Explore Denali Trip - view hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you.
Hiked in June, 2020. I started out at Savage River at the parking lot before the bridge. I did not hike the whole trail so I can’t go in depth. I hiked until the huge rocks at the top right before the terrain turns barren. It was very windy and I was a little cold. It is pretty rocky but you can’t lose your footing. I didn’t go farther because I didn’t know where it went and I was afraid of bumping into bears. I saw squirrels and Pikas on this hike too. I would go again.
Jan 16, 2021. Steep trail, bring poles if you have them. We brought snow shoes just in case, and didn't even need them. Most trails were easily found even towards the top was bare of snow. Made it just shy of the peak. If you start a bit before sunrise around 9am you could definitely make it the the peak and back with ample sunlight at a decent pace. We started at 10am, didn't want to chance anything. Ran into some sheep again near the top. Beautiful views all around. There's better ways around the trails that are all shale or no trail at all. You just have to be willing to look a bit. Also very windy once you crest the hills. PS- the original parking lot is still able to be used at the trail head, on the north side of the road. No parking fees
reviewed Great - even with snow it’s fine. Just bring crampons.
We hiked this in mid October, just after a snow. We made it almost 3 miles up before we lost the trail and decided to turn back. We had a beautiful clear view of the Alaska range and the valley all around
Absolutely perfect day to hike MT Healy overlook trail. I was intimidated by some of the reviews I read. My husband and I would rate this trail as moderate. We’re in our 50s not overly athletic by any means. The trail is extremely well maintained. Nothing technical. It’s only 3 miles to the top. It’s uphill most of the way but no scrambles. If you’re on the fence about doing it. I would say go for it. Leave yourself time to stop catch your breath and enjoy the stunning views. We got lucky the weather was actually warmer at the top then at the bottom so we could hang up there awhile. Hiking poles might be nice going down if you have them but not necessary.
Really muddy but still an amazing hike!
Very good trail. Not technical, but will make you exhausted. Cold and windy up top so plan accordingly.
Great hike. Sunny clear skies, started at sunrise. Started from Savage campground. First quarter of trail is through scenic forested area with nice views of creek. Second quarter is where the most incline hiking happens and is where some stunning arial views start to come into play. I spotted some white mountain sheep or goats way off on a hill side opposite of the trail with binoculars from the starting point of the man made raised wooden walkway. As you get closer to the top of the trail it really flattens out. The wind picks up and the views are great. Dress in layers (windproof and waterproof).the second half of the trail is mostly flat and downhill with some really good spots to take pics and rest. Trail traffic picked up as I got closer to the end point at Savage River Loop. Don’t forget to plan a ride back if you’re hiking in the off-season with no bus shuttles or it’s a 2 mile hike back to campground on the road. Took about 3hrs to hike. Recommend hiking poles if u got them.
In good shape for the most part. A little mud but not bad. The boulder scrambling is a fun way to break up the walk. The views are incredible. Just take your time and enjoy it. I ended up at just over 10 miles
This trail was all around stunning. Jaw dropping at the top and also good views throughout the hike, which is a good motivator :) Uphill the entire way. Lots of switchbacks and man they almost killed me. I did a long hike the day before so I’m hoping that’s why I had so much trouble on this one. It gets very cold at the top but there are views in all directions - you’ll want to hang out for a bit. LOVELY fall colors! Highly recommend!
Perfect conditions. Not much mud. Bouldering is tough but the dogs did it with help. Took about 6 hours with lunch break
Beautiful views, muddy at the top. Highly recommend
I’m an avid hiker. I really enjoyed this hike. It had a little of everything. You start easy warm up for almost 2 miles through meadow area and then you start to climb. You pass the waterfall where a lot of families hiked to later in the day and turn around. The first plateau is pretty cool and you get a great view of the valley below. There is a bolder field that requires some patience, but I love it. Lower Reed was gorgeous. We kept hiking to upper Reed and got caught in a snow storm - mid September. The temperatures vary depending on where you are on the trail. By the time we got to upper Reed the fog had moved in a couldn’t see anything, but enjoyed the hike. Down sucked. The snow and lower down rain, had mucked up the trail and made the inclines very slick. I hit the ground 3 times. Overall, this trail had it all and I wouldn’t skip it. Like most All Trails, the trail was a little longer than stated. I ended up tracking about 10 miles. Happy hiking
This hike is a must! Boulder hopping was a load of fun and the snow at Upper Lake was the icing on the cake!
Amazing trail. So worth it. Especially right now with a little bit of fresh snow at the end to give it that extra touch. Really not that hard, just don’t do what I did and wait too long to come back where your doing the last 4 miles in the dark...
Great trail! we started from the camp side and it looked much easier than starting on the river loop side. Not much rock climbing involved, mostly rock walking. It took about 2 hours and 45 minutes for my group of inexperienced hikers. Well worth the trek!
Beautiful trail. SUPER steep especially at the beginning. The elevation gain is pretty intense. Once you get up to the snow it’s hard to keep track of the trail. We were mostly off trailing once we got up to that part. There are no trail markers, so that didn’t help us. Beautiful views the whole way! We enjoyed it.
Great trail! The perfect hard trail. Beautiful views, little places to stop for a second, long stretches of steep climbs before plateau. At the end the weather was much colder, very very strong wind, slight rain. 100% gorgeous views, would do it again and again.
The trail shown on Alltrails is just to the end of the "maintained" portion. I highly recommend continuing another ~1/2 mile to reach the highest point (the trail is good). Lots of elevation over a very short hike; it's tiring, but the views of the valley are well worth it, as well as the view of Denali if you happen to catch it on a clear day.
