Hike the Teklanika Trail

Teklanika campground offers a place to camp where you really get to experience Denali with very few people around. The campground sits right along the Teklanika River with incredible hikes and views of the park. Vehicles are not allowed past Mile 15 at the Savage River point, but if you are camping at Teklanika, you may bring your own vehicle all the way to the campground which sits at Mile 29 ...

Make no mistake, this is a unkempt, social trail. Starting at the base of the mountain at the McKinley Park Road sign for Big Creek/Igloo Mountain Campground, begin hiking northeast towards a faint social trail heading up the mountain. Once you reach the first false peak approximately 1/3 of your way to the top, you can carefully hug the southeast-face of the mountain along a precarious scree f...

The campground has limited cell reception and no wifi. Open fires are permitted at the campground. There are three group campsites available, which facilitate 9-20 people. Normal campsites host a maximum of 8 people.  A free bus service is available, the Savage River Shuttle, to travel from this campground to the park entrance. To travel by bus further into the park beyond Savage River, a bus t...

Savage Alpine Trail is a point-to-point trail that takes you by a river located near Denali National Park, Alaska.

From the Toklat contact station walk east back across the bridge (crossing the river) and drop down onto the river bar heading north. Walk for about 75 yards north hugging the cliffs on the right. Eventually you will reach an area where the tundra comes all the way down to the river bar. This is where you will need to bushwhack for about 5 minutes as you make your way through the brush line. On...

The best time of year to do this is when the weather is cold and the river is low. I have had the best luck in late spring and early fall. If it's raining or really hot this hike won't be doable because the river will be impassable without a pack raft or a high skill level of river crossings. Start at the Toklat River Contact Station, aka the tent. From the tent walk back along the road and ove...