Alaska rewards the curious and the careful. This guide is built for hikers, photographers, and anyone drawn to the northern landscape, whether you’re planning your first tundra walk or your tenth backcountry route. The destinations here range from roadside trails to places that require some work to reach, but all share one thing: they’re worth treating well.
The guides cover route conditions, wildlife considerations, and the kind of logistical detail that matters when the nearest help is a long way off. Alaska operates at a scale that changes the terms of outdoor travel. Distances are real, weather shifts fast, and the land doesn’t adjust to your timeline. That’s part of what makes it worth coming for.
Trip report from my 3-day backpacking trip to the Gakona Glacier in the Alaska Range. Lots of photos, including some historical, a bit of route…
Sugarloaf Ridge Trail is a very steep, 4.5-mile round-trip hike up Sugarloaf Mountain, beginning at the Grand Denali Lodge outside of Denali National Park. Photos,…
Ermine Hill trail guide with trail and weather information, trail map, and detailed information on hiking this 7.6-mile out-and-back hike that connects to the K’esugi…
A guide to a few hikes in the Nome Creek hills from the Mt. Prindle Campground in the White Mountain National Recreation Area, Alaska. Great…
Thunderbird Falls is a highly trafficked out-and-back hike in Chugiak, Alaska (near Eklutna Village), about a 1/2-hour drive from Anchorage, Alaska.
The approximately 12-mile round-trip Mastodon Dome hike in the White Mountains of Alaska is located on the south side of the Steese Highway at the…
It wasn’t easy to decide to post some route info and GPS data from my backcountry trips in Denali National Park. The National Park Service…
Description for a few Worthington Glacier hikes, starting at 2 miles and up. Maps, photos, information, and route descriptions.
Map and descriptions for numerous trails near the entrance and Visitor Center to Denali National Park. Trails for all walkers and hikers.
Keystone Canyon is a gorgeous 3-mile long canyon with enormous waterfalls and cliffsides near Valdez, Alaska. There are numerous hiking trails in the area.
The Alaska SeaLife Center is a phenomenal non-profit research institution, rescue and rehabilitation facility, and public aquarium all rolled into one. Sadly, due to COVID-19…
McManus Mountain is an excellent hike through tundra and alpine terrain near the twelve-mile summit off the Steese Highway. The area is covered in wildflowers…
Trail description and map for a popular 2-3 day hike up Mt. Prindle from Nome Creek in the White Mountain National Recreation Area. Great views…
Route information for hiking Mt. Thoro and the Thorofare Ridge. Both hikes are off-trail, although fairly easy to navigate through rocky alpine tundra.
The nature trails at the Wedgewood Wildlife Sanctuary are a wonderful quiet spot to walk around Wander Lake and a perfect spot for birdwatching near…
Map to travel and hiking locations around Alaska. Each location has a link to a guide on that spot with more detail and things to…
The Twin Bears Trail is a relatively easy day hike at mile 29.5 Chena Hot Springs Road. The approximately 5-mile hike gains over 1300 ft….
The Eielson Alpine Trail is a short, steep hike at the Eielson Visitor Center in Denali National Park. Great views of the mountain and wildlife…
The Worthington Glacier State Recreation Site is a great roadside stop near Valdez along the Richardson Highway with incredible views of the Glacier.
Info on hiking College Creek to College Glacier near the Hoodoos on the southern part of the Delta Mountains in the Alaska Range. Good backcountry…
A fun, short (~5 mile), back-country, off-trail hike in the Teklanika foothills in Denali National Park. Open tundra and great views of Double Mountain!
Wickersham Dome Trail is a 6-7 mile out-and-back hike that travels through boreal forest to rocky alpine tundra. Great day hike near Fairbanks, Alaska.
Murphy Dome is a great place to view the aurora borealis from September to April in Fairbanks, Alaska. Directions, map, and some info to help…
Tips on viewing and photographing the northern lights. Where to see the northern lights and how to plan your aurora chasing vacation!
Table Top Mountain Trail is a 3.5-mile hike with a short extension to the summit of a treeless, mesa-like mountain with great views of the…
The Gulkana Glacier area has much to offer, including day-hiking, backpacking or mountaineering expeditions, or just a roadside view of the glacier.
The Healy Overlook Trail is a steep yet well-maintained, easy-to-follow, and relatively short 4.7-mile hike and offers gorgeous Alaska Range views.
Hiking guide to the 15-mile Granite Tors Loop in the Chena River State Rec Area. A moderately intense day hike or overnight hike amongst granite…
A casual back-country day hike to a large glacier, or start of a mountaineering adventure, the Castner Glacier offers great hikes and views of ice…
The Solomon Gulch Hatchery is a great place in Valdez, Alaska to potentially see Steller sea lions, seals, otters, eagles, bears, and, of course, salmon….
A guide to a few trails and hikes in Denali National Park in Alaska
The Savage Alpine Trail is a 6.5-mile loop or 4.2-mile point-to-point day hike in Denali National Park with beautiful alpine vistas and valley views.
Hiking guide with photos to the Harding Icefield Trail in the Kenai Fjords National Park near Seward, Alaska. Easily one of the most stunning hikes…
Fed by the 700 square miles (1813 square km) Harding Icefield in the Kenai Mountains, Exit Glacier is one of the most accessible glaciers in…
The Canwell Glacier is an approximately 10-mile long valley glacier on the south side of the Delta Mountains in the Eastern Alaska Range. It is…
The hike is steep, but not for long. It’s just less than 1-mile of climbing, and the steepest section is very short-lived at about 0.4-miles….
Creamer’s Field – Migratory Waterfowl Refuge is a 2,200-acre wildlife refuge on a historic (non-operating) dairy farm. It is open to the public for walking…
The Savage River Loop is a 1.7 mile long well-maintained trail in Denali National Park that begins at the Savage River parking lot. It’s a…
Photos and review of the Museum of the North in Fairbanks Alaska. A great place to visit and spend time learning the history and natural…
Information on winter hiking in Denali National Park with weather forecasts and links to trail maps and details.