Pura vida - is the best suitable word to describe this park…read more Located two miles south of Talkeetna downtown, we walked from downtown to here to enjoy peaceful time. Parking is $5. Outhouse is at the parking area. They have several lakes with lots of trails. We spent a few hours at the park but only saw another group of people just once. Trails are well marked and mostly flat. When the weather cleared up, we started hearing many airplanes take off but until then, all we heard was the sound of wind. We took a break at one of the dock area where they have free life jackets to use if you bring your own canoe. We just sat at the dock and used our backpacks as pillow. Laid there and enjoyed a whole lot of quietness and tranquility. Water was very cold. I saw some small fishes swimming. Away from people, away from deadlines and busy work. This was truly a vacation. Loved this park.

I don't think that I can say enough good things about Ute and Billy FitzGerald, the good folks who…read moreown and operate Denali Trekking Company. The New Wife and I are active hikers and adventurers. When it came time to decide on a honeymoon location Alaska was top of the list. As a matter of fact, it was the ONLY locale on the list! A little research sent us north of Anchorage to the great little hamlet of Talkeetna. We booked a 3 day base camp hiking adventure with Denali Trekking Company. Several months in advance we had contacted Billy via email. He responded promptly asking for a good time to call us. The New Wife spoke with Billy for about 45 minutes. She then turned to me and said "We have found our guy!" Just read the "about us" section of their website to learn about the FitzGeralds. They are not just active in Talkeetna, they are the people who make up the heart and soul of the place. The Trip: After a couple of days in Talkeetna we contacted Billy to let him know we had arrived. He invited us to his cabin to meet and discuss our trip. We spent an hour talking about our lives, local politics and Alaska. We were pumped for the adventure! The trip was delayed one day due to rain, rain, rain and low ceilings. Great call on Billy's part. It would not have been safe or enjoyable. Day One: Rain and low ceilings still. Billy called and said to come out to his place. We met our guide Wade. Homemade Blueberry brownies passed the time. We went to a little cafe for a some lunch and then checked with the local float plane dock regarding the weather. Cleared to go a 4 seater loaded us up and off we went to the campsite. We made it out sans any issues, set up camp and the rain and wind started again. Time to hunker down in the Honeymoon Suite with amazing moose spaghetti made for us by Wade. I woke up at 3 am and looked out of the tent. The payoff was there! Crystal clear skies with more stars than you can imagine! Days Two and Three: More clear skies! Wade had coffee and breakfast for us. Off we went for nice hikes. The views were fantastic. Wade made it very enjoyable by pointing out everything from birds to wildlife to plant life. Bald Eagles, Osprey, a Golden Eagle!, Loons and caribou were checked off of the "seen it" list. After a great day 3 hike Wade called in the transportation. Billy landed on the lake next to the campsite in his beauty of a Piper Super Cub. The Super Cub is one of the finest little 2 seaters ever to grace the sky. The New Wife went in first. About 40 minutes later I was loaded up and had an enjoyable ride back to the dock where our car was waiting. We are still smiling. Tips: This is not a trail hiking adventure. It's "path of least resistance" hiking. The tundra is mossy and soft. Come ready. Get In Shape!! It will make all the difference. Bring quality gear. Hiking sucks if your feet are wet and hurting. LISTEN TO YOUR GUIDE! They know more than you and will keep you safe. I'd trust Wade to lead me into any back country Alaskan adventure. He was professional, friendly and never condescending. Thanks to Denali Trekking Company, to Billy and to Wade for a great honeymoon adventure!

In our ten days in Alaska we did ice climbing, sea kayaking, mountain biking, ATV touring, and…read morehiking in various locations. But undoubtedly, the most meaningful experience was with Denali Trekking Company. The three days we spent in the Talkeetna highlands were truly a wilderness experience. No roads, telephone polls, trails, garbage; just beautiful tundra, animals, and us. The flight in with Billy was a great experience by itself. We landed on a small lake that just recently thawed. Our guide Galen flew in first, and had already set up the camp. Galen was a pleasure to be with for the next three days. Smart, knowledgeable, kind, and knows the area amazingly well. We mostly hiked during the day. There are no trails, so you look around, see something interesting (a peak, a beaver dam, a small lake with swans) and you try to find a way to get there. We did a quarter mile slide down a snow field on our butts (more fun than walking in the snow). Saw lots of wildlife, and even though it was raining a lot, just enjoyed every minute. I highly recommend Denali Trekking. Billy will make sure you will have a great experience.

