 miles. This trail is under construction, however, and is likely longer now than it was then (summer 2025).
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This trail is still under construction and we forgot to track our hike on it (oops!) so we don’t know the elevation gain. It’s at least a couple hundred feet, though, from various ups and downs.
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This trail is still under construction, and I expect it to get better as time goes on. As of now, you’ll get beautiful views of the Nenana River and Mount Fellows as you wind your way up and down small rises — generally following the curvature of the Nenana River. Be sure to stop at the lookout at the Yanert River confluence.
Triple Lakes Trail (From the South)
Moderate
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The Northern Epics Quality Score is our trail rating system. We only list and review trails that we personally have hiked. Fortunately, as a guided hiking outfit, we hike a lot.
Why is the Northern Epics Quality Score out of 7 instead of 5 or 10? Because we wanted to. 7 is a fun number!
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This difficulty rating is based on the assumption that you don’t visit all three lakes — if you do that, I’d probably classify this hike as strenuous. It’s in between moderate and strenuous either way, and is the most challenging of the moderate trails I’ve listed here. The nice thing is that you can make it as easy or as difficult as you want depending on where you turn around.
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The distance is up to you. This is based on going less than halfway and turning back the way you came.
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Depending on how far you go (going less than 400 ft. up isn’t really gonna make this trail worth it).
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The Triple Lakes Trail starts out much steeper on its south side than on its north side. Expect quick elevation gain and the reward of beautiful lakes complete with beaver lodges. It’s a really pretty trail, and one I would definitely recommend. All three of the “triple lakes” are in the southern half of the Triple Lakes Trail.
Challenging
Mt. Healy Overlook Trail
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The Northern Epics Quality Score is our trail rating system. We only list and review trails that we personally have hiked. Fortunately, as a guided hiking outfit, we hike a lot.
Why is the Northern Epics Quality Score out of 7 instead of 5 or 10? Because we wanted to. 7 is a fun number!
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While this trail isn’t super long, it is quite steep and will have you huffing and puffing — especially if you elect to keep going up Healy afterwards.
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According to the National Park Service.
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According to the National Park Service.
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The Mt. Healy Overlook Trail is one of the few steeper and more strenuous trails inside Denali National Park. It will reward you with great views and a good workout, although in my opinion there are better options out there.
Challenging
Savage Alpine Trail
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The Northern Epics Quality Score is our trail rating system. We only list and review trails that we personally have hiked. Fortunately, as a guided hiking outfit, we hike a lot.
Why is the Northern Epics Quality Score out of 7 instead of 5 or 10? Because we wanted to. 7 is a fun number!
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This trail climbs very steeply from the Savage River side. If you go all the way from one end to the other without a car placed at the Mountain Vista trailhead, you’ll need to double the length and elevation gain.
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According to the National Park Service.
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According to All Trails.
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In my opinion, this is the best trail in Denali National Park. You’ll get amazing views of Mt. Denali itself, as well as the beautiful tundra valleys and towering peaks around it. You’ll pass craggy schist outcroppings, and see the braided Savage River snaking away into the distance. It’s great. Don’t miss it.
Triple Lakes Trail (Entire Thing)
Challenging
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The Northern Epics Quality Score is our trail rating system. We only list and review trails that we personally have hiked. Fortunately, as a guided hiking outfit, we hike a lot.
Why is the Northern Epics Quality Score out of 7 instead of 5 or 10? Because we wanted to. 7 is a fun number!
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This trail is quite long, and while it isn’t as steep as the other trails here rated “Challenging” it still has some pretty good elevation gain.
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According to the National Park Service.
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According to the National Park Service.
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Few people opt to hike the entire Triple Lakes Trail, but it’s not a bad option. For such a long trail, it doesn’t have too much elevation gain, and you can cruise at a pretty fast pace most of the way. While there aren’t many breathtaking views, it’s pretty and the lakes are lovely!
Hikes & Trails Near Denali National Park
Dragonfly Creek Waterfalls Trail
Moderate
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The Northern Epics Quality Score is our trail rating system. We only list and review trails that we personally have hiked. Fortunately, as a guided hiking outfit, we hike a lot.
