If so, be sure to check out our comprehensive guide for driving Alaska’s Dalton Highway to the Arctic Circle– an adventure you will never forget! 41 of those units have a limit on the number of people allowed to camp each night. The most important thing to remember if you do encounter a bear is… don’t run! Park rangers will encourage you to plot your own routes, but Denali does have a handful of classic backpacking trips, which I’ll list below. Your email address will not be published. There’s a chance of significant snowstorms at both ends of this window. Most people considering venturing into the wilderness know the basics. Montana Trails. Last-minute getaway? All food and scraps kept at least 100 yards from your camp. The best place to start is the NP’s website, which gives descriptions of the units, and a Nat Geo map. Alaska and Denali in particular experiences a lot of precipitation. Since there are no trails and no backcountry campsites in Denali National Park, the park service has come up with a great way of keeping everyone from going to the same location at once and overcrowding your experience.. window.mc4wp.listeners.push({ comprehensive travel guide for Alaska’s stunning Kenai Peninsula. Also, you'll want a copy of the Backcountry Companion (Alaska Geographic), which describes conditions and routes in each area. You can learn more about it here at the park’s site. They’re relatively heavy. I couldn’t find any confirmation of this, but a ranger told me me that about a dozen or more people have been trampled and killed by moose over the years. The best way to experience it is to hike off-trail. HELP Backpacking Denali. Have a Plan B or a Plan C.  Just go in with an open mind, because some units can fill up quickly. Upon registering for a backcountry unit you will learn that it is not bears you need to worry most about, but rather rivers. These are the best places for budget-friendly hiking trails in Denali National Park and Preserve: Mt. As always, let us know if you have any questions that we did not cover in this guide! Horseshoe Lake Trail. if (!window.mc4wp) { Hike the Kesugi Ridge trail if you want a challenge or stick with Mount Wright if you can only spare a day. So for a 5-day trip you might have the nights of August 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in Unit 32, and then August 4th in Unit 33. You will learn all about how to handle yourself in bear country, what the biggest risks are for backpacking in Denali, and much more. You’re allowed to camp anywhere within the geographic borders of the Unit, so long as your campsite is out of sight of the Park Road. We hope to help inspire your next big adventure! I earn commission with links to other websites, like Amazon. Backpacking Trips. How to Hike Denali. Private vehicles are only allowed as far as 15 miles up the road, to Savage River. You’ll find that the rangers in the Backcountry Center are exceedingly cautious about recommending specific hikes or itineraries, so don’t count on them too much if you go in without a plan. Backcountry Units in Denali. ), which can attract bears to your camp. The Trails Illustrated Map of the park is a great resource for pre-trip planning, especially to get a comprehensive grasp of the entire park and the layout of its various units. Some years are especially rainy, so be prepared to be wet and cold. A few of the units have river beds or drainages that can be followed into the wilderness, making it nearly impossible to get turned around. Avoid hiking single file; spread out and disperse to prevent the formation of social trails. This was one of my all time favorite backpacking trips, and I don’t say that lightly. Denali National Park comprises a massive area of six million acres (over 24,000 km 2), slightly more than the entire state of Massachusetts.The park is best known for the 20,320-ft (6,194 m) Denali. Mount Healy Overlook Trail This is one of the steepest yet best hikes in Denali if you are able. Only one person has been fatally attacked by a bear in the entire history of the Park. This is a good one for beginners, simply following a river valley upstream to its terminus at a glacier. Richard gained his love of the outdoors by spending summers hiking all over the world, including the Alps, Rockies, Himalayas, Andes and Pyrenees. })(); We are Jess & Pedro, two traveling souls that want to share our passion, stories and experiences with you. The weather in Denali is temperamental and unpredictable so be prepared for any and all conditions. Examples of other trips with big river crossings are Anderson Pass and McGonagall Pass – these are best done in late August or early September. To access the majority of these units, you will need to purchase a ticket for the Denali Park Shuttle. The Denali wilderness is divided into 87 units, 41 of these have a limit on the number of people allowed to spend the night within. It’s true that there’s no trails in the best of Denali’s backcountry. After you have completed the pre trip research phase it is time to go for those permits! Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. To prevent any single area from becoming over-crowded, only a certain number of free permits are doled out for a given unit … This unit is ideal for less experienced backpackers. Close. Others use GPS units exclusively for navigation off trail or following a pre-charted route with great accuracy. Denali National Park is the size of Vermont. After the demonstration you have the option of sticking around and petting these adorable creatures. The moment you know that you want to go backpacking in Denali start doing research. We just made it in time (whew!) While there is so much beauty and life to be found in the deep taiga forest and high alpine tundra, Denali Peak is the main attraction. The historic first ascent of the mountain was done via this approach. There are campgrounds all over the park in addition to lodges and campgrounds outside the park borders. Stop by the Wilderness Access Center to get all the info you need about camping and backcountry in Denali. The Park Road is 92 miles long, coming to a dead-end at Kantishna. Elsewhere in the United States, you have to backpack for miles and miles to seek out a rewarding destination. Duck and dive behind trees into the thick woods until it loses interest and no longer sees you as a threat. Archived. wikipedia; Hiking Trails (2) 1. Don’t rely on a battery powered water purifier! Backpacking Denali is no walk in the park! I am fairly in shape but don't want to spend the entire trip slogging up steep ridges. Savage River Loop Trail. Females with calves are particularly dangerous, and the males are especially moody during mating season in the Fall. It’s extremely informative and teaches you basically everything you need to know about hiking in the Park. For the best experience, get an early start to your day and have a solid plan. Home to North America’s tallest peak, Denali’s biggest draw for nature lovers is backpacking across a wide open, unfiltered, trail-less wilderness with jaw-dropping views around every turn. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Required fields are marked *. Riley Creek is located at mile 0.25 on the Denali Park Road. Backcountry Units in Denali. Our travel wardrobe consists of a mix of Icebreaker and Smart Wool products. If crossing a river is on your backpacking itinerary, be sure to know the safest way to do so, i.e., locking  arms, unclipping your pack, crossing at the widest point, etc. You won’t be able to see the bottom of the silty, glacial rivers, so be cautious of sudden changes in depth. The rangers will tell you everything you need to know about hiking in grizzly country when you get your permit, but I’m going to go over some of that here anyway. Denali National Park features the highest mountain in North America. It’s common to see wildlife out here, like Dall Sheep and Grizzly Bears. Even if you aren’t one who normally uses poles while hiking, you should consider bringing a pair for backpacking in Denali. Also known has the Eielson Alpine Trail, this steep trail climbs almost 1,000ft above the Eielson Visitor Center, deep within the National Park. Once you have your permit you will need to go through a briefing about safe backpacking practices in Denali. On a side note, be aware of the difference between a water purifier vs. a filter. Ever since taking an incredible family trip to Alaska in my teens and visiting Denali National Park, backpacking through Denali had been near the top of my bucket list. This pack, which has a cult-like following, is loaded with features, has incredible ventilation, and weighs in at a respectable 4 lbs 8 oz. From 2 mountain passes, sunshine the…” Chances are you will experience rain during your trip. What I’m saying is that Spring, Summer, and Fall come and go rapidly in Denali. A subreddit dedicated to backpacking in the wild places on earth - where people are few, cell signal is nil, and Mother Nature still reigns. Learn about the fascinating lives of these noble dogs and what it take to become an Alaskan sled dog. You must arrive at the visitor center by 4:30 pm on the day that your backcountry camping experience begins (or the day before – you can arrive one day early to get the permit process out of the way if you wish.) Overnight parking can be found at the Riley Creek Day-Use Area and at the Denali Visitor Center. Everything was brown, and the mountains were covered in snow. Read more about the sled dog demonstrations here! After the video, they’ll give you a brief “Safety Talk,” which verbally