Oxbow Loop 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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Negligible
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~1.6 miles
Oxbow Loop Trail Description
The Oxbow Loop is a gentle, low-commitment hike that still feels like a real Denali experience. It’s completely flat and easy underfoot, making it a top pick for families, casual hikers, or anyone with mobility limitations who still wants to get out on a trail.
From the Tsenesdghaas Na’ Trailhead, the loop contours along the west bank of the Nenana River, drifting in and out of spruce forest before dipping down closer to the river near the far end of the loop. You’ll get a nice variety of scenery for a short walk: elevated river views, quiet woods, and occasional open stretches where the wind and water do the talking.
As you walk keep an eye out for squirrel middens (they’ll look like brown heaps with holes all over them) where the tree squirrels store their food for winter. You’ll also see drunken spruces, their tops bending down as if they’re a bit tipsy. At the narrowest point of the oxbow, there’s a short trail connecting the loop and allowing you to run from the river view on one side to the view on the other. It’s a cool way to experience a unique geological feature: the oxbow! I would highly recommend walking it.
Oxbow Loop Trail Map
Getting to Oxbow Loop Trail
The Oxbow Trail shares the Tsenesdghaas Na Trailhead. From the Denali Park Road, drive south on George Parks Hwy for 6 miles until you see signage for Tsenesdghaas Na Trailhead. It will be on your left. If you reach a bridge across the Nenana River and the Denali Park Village, you’ve gone too far. Once at the trailhead, follow the trail to a large overlook with a wooden deck and some interpretive signs. Turn right and enjoy the Oxbow loop!
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 Oxbow Loop Trail: 3-Hour Naturalist Walking Tour
This walk often takes place on Oxbow Loop! This is a slow-down-and-notice-everything kind of Denali hike. Along a beautiful, approachable trail, your Northern Epics guide will bring the landscape to life—reading wildlife signs, spotlighting edible tundra and forest plants, and sharing the natural and human stories that shaped this land. You’ll leave not just having seen Denali, but having understood it.
This is an easy walk. Want something harder or off-trail? Click here