Nenana River Trail
Denali National Park
Epic Overview
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4/7
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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Currently Unknown
This trail is still under construction, and exact metrics for distance and elevation gain are unknown. Each summer, the trail grows. Our information here should be fairly accurate, although it’s possible the trail will be longer when you hike it!
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Currently about 5 miles, but increasing.
This trail is still under construction, and exact metrics for distance and elevation gain are unknown. Each summer, the trail grows. Our information here should be fairly accurate, although it’s possible the trail will be longer when you hike it!
Nenana River Trail Description
The Nenana River Trail is Denali’s newest front-country trail project — and even in its still-growing form, it’s already good! Right now you can hike a decent section of it, and each year the Park Service extends it farther north. The long-term plan is for roughly 17 miles of connected trail through the Nenana River corridor, including both hiking-only and multi-use segments.
The trail follows the Nenana River through mixed spruce-and-aspen forest, repeatedly opening to big river canyon views and rugged mountain scenery. Views of the Mt. Fellows and its craggy profile provide a really cool feeling. This is both a river and mountain scenery hike first and foremost — wide water, sharp ridgelines, and a sense that you’re walking along the edge of something powerful.
Even though it doesn’t summit a peak, don’t mistake it for a flat stroll. The trail rolls and climbs in places, and there are sections that feel surprisingly steep (up to ~30% grades). That little bit of bite is part of what makes it fun: you get a real hike, not just a riverside amble.
Because this trail is actively under construction and expanding, the hikeable distance changes over time. In other words: the part that’s open now is likely longer than last season, and shorter than what it will be next season — so it’s worth checking current conditions before you go.
Nenana River Trail Map
Getting to Nenana River Trail
Start at the Tsenesdghaas Na’ trailhead about 6 miles south of the Denali Park Road. Hike as for the Oxbow Trail until you reach the large wooden overlook where the trail splits. Turn left here and you’ll be on the Nenana River Trail.
Make it a Tour!
Hiking in Denali on your own is beautiful; hiking with Northern Epics is meaningful. We’ll help you notice what most people walk right past—wildlife signs, edible plants and berries, glacial scars, and the living story of this place.
Similar to Nenana River Trail: 5-Hour Into the Mountains Hike
The Into the Mountains Hike combines jaw-dropping views, strenuous hiking, and fascinating insights about the land. As with all Northern Epics tours, you’re guided by an expert naturalist — someone who can not only navigate the trail, but paint a picture of it as you hike. Learn the similarities and differences between the boreal forest ecosystems you start in, and the sub-alpine tundra you hike into above the treeline. How the ground squirrels, marmots, and ravens live in this harsh environment, and what makes these ecosystems so unique. The Into the Mountains Hike will generally get you into higher terrain and better views than the Nenana River Trail, the distances and strenuous level (remember, the Nenana River Trail is quite steep in some places) makes it our most similar tour.
This is a strenuous hike. Want something easier or off-trail? Click here