What you get on this adventure: A professional, knowledgeable, medically-trained, Denali backcountry hiking guide Use of trekking poles What’s not included: Transportation to Alaska Transportation to and from the trailhead — can be provided by the guide Accommodation Meals and snacks

What do I need to bring?

Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring: Day pack large enough to carry all the items listed (around a 40L bag) Water bottle or hydration bladder (2L capacity) Sturdy hiking boots Overboots Spare clothes for layering Waterproof rain jacket Sunhat Toiletries (sunscreen, hand sanitizer, bug spray, toilet paper, etc.) Sunglasses Camera — optional (but recommended) Binoculars — optional Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.

Getting there and meeting location

To get to Denali National Park, most people fly into Anchorage International Airport (ANC). From there, you can rent a car or take a shuttle service to Denali Park that is 4 hours away or drive to Talkeetna, 2 hours north of Anchorage. Once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, your guide will suggest the best place to meet. You can make arrangements with your guide who can provide you with transportation from Denali Wilderness Princess Lodge . From there, you’ll head straight to your tour. The guide will choose the appropriate terrain dependent on conditions and the hiking ability of the group. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-22571" src="https://57hours.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Screenshot-2021-05-28-at-13.13.43-1128x800.png" alt="Denali Wilderness Princess Lodge" width="1128" height="800" srcset="https://57hours.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Screenshot-2021-05-28-at-13.13.43-1128x800.png 1128w, https://57hours.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Screenshot-2021-05-28-at-13.13.43-784x556.png 784w, https://57hours.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Screenshot-2021-05-28-at-13.13.43-768x545.png 768w, https://57hours.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Screenshot-2021-05-28-at-13.13.43-888x630.png 888w, https://57hours.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Screenshot-2021-05-28-at-13.13.43.png 1184w, https://57hours.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Screenshot-2021-05-28-at-13.13.43.png 2256w, https://57hours.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Screenshot-2021-05-28-at-13.13.43.png 1568w, https://57hours.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Screenshot-2021-05-28-at-13.13.43.png 1536w, https://57hours.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Screenshot-2021-05-28-at-13.13.43.png 1776w" sizes="(max-width: 1128px) 100vw, 1128px" /> Walking tours operate daily from 8:00am to 11:00am and from 5:00pm to 8:00 pm. Interpretive hikes operate daily from 11:30am to 4:30pm.

Guided Hiking Tours in Denali NP, Alaska

Top three reasons to hike Denali National Park:

Encompassing 4,740,911 acres, it’s the third largest park in the country
With its diverse flora and fauna, Denali is a visual spectacle
Get off the beaten path without having to do any technical mountaineering

That’s right. There’s only one road that services the park’s five million acres and that road is only 91 miles long. Still, to put it into perspective: the park’s larger than the state of New Hampshire. So no matter how you decide to tour the park’s taiga, tundra, and glaciers, you can count on all of it being big. Epically big. While the park has plenty of trails ranging from super-short (Meadow View Trail, 0.3 mile) to much, much longer (Triple Lakes Trail, 9.5 miles), what appeals to most visitors are the off-trail options. The only way to tour the park in a car is via the lone Denali Park Road, which has various drop-off and stopping points throughout its route. Many hikers will hop off at one of the stops, venture out for a hike of their choosing, and then return to the road where they can catch a shuttle back to the various parts of breathtaking Denali! Find out more about the best hiking trails in Denali from Karl Sander, skier, hiker, and cyclist in the PNW.

Season Mid-May through mid-September	Nearest city Anchorage, AK, is four hours away by car
Duration 1 day	Skill level Beginner to advanced

Choose how you spend your day

Step into a natural Alaskan paradise and take a stroll along the boreal forests and beautiful lakes. Enjoy magnificent views of Byers Lake and surrounding mountains, learn about the area’s ecosystem and the complicated connections of plants, animals, and people within the splendor of true wilderness in Alaska. Hear from your knowledgeable guide about how people survived long winters in such a cold, yet beautiful setting!

Hiking level: Moderate. The trail is not flat. Some up and down is required for the entire length of the tour. Expect to walk 3-4 miles with up to 800’ elevation gain.