confirms the information presented in the video. The best resource for researching your backpacking route is the official park website. Your feet sink into the earth with each step, nearly eliminating the harsh impact that often is associated with hiking through unruly terrain. If your trip involves a serious river crossing, try to time your itinerary to do the crossing in the early morning. This item is an investment for your life. That may turn a lot of people off, but the navigation is easy! The Family Camping Itinerary ... hike, taking the camper bus to your unit and then traveling for up to 2 weeks in a huge area of wilderness reserved almost exclusively for your use. With the six campgrounds inside the park situated near hiking trails and high-mountain lakes, and the 20,308-foot Denali peak dominating the background, no national park in America is better suited for summer camping than Denali.This three-day itinerary is based from the Wonder Lake Campground at mile 85. Go here to see an interesting trip report, or here for the NPS description of Unit 20. This site feeds you cookies, is peppered with affiliate links, and has dangerous recipes for going outdoors. Considering our lack of preparation, we had no business being in Denali’s backcountry, but we ended up having the greatest backpacking experience of our life! on: function (event, callback) { A classic hike to cover some distance in Denali’s backcountry – connect the headwaters of these rivers via the scenic Refuge Valley. We were soaking wet and a bit disheveled after multiple days of camping. Although you can’t book ahead for these units, you should narrow down your top 5 before arrival. Icebreaker seems to hold up better of the two. The general rule of thumb is to stay 25 yards away from a moose and all other wildlife (Except bears, stay a quarter-mile or more away from them). Technically outside the boundaries of the National Park, Sugarloaf Mountain is perhaps the most strenuous and best hike on this list. 13. This is a must for animal lovers! Finally, they carry all of the corresponding USGS topographic quad maps in the Backcountry Center, and I recommended getting the ones you’ll need from there. To learn more about your options, click here. You don't have to board a bus or carry a hefty backpack to enjoy hiking through the wilderness surrounding Denali National Park. No small task for sure, but I’ll explain the process and link to a handy planning tool. The season generally begins in late May and ends in early September. You’re required to borrow one of their bear resistant food containters (Free of charge). He knew right where to drop us off and gave us advice on where to hike. Denali is a primitive place with wild, glacial rivers. Considering that it’s a maintained trail, this one-way hike (possible to connect via a free shuttle bus) provides the best opportunity for a wilderness experience. Permits are first come, first served. More often than not you will feel as though you are navigating through a landmine of unstable rocks, dense brush, and treacherous river crossings. Our advice, arrive to the visitors center at 8am (opening time) the day prior to your departure for the best chance of getting your first choice unit. Here’s a few more photos and accounts of trips that didn’t make the cut for “best of” or “suggested,” etc. Taking a few extra pairs of AA batteries on your hike won’t do the trick. There aren't many maintained trails in Denali, so hiking here is pretty free-form. It is important to be conservative with time and distances when backpacking in Denali. You can access all of these with your own vehicle. The 50 day hikes and 15 backpacking trips covered in the Denali National Park Alaska Guide to Hiking, Photography and Camping represent only a few of the possibilities. Do you want the ultimate Denali wilderness experience? Savage Alpine Trail. Here’s the best of the trails that Denali has to offer. I left for the season in late September. Lucky for us, everything worked out just fine in the end. The tremendous 18,000-ft (5,486 m) difference from the mountain's lowlands near Wonder Lake up to its peak is a greater vertical relief than that of Mount Everest. Connects the wildlife superhighways of the Toklat River on the north side of the road, via the pass north of Cabin Peak. We backpacked unit 11 and had the luxury of hiking alongside Stony Creek. Lodging is available on private land within Denali National Park. Buy the Denali National Park and Preserve topographical map, published by Trails Illustrated, available from Alaska Geographic. Early season trips on these two hikes are less likely to be successful – by the time the park road opens, it’s usually too late to be fording the respective rivers. This index chronicles my experiences throughout a bright