Along with Flattop in Anchorage and handful of others, this is one of the great Alaska "walk-up"…read moremountains. There are a couple of ways to ascend Mount Healy. One of the ways uses a trail-head in Denali National Park. That is not the way we took. We chose to go a path slightly less traveled. A route that's shorter and steeper: via Bison Gulch. The trail-head starts a couple miles south of Healy. The location marker I set for this Yelp listing is almost exactly where the parking lot is for this (unmarked) trail-head. You start in some minor brush but quickly end up on an exposed ridge that winds all the way up. This means a couple things: Thing 1: great views almost all the way up. No pesky trees on the ridge to block your views. Thing 2: low avalanche danger if you do this in the winter: you're on a ridge dude...there is nothing to slide off and onto you! Thing 3: the winds. Dear science, the WINDS. The winds up here can be INSANE. Let me elaborate on Thing 3. When we were here, the winds on the ridge were the most brutal I have ever experienced in my life. I'd rank them like this: #1: the winds on this ridge in October. #2: the winds on the Sandy Glacier Headwall of Mt Hood (OR) at 10,000 ft. #3: the winds I experienced when hurricanes hit Florida. We could barely walk. With about 800 ft of gain to go to the summit, we decided to turn around and begin the descent. The winds were too dangerous for the final section of the ridge, especially since it was icy and we lacked crampons and/or ice axes. On the descent, I purposely came off the ridge multiple times and side-hilled on more difficult terrain to avoid being blown-off. I was relieved when I re-entered the brush, which functioned as a much-needed windbreak. I got to the car ahead of my hiking partner. The winds were getting progressively worse and the daylight was waning. I knew the only solution was to DESCEND. 15 minutes later my hiking partner arrived. She was not pleased. I told her I was checking in with her by looking back every 15-30 minutes, but there wasn't a whole lot I could do to assist in those winds. How fast were the winds? I'm not sure, I don't like making objective statements without data to back them up. OK, I will this time. For you. They were easily in excess of 100 mph. I don't mean 100 mph gusts. I mean continuous, unrelenting, 100 mph winds. If you do Mt Healy via this side you should DEFINITELY bring: - a wind shell of some sort: so you won't freeze - a trekking poll : so you'll only fall over 2 times instead of 20 PROTIP: The link in the listing has the GPS coordinates we took up.

I decided to ascend to the castle on the top of Mt Healy on fathers day 6/18/2017. I had all day,…read moreand daylight hours are more than 20 so time was not a factor. The weather was partly sunny, light winds, a few passing clouds, a beautiful day. I started at Bison Gulch because I knew it led to the peak. Most people that start at Bison gulch do not reach the peak, either they don't know they haven't reached it or they give up. I brought plenty of water, sandwich and snacks to conservatively last all day. The beginning of the hike is steep, 2 trails start at the bottom, 1 goes south up the gulch a short distance and switches back to the ridge, the other stays on the ridge line. I started at 1:30 pm. The trail was steep, I constantly stopped about a minute to catch my breath, I made it up to the first hump, and rested while other hikers pressed on. I continued up beyond the hump along the ridge line its fairly steep and maintained the same pace and rest times,, it is fairly steep and strenuous, there is really no respite from the incline. (I am in good shape and 55years.) The wind gets strong here and can stay pretty strong for a while. I finally started leap frogging ahead of the earlier climbers, I kept resting and kept my goal in mind (the castle!) I finally came to a large rocky outcrop which most people think is the top of Mt. Healy, it is not.. All the previous hikers stopped here and did not continue. It is not the peak, you still have 2 to 3 hours to go. Note: You can clearly see the peak for quite a bit of the hike but you cannot see it from the parking lot or during the first hour of the hike. Not until you pass the tall rocky outcrop does the peak come into view..Then you can see that you have a lot of work ahead of you. I think that's why people turn back now. It is windy here. Once I passed the rocky outcrop the trail gets a little more forgiving, there are a few smooth saddles, some side ways trails some steep areas, snow fields, large bowls,,steep ridges with drop offs, absolutely exhilarating views and terrain - for this hiker. The trail is not as well defined, You may have to back track a short distance to pick up a better trail as the paths do not stand out, just stay on the ridges most of the time, keep pushing on in the direction of the summit. Once you get to the "stonehenge" looking rock formation you have 15 to 30 minutes more to the summit. At the base of the castle, circle to the north west side and you can climb up to the very highest point of the castle spire!!! During the hike, I stopped 4 times for extended periods (5 to 10 minutes) and ate 1/4 sandwich couple cookies, and drank a little water on the way up). At the summit, I climbed up the first spire and stayed behind the rock wall, dried all my clothes, and ate most of my food - I saved a bottle of water and a few snacks for the decent. I stayed on top for about 1-1/2 hours. I was glad I had no one pushing me up or setting a pace, it was very relaxing hike, slow and steady. Beautiful views and a glorious day, Descending is pretty hard as well and you better have good fitting boots. I put on a second pair of socks for this, knowing how it will feel later if your boots are loose. I took my time, tried to follow the trails, got off the ridge line a couple times, but mostly went down the sam eway I came up... I was at the car at 9:30pm - It was an 8 hour trip! worth every minute. My legs killed me for 3 days afterward.