This is an engaging 5-hour tour for travelers looking to tackle Denali’s glacier topology in depth. This guided, narrated tour will teach you about the extensive flora and fauna throughout the park while discovering the Nenana River, sub-alpine tundra and the gorgeous vegetation of the taiga. Join a small group of hikers and enjoy exploring the marvelous nature of Denali!

Hiking level: Strenuous. Expect to gain 1500′ in elevation and walk 5-6+ miles.

Meet your guide

Walk Denali Backcountry Guides

Denali Backcountry Guides are among the most experienced guides in Alaska. Each guide has a minimum of five years of guiding experience in Alaska. Combined they have guided throughout Alaska, spent decades hiking, climbing and packrafting in the Alaska Range. Their goal is to share their knowledge and love of Alaska.

Reviews (3)

Book this tour!!

sophiaaC407FZ about Walk Denali Backcountry Guides on TripAdvisor

My boyfriend and I booked this tour on our last day and Alaska and it did not disappoint! Our guide was very fun to talk to and SO knowledgeable about the national park, the history of the mountains, the animals and their behaviors, the plants, bugs etc… We learned so much interesting information while going on an amazingly scenic hike. The information as well as the hike itself were things we wouldn’t have been able to experience by ourselves without a lot of precious park knowledge. This was the highlight of our trip and we are so happy we could fit this in. I would absolutely recommend this tour to anyone who is interested in seeing and experiencing Denali in a more in depth way

3 Lakes hike

mbement about Walk Denali Backcountry Guides on TripAdvisor

Dana led a 3 hour hike into Denali. We viewed 3 separate lakes and mountain views. She shared fun facts and great knowledge regarding edible plants and berries, wildlife clues and behavior. I learned so much! She paced the hike perfect to fit our comfort level. It was the highlight of our summer. I would definitely hike with Dana again!

Great Summer Hike

Mariya D about Walk Denali Backcountry Guides on TripAdvisor

We had a very lovely 5 hr hike with Jeff who taught us so much about the tundra and its inhabitants, we tasted wild berries and enjoyed the amazing views of the 3 lakes. Hike was moderately challenging yet very pleasant. Thanks!

Things to know

57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.

We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, guides and the communities they’re travelling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Denali, Alaska, please refer to Alaska’s Department of Health and Social Services website.

Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!

What you get on this adventure:

A professional, knowledgeable, medically-trained, Denali backcountry hiking guide
Use of trekking poles

What’s not included:

Transportation to Alaska
Transportation to and from the trailhead — can be provided by the guide
Accommodation
Meals and snacks

The best thing about hiking in Denali is that there are incredible options for all skill levels. For beginner hikes, if you can walk for four to six hours with little elevation gain, you are good to go! Intermediate hikes will see a little more change in elevation and hikes will start to increase in length, hiking anywhere between four to eight miles. Advanced hikes are full day treks with steep descents and challenging switchbacks. Keep in mind, the weather can suddenly change and you’ll also be packing a daypack filled with water and other things you’ll need throughout the day.

Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:

Day pack large enough to carry all the items listed (around a 40L bag)
Water bottle or hydration bladder (2L capacity)
Sturdy hiking boots
Overboots
Spare clothes for layering
Waterproof rain jacket
Sunhat
Toiletries (sunscreen, hand sanitizer, bug spray, toilet paper, etc.)
Sunglasses
Camera — optional (but recommended)
Binoculars — optional

Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.

Group sizes and prices:

Denali backcountry hiking tours listed above are not private. Pricing is per person, and costs don’t decrease as your group grows.
The maximum group size on these day-hiking tours is eight guests and one guide. It takes a minimum of three people for the tours to operate.

If you’re traveling with a larger party, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.

Min. age requirements:

Everybody over the age of 18 is welcome to book this hiking adventure.
Children under 15 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

If you plan to hike with anyone under the age of 15, please contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.

To get to Denali National Park, most people fly into Anchorage International Airport (ANC). From there, you can rent a car or take a shuttle service to Denali Park that is 4 hours away or drive to Talkeetna, 2 hours north of Anchorage.

Once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, your guide will suggest the best place to meet. You can make arrangements with your guide who can provide you with transportation from Denali Wilderness Princess Lodge. From there, you’ll head straight to your tour. The guide will choose the appropriate terrain dependent on conditions and the hiking ability of the group.