Parking
Park at the Denali Visitor Center lot for the primary start. The route ends by Riley Creek Mercantile and Riley Creek Campground, so arrange a return or use the Bike Path for the approximately 3.0-mile loop.
Overview
About McKinley Station Trail
This 1.6-mile one-way walk links the Denali Visitor Center with Riley Creek Campground and Riley Creek Mercantile. The compacted-gravel route descends through spruce forest along Hines and Riley creeks, passing interpretive stops, historic McKinley Station remnants, and the 1922 Alaska Railroad trestle. Expect about an hour one way, roughly 100 feet of total elevation change, and short grades up to 8.5%.
Start at the Denali Visitor Center and follow signs for McKinley Station; a short side trip uses part of the Triple Lakes Trail. The route is point-to-point, so arrange a return from Riley Creek or combine it with the Bike Path for the approximately 3.0-mile loop described by the National Park Service.
This is an entrance-area connector rather than a wilderness hike. Stay on the marked path and do not disturb historic artifacts. Compacted gravel and short grades may limit some mobility devices; winter snow and ice can obscure features and make footing slick.
Why go
- Rich, well-signed history of the original McKinley Station community
- Walk beneath the 1922 Alaska Railroad steel bridge
- Practical point-to-point link between the Visitor Center and Riley Creek
Heads up
- Point-to-point route requires a return plan unless combined with the Bike Path
- Historic features are subtle; many original structures are gone
- Short grades up to 8.5% and gravel may limit some mobility devices
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Denali map
Full mapElevation1,640–1,775 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
1 active Denali alert
- InfoDenali Park Road open to Mile 30; heavy equipmentThe Denali Park Road is open to Mile 30 (Teklanika River); stay alert for heavy equipment traveling on the road. Check current park conditions before traveling.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Denali Tour Guide
Your drive to McKinley Station Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Denali National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Denali audio tourRecorded for this area
Denali Visitor Center CampusListen
“You're coming up on the Denali Visitor Center campus, which is the main hub for the park entrance area.”
Plays on the road 0.1 mi from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Denali Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Murie Science and Learning Center
- Horseshoe Lake Trail
- Camp Robbers of the North: Canada Jays
- Riley Creek Campground & Mercantile
- 113 audio storiesacross Denali’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Grizzly Bear, Wolf, Canada Lynx, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 17 trails, 60 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Wildlife
Wildlife in Denali
715 sightingsGrizzly BearMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
74 sightingsWolfMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
49 sightingsCanada LynxMost seen around 9 PMSighting map
795 sightingsMooseMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
917 sightingsCaribouMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
405 sightingsDall's SheepMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Denali. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
