Savage Alpine Trail Hike in the Denali National Park, Alaska- The Savage Alpine Trail is the best hike in Denali National Park that you can get to before the park road is cut off to buses only. This hike might give you a chance to see Denali’s Peak, overlook the alpine area and see the savage river from above. This article will tell you all you need to complete the hike, where to start, bus transportation, which way to hike, how hard the Savage Alpine Trail is and much more. Definitely a must see while exploring the Savage River Area of Denali National Park.
Stats
Length: 4.1 miles one way
Time: 2-4 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation Gain: 1,414 feet
Trailhead: Mountain Vista Picnic Area or Salvage River Campground
Overview
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When To Go
Some of these hikes are open year round. But it is best to go during the summer months.
If you want a clear trail (minimal snow coverings) I would plan for June to October. Even some of these shoulder ‘summer months’ could have snow leftover on the trail or roads.
A few weeks after we got back at the beginning of August they were starting to close some of the Denali Park Road near the Eielson Visitors Center as they had some heavy snowfall.
Where To Stay
We explored Alaska in a campervan with Million Mile Adventures. But no matter which way you are traveling I listed options for you below.
RV & Tent Camping
We stayed at the Riley Creek Campground, in the Denali National Park (about a 3 minute drive from the Visitors Center). And if using a bus this was right down the street from the bus depot.
Hotels or Rental
The best place to stay for access to the park would be in the town of Denali Park, located right side of the entrance. There are many accommodations and it is only a short drive to the Denali National Park Visitors Center.
You can also easily get here from other small towns:
Healy– 20 minute drive
Cantwell– 35 minute drive
How To Get There
Anchorage
If coming from Anchorage, depending on your location, it takes about 4 hours and 10 minutes to drive to Denali National Park Visitors Center. From Anchorage you will take AK-3 North the entire route until you arrive at the park. I would take an entire day for the drive from Anchorage if you can. There are many stops along the way. We even stopped in Talkeenta, AK overnight, which I highly suggest. Such a charming town with lots of great food options.
Fairbanks
If coming from Fairbanks, depending on your location, it takes about 2 hours and 10 minutes to drive to the Denali National Park Visitors Center. From Fairbanks you will take AK-3 South the entire route until you arrive at the park. You could possibly stay west of Fairbanks and make day trips to Denali if you are open to long days. But be aware they do construction on the highway often in the summers, causing delays.
How Hard Is The Hike?
The hike does take some stamina and there is a big elevation change. If coming from the Savage River Area expect a steep incline. Be prepared as it changes in temperature and wind speed at the top. But overall this hike is do-able to the average hiker, and well worth it!
Route Options
There are a few different options of ways to hike this trail. The best and most popular way is as a through hike, this will require transportation. Ethier if it is your own cars, using the free shuttle buses or walking along the road back to your car. Here I will briefly explain the different route options.
One Way Hike/Through Hike
From Savage River Campground/Mountain Vista Visitors Center
This is the way we hiked the trail, we parked at the Mountain Vista Picnic Area and hiked the trail to the Savage River Picnic Area and Parking Lot. From there we timed it to get the free park shuttle bus back to the Mountain Vista Picnic Area. This in my opinion is the best route. The only tricky thing is you will need to check the shuttle bus times to make sure you time the trail right to be able to catch the bus. They do not come as often as you would think. If you do miss the bus you will need to walk back to your car, which can be walked along the Denali Park Road. Walking along the road will take about 2.2 miles.
From Salvage River Parking Lot
If you decide to start at the Savage River Parking Lot make sure that you get there early in the morning, before 10:00 am. Since this is a popular area the parking lots fill up fast.
The hike will start immediately uphill which is the downside to hiking this route. But it will make a scenic view as you walk slowly back down to the Mountain Vista side.
Out and Back Hike
If you want to get the iconic views with a chance to see the tip of Denali’s peak on a clear day you can hike this as an out and back trail. For the shortest distance, but steepest you can start at the Savage River Picnic Area and hike up to the viewpoint and if you have time even a little but out onto the ridge. This will be about 3.5 miles round trip, with about a 1,700 feet elevation change, if you want to go out to the farthest overlook. This will be a pretty steep ascent and descent but may save you some time and transportation
The Route
Parking
We parked at the Mountain Visita Picnic Area, this area has tons of parking and nice restrooms. It is also a bus stop for the free buses in the park. If you are staying at the Savage River Campground you can get to the trailhead from there as well.
Start
First, you will cross Denali Park Road using the crosswalk to the bus stop for the Savage River Campground. The trailhead will be straight away. The trail will start as a mild walk through a wooded area.
Eventually the trail will open up and the will start to go slightly uphill. I love taking some time once in a while to turn back and you will start to see wide open areas.
Soon the trail will start to have a few mild switchbacks. This part of the trail felt very mild, and was great for an early morning leisurely pace.