Derek was an incredible guide on our night hike at Hatcher's Pass. The hike started at 8:00 pm and…read morewe went until around 11:30-12:00 pm. He had snacks, extra gear, hot water and made sure we were comfortable the whole way.

I rented snow shoes from True North for a last minute hike in early December. I was given this…read morereferral by our cabin owner, and I was blown away by the customer service. Not only did the owner deliver the snow shoes to my cabin, but he also threw in some complimentary bear spray because he could tell how nervous I was about encountering wildlife. When I wanted to add another pair of rentals for my husband the following day, he drove his van full of kids to meet me off the highway to deliver them with the threat of a big snow storm closing in fast. We were able to leave the rentals in our cabin upon checkout, and he picked them up for us. Incredible convenient. I can't recommend this company and the sweet owner enough!

We used their canoe at Red Shirt lake and it was in fair shape and I had no problems with it and…read morehiking in 3 miles and being able to unlock the canoe and use it was perfect! They we're flexable on the pick up and drop off of key and paddles! A great service for our community!

Super easy experience, even for some of us novice canoer. Nancy lake was so gorgeous and such a…read moregreat time! Thanks!

good people, nice kayaks and had fun on the lake! Nice to have some options On where to go. Easy to…read morebook.

From the owner: Paddle off the beaten path. Enjoy areas like Knik lake, Kashwitna Lake or our secluded Rabbit…read moreSlough Paddle. Embark on a breathtaking adventure at Kashwitna Lake or Rabbit Slough with our top-of-the-line kayak rentals. Experience the beauty of the scenic Alaskan waters as you paddle through its crystal-clear waters. Our convenient rental options make it easy for you to book your solo kayak appointment and create memories that will last a lifetime. Reserve your kayaking experience now and get ready to explore the wonders. OR Paddle on over with us to Knik Lake or Rabbit Slough for our new adventure! Paddle-2-Brew Embark on a breathtaking adventure at Kink Lake/ Rabbit Slough with our kayak rental service. Immerse yourself in the beauty of nature as you paddle through the serene waters, surrounded by loons, moose, and other captivating waterfowl. This truly unforgettable and relaxing experience includes a (after paddle) complimentary brew, making it the perfect way to unwind and connect with nature. Book your appointment now and get ready for an incredible journey! For those of you visiting Anchorage we are just a short drive away from the big city.

My wife and I went on the 3 hour Matanuska Glacier Family Tour and it was incredible…read more Our tour guide, Liv, was very nice and very knowledgeable and made sure everyone on the tour was safe and that we understood the safety instructions. The glacier was beautiful and the tour was the perfect length to enjoy and not become overtired. I highly recommend this tour.

A must do tour if the Matanuska Glacier. Nova Alaska guide (Jackson) was well versed with the…read moreglacier and helped with the do's and don'ts for our group. An amazing experience in all. We all loved it.

Besides April Bowl…read more(https://www.yelp.com/biz/summit-lake-state-recreation-site-april-bowl-trail-willow), this might be the most-trafficked trail in Hatcher Pass. (https://www.yelp.com/biz/hatcher-pass-state-recreation-area-fishhook?page_src=best_of_yelp) And that ain't a knock against it! In the summer, you'll find lush green lichen-infused granite rocks and other-worldly turquoise water. It also makes for a fun weekend backpacking trip. In the fall, you'll find bright orange and red tundra loaded with blueberries. In the winter you'll find fresh, bright-white snow ripe for XC skiing or snow shoeing. The terrain at the trailhead is pretty rough, I'd recommend NOT parking right at the trailhead unless you like the bottom of your car getting scraped. If you continue down Archangel road you: 1) Should have a high clearance vehicle, the road rapidly degrades. 2) Will access Archangel Valley (https://www.yelp.com/biz/archangel-valley-palmer) a great place to rock climb and/or pitch a tent. But, I digress. The hike itself is about 4.5 miles with about 1,600 feet of gain. It's fairly moderate but it does have a boulder field in the middle where there is no trail and you'll need to do some minor route-finding. It can get slippery if there is snow (right now). Make sure you take a pole in the summer, and some good waterproof boots (and probably gaiters) if there is snow in late fall. In winter, it might be a good idea to take skis or snow shoes.