This is the winter face of the park…read more When the road is only plowed up to 3 miles in, this is the place you go to talk to other humans. They've got ice cleats and snow shoes you can borrow. They've bot the winter Aurora forecast posted. They've got a nice little fireplace. They have some pretty neat kid-friendly exhibits. There are many short hikes that begin here. The most notable is probably Horshoe Lake: https://www.yelp.com/biz/horseshoe-lake-denali-national-park Their hours are 9am-5pm. Even if they are closed, they have some good park brochures in the "mud room" that you can take. That also have one show which amenities in the nearby sleepy towns are actually open.

This nature hike was one of the highlights of my trip. Our guide, Eric, was incredibly…read moreknowledgeable and passionate about the Alaskan Boreal forest, and it was obvious within minutes that this was far more than a job to him. From plants, lichen, and wildflowers to moose droppings, spruce bark beetles, and the delicate balance of the ecosystem, he made every step of the trail fascinating. Even though we didn't spot any wildlife, I never once felt like we missed out because the forest itself felt so alive with stories. The pace was comfortable, the views over the Nenana River were beautiful, and I walked away feeling like I had learned far more than I expected. If you enjoy nature, learning, and getting off the beaten path a bit, I highly recommend this experience.

BF booked the Denali Wilderness Hiking Tour, which is billed as a strenuous hike. Unfortunately,…read moretwo of the hikers were not up to a strenuous hike, so it only covered about half the distance it was supposed to. Not sure how best to fix this. Maybe Denali Backcountry Guides ask everyone at time of booking "This is a strenuous hike covering x miles and y elevation gain. Do you feel capable of making that hike?" I don't know. Just know it is disappointing to book a strenuous hike, then go slowly and only cover half. The guide was knowledgeable and the hike was good. With a different group of hikers, it would be 5 star.

Absolutely a great hike and not that strenuous at all! Although the entire hike is about 9 miles,…read moreour hike guide took us through about 4-5 miles of it. The hike was pretty straightforward and there were a few uphill climbs here and there, but there was nothing anyone in OK shape can't complete. We started our hike at about 8am in the morning and spent 3 hours on our hike. It rained a bit throughout the hike so we didn't encounter other hikers until later in the morning. The views of the 3 lakes were gorgeous though and it was so peaceful out there! The mountains surrounding the lakes weren't that high so it was easy to see their peaks as well. Along the way we saw some interesting trees and vegetation. It helped that our guide was giving us information as we hiked along. We were also warned that there were moose sightings on the trail and we did encounter some fresh moose tracks, but unfortunately we didn't see any. Other than that, there wasn't much danger. The great thing is that this hike is it is free, if you go at it on your own, and can be completed by just about anyone!

Access trailhead via the visitor center (we needed a map at the beginning to find the trailhead,…read morebut once you reach the trailhead it is well marked the rest of the way). You can also start on the other side, near Denali Park Village Lodge. This is a beautiful 9-mile hike. It's listed as a "very strenuous" 6-8 hour hike in our book. We are in decent shape but not the best, and we finished in just under 5 hours, including stops for lots of photos ;) parts of the hike definitely got us breathing hard-- it starts fairly flat but there are stretches that are fairly steep as you ascend a mountain. Beautiful scenery along the way, with rivers, mountains, and several lakes. If you finish the hike after main shuttle, call SALMON BAKE! (907) 683-2733. They arrange shuttles til 3am-ish for just $3 per person!!