First Overlook
About 2.3 miles in you will come to your first overlook. Here is the highest point on the trail. This is a vast area that overlooks the valley.
After this overlook the trail becomes almost a ridge trail, you may be able to see a few hikers out in front of you. In this area we saw a few animals, mostly squirrels, but were on the lookout for dal sheep as well. You will even be able to see the major end point above the Savage River. It will be a rocky area.
After the ridge it did start to get extremely windy, almost where we had a hard time walking, make sure you have layers and everything is secured well.
Savage Rock Overlook
From the overlook you can start to head down towards the Savage River, this will be about another mile down with a 1,000 feet elevation change, so it is steep. You will take many rocky switchbacks. And even get an above look at a funky rock formation. This is a rocky formation that appears to look like a human’s head from the Denali Road.
Once at the end of the trail you will be at the parking lot and picnic area. There are vault toilet restrooms here and rangers are often in this area to ask questions if you have any.
The End
From here we walked the 1.7 mile Savage River Trail. This is an easy hike, with minimal elevation change hike. Many families with small kids take on this hike.
After finishing the Savage River Trail we took the free Transit Bus back to the Mountain Vista Picnic Area. You can easily just get on the bus, we had time before the bus came to hike the Savage River Trail, it was a leisurely walk.
If you can’t catch a bus or have alternative transportation options you can hike the same trail back or it is shorter to walk along the road back to the Mountain Vista Picnic Area. The walk along the road would be about 2.2 miles.
Tips For The Hike
Denali’s Peak
Only 30% of visitors of Denali National Park get to see Denali, or known as Mt. McKinley. We got extremely lucky to see it, even with a little cloud coverage. Don’t be too disappointed if you don’t see it, the hike is still worth it!
Leave No Trace
Make sure you practice Leave No Trace 7 principles to leave minimal impact on the trails.
Be Bear Aware
Make sure you are Bear Aware while in any part of Alaska. We carried bear spray while on any hike in Alaska. We did not see any moose or bear along this hike. Stay alert, make noise, and seal food in containers. I also used a bear bell since we are usually pretty quiet hikers.
Watch For Weather
There is not much storm coverage at the top of this trail. Make sure you keep in eye on the weather before heading out on this hike. You can also stop at the Denali Visitors Center before to check on trail conditions.
Go Early
Going early will help you beat the crowds and the heat. And maybe even give you a better chance at seeing some wildlife if you are interested in that.
What To Bring
Water– we each carried 2 liters of water in our hydration bladders with an additional collapsible water bottle.
Hiking Poles– If planning on hiking I do love using them for uphills and downhills, much easier on your knees.
Layers– You never know what Alaska weather and high elevation hikes may bring you. Dress in thin layers and make sure you bring a raincoat as well.
Sunscreen– Sunscreen is essential. We got burnt on this hike because we didn’t reapply our sunscreen often enough.
Bear Spray– we each had our own, and I also attached a bear bell on to my backpack. When on the bus they will ask you to seal it in your backpack. Bear spray is probably not necessary if sticking to the main populated trails.
Bug Spray– Alaska summers are known for their bugs. Although we didn’t seem to get bitten by bugs much while in Denali National Park.
Hiking Shoes– Good sturdy hiking shoes are a must. I love my Ahnu’s.
Snacks/Food– This is a long hike, we packed many snacks such as granola bars, jerky sticks, fruits strips and more. We also packed a sandwich to eat at the top.
Sunglasses/Hat– Again it is very bright at the top as it is a pretty wide open area. I would pack sunglasses and maybe even a hat if you are sensitive to the sun.
Other Hikes In The Area That You Might Like
Savage River Loop
The Savage River Loop is perfect for families. This scenic river hike is only 2 miles and has no incline. There is a bridge at the end to make it a loop. It does get crowded so I would suggest completing this hike earlier in the day or later at night to avoid the crowds. If you go early in the day you can enjoy their picnic area along the river for lunch. There are restrooms, picnic tables and rangers to ask questions in this area.
Mountain Vista Trail
This small hike starts at the Mountain Vista Picnic Area. This is a very nice area with restrooms and a bus stop if you plan to use the free transport buses. This hike gives you a little more valley view than Savage River and if you are lucky a view of Denali as well. The Mountain Vistra Trail is a short 0.7 miles. It also has a few benches along the trail and informational boards to enjoy.
Horseshoe Lakes
The Horseshoe Lakes hike is a 2 mile out and back hike. This hike will take you around the Horseshoe Lakes. Expect this hike to take 1 to 2 hours. While walking around the lake you will see different viewpoints and maybe even some beavers making their dams along this lake.
Mt. Healy Overlook
The Mt. Healy Overlook Trail is a 4.9 mile out and back hike. With an elevation change of 1,500 feet expect for this hike to take 3-4 hours. Located from the Visitors Center this hike will take you to a grand overlook of the Denali Park area.
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