One of my favorite experiences in Alaska was kayaking with Denali Southside River Guides at Byers…read morelake. I booked about a week out for the 9:15 am guided kayak trip, which is listed at 2-3 hours on the lake. It was easy to book and a convenient stop on my drive, leaving Denali and heading south for the rest of my trip. The lake is about an hour and 20 minutes south of the national park but has its own charm in Denali state park. Southside River Guides had a tent and set up near the boat launch area and provided everything we needed for your paddle, including waterproof shoes and pants. It was cold on the lake, so they even offered extra jackets if you needed one. Fortunately it didn't rain but you did have to step in the lake to get in the kayak, making their gear come in extra handy. The lake was quiet and peaceful -a nice change from the crowds at the national park. We got to see lots of water birds and salmon! Since it was so cloudy, no Denali views, but on a clear day you might get lucky. Brian was our guide and it was interesting to hear him talk about the animal and plant life around the lake and his experiences in Alaska. The staff was very caring and professional. Highly recommend them for a low key, nature oriented adventure.

These guys were fantastic in every sense of the word! They quickly and efficiently got our group…read moreof about a dozen people geared up and ready to go. They explained in easy-to-understand terms (for us novices) how to make the kayaks do what we wanted. The two guides that went out on the water with us were incredibly knowledgeable about the land and water, the plant-life, and the animals we could see and hear around us. Their relaxed and unhurried manner kept me from realizing until the end that they had taken us all the way around Byers Lake!! Kudos y'all!

Let's get something out of the way, right away. There is no "s" in Hatcher Pass, between the…read more"Hatcher" and the "Pass". Correct: Hatcher Pass Hatcher NO!: Hatcher's Pass Hatcher's Anyway, this is one of the shortest "real" trails in the large area above/between Wassilla/Palmer/Willow known as "Hatcher Pass". In case you're not confused yet, this trail is located right at the actual pass of Hatcher Pass. That's right. It starts from Hatcher Pass, located in "Hatcher Pass (East Management Area)" Anyway, this trail is about 2.2 miles roundtrip and has 800 ft of elevation gain. It tops out on the summit of Hatch Peak. It's a great hike to take people that are a little bit adventurous, but maybe don't consider themselves "hikers". You'll pass a couple beautiful alpine lakes that are perfect rest stops. The trail eventually gains a rock ridge that leads right up to the summit. On a rare day with good weather, the views are stunning. You can see a large chunk of the greater Hatcher Pass area, Denali, and look back towards the Chugach Mountains near Palmer. (Pioneer Peak is particularly prominent) It's a favorite jumping off point for paragliders. It's a gravel road to get to the trailhead, but it's pretty well maintained. Any car will do.

"Oh, if I could talk to the animals, And learn their…read morelanguages just imagine it" (Sammy Davis) When you have a tour guide that talks to squirrels, chipmunks, and loons, and can rattle off facts about just about every plant, bush, berry, leaf, and tree on the trail, you know you are in the company of someone very special. Words do not exist for me to explain how awesome our guide Cadia was. Her love and devotion to nature was something to behold. She was almost evangelical in her zeal for the outdoors. We were so fortunate to have Cadia as our guide for a Byers Lake Nature Walk. Every minute in her company was pure joy as we pulled off to the side of the road to see a majestic moose, learned about the edible berries and leaves around the lake, and learned about and listened to the cries of the loon among other gems. Cadia gave our tour some added value by taking us to a few Denali Mountain viewing platforms. She was one of the very best tour guides I have ever had.

Had a wonderful time on the Denali Wilderness Hike. Annie is a very knowledgeable and enthusiastic…read moreguide. She made sure all members of the group were comfortable and had breaks when needed. She adjusted the pace to meet the needs of the group. Definitely recommended.