Why is the Northern Epics Quality Score out of 7 instead of 5 or 10? Because we wanted to. 7 is a fun number!
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This trail is very short, but is also very steep in some sections, especially if you’re not used to route-finding. It’s unmaintained, so there are roots, rocks, drops, and more.
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Based on our best estimates. It’s a little less to the waterfalls themselves, and a little more to go all the way down to the river and back up.
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Based on our best estimates.
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This is less of a trail and more of a roadside stop, but it is really cool! Two big waterfalls carved out of the schist bedrock, with an interconnected trail web leading down to them. Staying left will generally make the climb down a little easier.
Montana Creek Trail
Moderate
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In my opinion, the Montana Creek Trail is the best moderate hiking trail in the Denali area. Not only do you get great views here and there, you get to pass through several of the big Denali ecosystems and see so much of what makes this area unique (although you’re likely to miss most of it without a guide. Sorry, but it’s true).
The Northern Epics Quality Score is our trail rating system. We only list and review trails that we personally have hiked. Fortunately, as a guided hiking outfit, we hike a lot.
Why is the Northern Epics Quality Score out of 7 instead of 5 or 10? Because we wanted to. 7 is a fun number!
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Despite some steepness early on, this trail is mostly flat and you can make miles quickly. It’s pretty long (close to 10 miles if you go all the way to Dick White’s cabin and back), but it goes by faster than you’d think.
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Based on our best estimates and the estimates we’ve heard from other locals.
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Based on our best estimates.
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This lovely trail sidehills along the base of Mt. Sugarloaf and Divide Mountain, offering great views through the trees from time to time, two nice creeks, and a really cool cabin. I highly recommend.
Challenging
Bison Gulch Trail
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The Northern Epics Quality Score is our trail rating system. We only list and review trails that we personally have hiked. Fortunately, as a guided hiking outfit, we hike a lot.
Why is the Northern Epics Quality Score out of 7 instead of 5 or 10? Because we wanted to. 7 is a fun number!
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This trail is truly steep. Not steep sections or steep switchbacks. It’s capital “S” Steep. It goes straight up the ridge and does not look back. It’s the shortest route to the summit of Mt. Healy.
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According to our best estimates.
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According to our best estimates.
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This is a steep trail with a big payoff: the summit of Mt. Healy. It’s a great day out and one I definitely recommend. Turn around while you’re taking breaks to take in the view!
Challenging
Antler Ridge Trail
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The Northern Epics Quality Score is our trail rating system. We only list and review trails that we personally have hiked. Fortunately, as a guided hiking outfit, we hike a lot.
Why is the Northern Epics Quality Score out of 7 instead of 5 or 10? Because we wanted to. 7 is a fun number!
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This trail is long, and has plenty of steep sections — as well as trail-less sections if you’re going all the way to the top.
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According to our best estimates.
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According to our best estimates. There are a few ups and downs if you’re going all the way to the summit.
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This ridge is more wandery than Bison Gulch’s ridge is. If your goal is to get to the top of Mt. Healy, that trail is the better option. But as far as trails go, Antler Ridge is far better than Bison Gulch. You get better views of the Nenana River valley to the North, great views of the Nenana River itself, views of Healy Creek valley, and many other things that you don’t get as much on Bison Gulch. Expect very high winds and a very long and scrambly trip if you’re going to the top of Mt. Healy. The trail also dies out less than halfway there, so you’ll have to do some route-finding as well.
Challenging
Dragonfly Ridge Trail
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The Northern Epics Quality Score is our trail rating system. We only list and review trails that we personally have hiked. Fortunately, as a guided hiking outfit, we hike a lot.
Why is the Northern Epics Quality Score out of 7 instead of 5 or 10? Because we wanted to. 7 is a fun number!
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This trail has some very steep sections, lots of rocks, and can be difficult to navigate at times. We only recommend this trail for experienced hikers — especially those with experience hiking off-trail and route-finding in the mountains.
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According to our best estimates.
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According to our best estimates
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This hike is beautiful, fun, and rewarding. It’s also steep, sometimes mildly treacherous, and difficult to navigate. While there is a trail for most of it, expect to do at least some bushwhacking and route-finding.
