Savage River Loop and Savage Alpine Trail in Denali Park

Trek around Savage River Loop and Savage Alpine Trail in Denali NP, Alaska

Starting point

The trip starts at the entrance to the park at the bus depot (Denali Bus Depot). Parking is free of charge.
 

Description of the hike

This trek is officially made up of two, the Savage River Loop and the Savage Alpine Trail. It can be taken as a separate walk around the river, a transition to another park shuttle bus stop, or just a climb and return.

Start at the parking lot at the park entrance until the shuttle bus takes you to the Savage River (third stop). The walk around the river is a circular, absolutely easy, rocky walk. The other side of the river is reached by a wooden bridge over which there is a nice view of the surrounding area.

The next part of the trek begins with a steep climb up a paved rocky path, from where you have a great view of the distant majestic 6,000 meters high in good weather. The trail then continues to the "saddle" where you begin to descend and pass the river to reach the parking lot, from where you can take the bus back to the main gate. The path is unmarked but it is the only one, there really is nowhere to turn. Although at one point a map must have helped, but that's more just to be sure.
 

Difficulty

The ascent is steep, but if you have enough time, even an untrained individual or a bigger child can manage it. The path around the river is fine completely and without the more challenging sections.
 

Water availability

Water is available at the entrance to the park, or in the river along the way if you're not afraid :) - ideally filtered.
 

Sleeping options

There are various accommodation and campsites around Denali Park, you just have to choose. We have tried Cantwell Lodge.
 

Mountain peaks

In good weather, you'll see majestic Denali - called Mount McKinley until 2015, it's the highest mountain in North America. It reaches a height of 6 190 m above sea level.
 

Danger

There are no problematic places on the route. Only the steep rocky path up to the saddle is slightly more difficult, but nothing that an older child of school age would not be able to handle.
 

Food

You can't buy anything along the way, a candy bar and 0.5 liters of water per person was enough for us.
 

Attractions

Denali National Park, Alaska

Entrance to the park costs 15 USD/ 7 days. Free toilets are available at each parking lot. Water can be refilled just at the entrance to the park, or in the river for those who are not afraid. Tastes great :) Shuttle buses in the park are free, they stop at "bus stops", if you get on you go. If you hit the driver talking, you learn lots of interesting things along the way and they stop for photos too. You can find the schedule on the park's official website.

For book/movie lovers, Into The Wild is further up the road above Denali towards Fairbanks and the start of the famous Stampede Trail. Years ago when I read this wonderful and in many ways motivating book and then saw the movie, it was simply one of the must see places in the world. Unfortunately, the Magic Bus is no longer at the end of the trail as of 2020.

A lot of people got the same idea and made the pilgrimage to the place where Christopher aka Alexander Supertramp died at the age of 24. And because there were more victims, the government sent in an army helicopter and moved the Magic Bus to Fairbanks where a local university is trying to reconstruct it. Right now (2024), only online viewing is possible.

In Denali, you can also take an approximately 6 hour guided bus tour ($25 fee) into the heart of the park to see Mount Denali. There is a base for other tours there, unfortunately unavailable for us. If you head up to the town of Fairbanx take the old AK8 road, the turnoff just past Denali Park. As far as panoramas go, probably the prettiest road in Alaska ever.

In Fairbanx, be sure to visit the Pioneer Museum, where you'll be amazed by the history. The museum has a voluntary admission fee and lots of exhibits. Alternatively, you can take a plane ride across the Arctic Circle to the Yukon River to the village of Fort Yukon, where you have about 1 hour to explore. A nice lady drove us around in a school bus and talked about life. If the weather works out you will experience some awesome views along the way. Next, don't miss the kingdom of kitsch...the town of North Pole where you'll be greeted by a larger than life Santa, electric poles in the style of his wands and other highlights :)