Park Tour: Hikes & Float Trips @ nationalgeographic.com

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Snow-covered mountains rise beyond a lake in Denali.

Photograph © Bjorn Backe/Corbis

The Horseshoe Lake Trail winds gently through a handsome forest of aspen and spruce 1.25 miles [2 kilometers] to Horseshoe Lake, an old oxbow of the Nenana River. It takes about 1 hour round-trip. Branching off this trail just past the stream-crossing is a more strenuous one, the Mt. Healy Overlook Trail. Climbing 1,700 feet [518.2 meters] in less than 3 miles [4.8 kilometers] (one way), it breaks above timberline and arrives at the overlook among wildflowers, rock outcrops, arctic ground squirrels, and pikas. And if the weather is clear, Mt. McKinley is visible more than 80 miles [128.8 kilometers] to the southwest.
For those seeking a moderate hike, the 3-mile [4.8-kilometer] Triple Lakes Trail is a good choice with its excellent views of Mt. Fellows, Pyramid Mountain, and other peaks in the Alaska Range.

Vistas like those from Polychrome Mountain Pass (above) attract photographers from around the world.

Photograph © Carol Havens/Corbis

In the backcountry, hiking is a matter of taking whatever route you wish—down a drainage, up a ridge, across a valley. The object is to spread out and tread lightly, leaving no evidence of your visit.
Popular backcountry hiking areas (without trails) include Primrose Ridge, Mt. Wright, Igloo Mountain, Cathedral Mountain, Calico Creek, Tattler Creek, the Polychrome Cliffs Loop, Stony Dome and Stony Hill, the Stony Creek Loop, the Sunrise Glacier Loop, Sunset Glacier, Eielson Visitor Center Ridge, and around Wonder Lake. Some of these hikes take an hour or more, some take several days.
Since a backcountry management unit might be closed or full, those wishing to camp are required to check at the Visitor Access Center before choosing an overnight hike. Some areas may be restricted in order to protect critical wildlife habitats, and animal activity may temporarily close backcountry sections.

If you enjoy rafting through a mix of calm water and white water, don’t miss a trip down the Nenana River, along the George Parks Hwy. and the park’s eastern border. Several companies offer guided trips lasting from 2 hours to 4 days. From McKinley Village, about 6 miles [9.7 kilometers] south of the park entrance, a 2-hour float takes you to the McKinley Chalet Resort, just outside the entrance. The next 2 hours, to Healy, offer a white-water experience. Allow an hour or 2 for travel and instruction.