summer in the land of the midnight sun, a season that felt like one long day with as much adventure crammed into the 40-hour work weeks as possible. It’s also technically possible to backpack on this trail. The attack occurred in 2012 along the Toklat River, and the victim was a lone male from San Diego. No small task for sure, but I’ll explain the process and link to a … You can right-click (or download) the following maps to see larger versions of them. The park’s rivers are often swift, deep, and bone-chillingly cold. There are wonderful views along the way that make this one of the best hikes in Denali. Going up Mount Healy via Bison Gulch is also a great day for intrepid hikers. If you are anything like us and are less than confident about your ability to navigate with a map and compass, not all hope is lost. Though not exactly an off-trail adventure, this 40-mile round-trip hike is technically outside of the National Park. You’re nowhere near an outlet so how will you recharge? You cannot venture into Denali’s wilderness without this crucial item. There are different ways to handle an encounter with a black bear vs. a grizzly; this is something you will learn about when obtaining your permit. You will curse yourself if you don’t have them, especially if a river crossing is on your itinerary. The “tour bus” drivers, will, however, pick you up if they have space on their exit run. Backpacking in Denali is an unforgettable experience that allows you to be one with nature on the most intimate level. Needless to say, we missed our scheduled bus and ended up having to rely on a park ranger for guidance on what unit to choose. For easy-to-navigate valleys and gravel river bars, look to the units south of the park road (6-10, 12, and 13). Check out our comprehensive travel guide for Alaska’s stunning Kenai Peninsula. Rain pants and jackets are a must. If you lose your footing your backpack can pin you underwater, so you’ll need to be able to remove it quickly. This can even be daunting for experienced backpackers due to Denali’s unpredictability, harsh climate and unforgiving terrain. Pixabay Photo. To travel beyond Savage River, you’ll need to use the park’s bus system. Knowing how to handle bear encounters is an essential part of backpacking in Denali. If you run it may trigger a predatory instinct to chase and attack. advertisement. The quota is the maximum number of campers in that unit each night (e.g., if a unit quota is 8, there might be 8 … If this happens, you have to go through the hassle of getting your ticket changed, paying a fee and risking the chance that the next bus is full. An item that you hope to never use but could ultimately end up saving your life. The opposite is true when dealing with bears – DO NOT RUN FROM THEM! Lodging is available on private land within Denali National Park. The terrain is usually wide-open, so you can see the surrounding landscape for miles and miles. If you’re still hesitant about getting deep into the park and just want something more simple, that’s okay! The best handheld hiking GPS units have come a long way since then and become much more affordable. Were we crazy to even consider venturing into this wild wilderness? If you have your own bear can, you must bring it with you and have it approved by the rangers. The heart of Denali lies in its wilderness, vast and wonderful. Rather than hiking one unit, you can opt to split your time between several units. Hiking in Denali (1:59) Hiking Near the Park Entrance. If you have extra time, go for the summit! Use common sense and you and the bears will live in complete harmony in Denali’s backcountry. We just made it in time (whew!) These merino base-layer shirt and pants were perfect for those chilly September nights in Denali. Following a steep, established trail to the west of the Park’s entrance, it climbs to great heights with spectacular views – a local favorite. This can even be daunting for experienced backpackers due to Denali’s unpredictability, harsh climate and unforgiving terrain. Backpacking units are subject to availability so be sure to have a backup plan in the event that your first choice is full. If you let your guard down at any time you run the risk of twisting an ankle, getting turned around, or walking straight into a bear’s personal space. Moose are statistically more dangerous than bears. Denali requires all backpackers to camp in their designated unit in an area that cannot be seen from the park road. Tell us about it in the comments section! Second, we weren’t aware of the rather lengthy process required for obtaining a backcountry permit (plan for around one hour). Heck, we didn’t even know the park was divided into units! Backpacking Denali is no walk in the park! 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