Savage River Trail
Denali National Park
Epic Overview
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5.5/7
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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~1.7 miles
Savage River Trail Description
Savage River Trail is the crown jewel of Denali’s easier hikes. It sits farther into the park than any other maintained front-country trail, so you get a real taste of wide-open Denali tundra scenery without needing a big backcountry plan or a high level of fitness. On clear days, the drive in alone is part of the experience — Denali itself will be visible from the Park Road as you approach the trailhead on clear days.
The loop follows the Savage River as it tightens into a rocky canyon between Mt. Margaret and Healy Ridge, with large schist rock outcroppings rising on both sides. You’re almost always close to the water, so you’ll hear the constant sound of fast current, turbulence, and that sharp, cold river sound that makes the whole place feel alive. Keep an eye out for Dall sheep on the ridges around you. They’re out there!
About a mile in, you cross a footbridge to the opposite side of the canyon and return along the other bank, giving you fresh angles on the river, rock layers, and surrounding tundra the whole way back. The trail stays mostly near river level, with only a few small rises, so it’s not particularly physically demanding. The only downside to the Savage River Trail is that the views aren’t as expansive as some other trails. Being in a canyon is cool, but it also restricts your view quite a lot. This is still my pick for the best easy trail in Denali National Park.
Savage River Trail Map
Getting to Savage River Trail
From the entrance of the Denali Park Road, drive 15 miles to the Savage River Trailhead. There are two parking lots that you can access the Savage River Trail from — one on each side of the Savage River. The loop crosses the river halfway down, and you’ll end up at the opposite parking area from where you started by the end. Fortunately, it’s a short 100 meter walk between the parking lots.
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 Savage River Trail: 3-Hour Naturalist Walking Tour
Unfortunately, the National Park Service does not permit hiking tour companies to run tours on the Savage River Trail. With that said, the feel of Savage is very similar to the trails we do our Naturalist Walking Tour on. The Naturalist Walking Tour 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