Excellent trail to this beautiful lake. The hike is easy, fairly short and achievable by young and…read moreold alike. In late June there were still lots of wildflowers all along the trail. The trail also goes along the Nenana River which is nice to see. The lake itself is pretty and nice to walk around. And sometimes you get a bonus: like during my hike there was a large moose in the lake eating water plants! It was so beautiful to see in its natural habitat. This was truly a great place to visit while here in Denali National Park.

Beautiful, easy hike in Denali National Park! We loved it. Came earlier in the day, and it was…read moremildly raining but it was still super enjoyable. Walked the loop, got down to the river and the lake. But the best part is getting to see the view of the lake from above. Quite a few stairs, so just be aware. Decent shade cover if it's sunny. Great hike to enjoy in Denali.

This hike is beautiful, as well as a challenge! It's right by the visitor center, also close to the…read morehorseshoe bend trail, right across from the tracks for the entrance. The hike can be a little muddy, as well as strenuous at points, but if you're an experienced hiker you'll be fine. It's super windy up top so if you're visiting during the colder months make sure you layer up, even though you may break a sweat because it's very cold and windy at the top. It's a beautiful hike with a bunch of wildlife--we saw two moose! You have a great view of the park the entire way up. Definitely consider this hike if you're visiting, the view is so worth it when you get to the end!!

This trail can be found by going to the Denali Visitor Center, it is literally right outside their…read moredoor. This is a great hike and no entrance fees make it absolutely free. It is also one of the only hikes that can be done without taking the shuttles further into the park. It's about a 4.4 mile hike round trip with the option of further extending the hike once you get to the top by hiking along the breath taking ridge. In total, you ascend 1700 feet. The trail starts pretty easy, but quickly jets upward and gets steeper and steeper as you near the summit. The trail is well maintained, but loose rocks cover the upper portion. The hike is difficult, but like with any hiking, a determined little kid or out-of-shape person could still do it. Once at the summit you realize that all the hard work was well worth it. You are afforded expansive views of the entire valley and a good part of Denali.

I think one of our favorite parks. There's not many trails. You definitely have to blaze your own!…read more The scenery is great (not as much wildlife as I expected). It's nice that the public can't go the whole distance thru, that way it keeps traffic minimal and doesn't disturb the wildlife.

Visiting Denali National Park was nothing short of breathtaking -- a true wilderness experience…read morethat takes your breath away in both scale and beauty. From the moment we arrived, the immense landscape of tundra, mountains, and glaciers stretched out before us, reminding us how small we really are in the natural world. The vast open spaces encourage slow exploration, whether you're on a bus tour, hiking along a riverside, or just stopping to watch wildlife. We saw moose, caribou, and even distant bears -- real wild animals in their natural habitat -- which was unforgettable. The shuttle system into the park (which limits private vehicles) makes sense given how pristine this place is kept, though it does mean planning ahead and sometimes long days on the bus. We learned that weather can be unpredictable -- Denali itself was hidden in clouds a good part of our visit -- but even without a clear view of the peak, the surroundings were spectacular. The hiking opportunities are more backcountry-oriented, so if you love getting off the beaten path and embracing rugged terrain, Denali delivers. If you're expecting paved trails and easy viewpoints like other national parks, you might find it a bit raw -- but that's exactly why we loved it. All told, Denali is a must-visit for anyone who wants to experience true Alaskan wilderness -- rich wildlife, dramatic landscapes, and a sense of isolation that few other parks offer. Just pack warm layers, be ready for limited services, and give yourself time to soak it all in.

We had a great time, with a guide who was knowledgeable, great at managing the boat, and (a real…read morebonus) funny! You can choose the level of white water you want to experience (we'd been divided in advance into groups), so this can work for the braver and the more fearful. They provided us, by the way, with full-body dry suits -- you DO get splashed but the garments keep you from getting your clothing wet. (And by the way -- an item, gloves, I had taken with me and then couldn't figure out how to get into my own jacket pocket once we were in the dry suits [tough zippers!] I had slipped in through the neckline and then forgot until after the end of the day. We departed the next morning -- but they were so kind as to mail it back. And, yes, we didn't NEED gloves - we were lucky to have WARM, for Alaska, weather on our journey.)

So awesome!! Our guides made sure everyone knew what to do and felt comfortable. Our guide, Silas,…read moreensured we had fun but stayed safe! We paddled through the rapids and even took a dip in the water! Lots of laughs & great memories!!