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Savage Alpine Trail in Denali National Park

#3 of 17 trails in Denali

Denali National Park, AK

Savage Alpine Trail

Strenuous exposed alpine traverse with big views and a summer shuttle

Photo: National Park Service
Length
4.2mi
Time
2.8hr
Elev. change
1,529ft
Difficulty
Challenging
  • No dogs
  • High point 4,101 ft
DirectionsMap

Hear the audio tour

Savage River Area & Turnaround

Overview

About Savage Alpine Trail

Why go

  • Above-treeline ridge scenery on a full 4.2-mile traverse
  • Free summer shuttle connects the two trailheads
  • Point-to-point route avoids retracing the same trail

Heads up

  • Exposed to strong wind and rapidly changing weather
  • Sustained climbing and steep, rocky sections require sure footing
  • The shuttle is seasonal and parking is limited at both ends
The Savage Alpine Trail is a strenuous 4.2-mile (6.7 km) point-to-point route between the Savage Alpine Trailhead at Mountain Vista and the Savage River area in Denali. It climbs above treeline onto an exposed alpine ridge for broad views of the Alaska Range and Savage River valley.
Parkwolf’s verdictWhy hike it

Map & elevation

The route

Loading the Denali map
Full map
Elevation2,572–4,101 ft
TrailheadSavage Alpine Trailhead63.71581, -149.25469
Keep this map with you offline in the Parkwolf app

Plan your hike

Before you go

Parking

Limited parking is available at both ends: the Savage Alpine Trailhead near Mountain Vista (around mile 13) and the Savage River area (around mile 15). The free Savage River Shuttle is the preferred summer connection and can return hikers to their vehicle or the park entrance; otherwise, walking the Denali Park Road between the areas adds roughly 2 miles.

Safety

Exposed alpine terrain can bring strong winds and rapidly changing weather; carry layers and wind/rain protection. The trail is mostly in designated Wilderness and group size is limited to 12. Bears, Dall sheep, moose, caribou, and other wildlife occur here—carry bear spray, make noise, keep well away from wildlife, and never run from a bear or wolf. Snow can persist in spring and return in fall.

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
Denali alerts
A park ranger sits on a dash-mounted phone, talking, as Parkwolf’s Tour Guide plays “Army Cutworm Moths: A Grizzly Bear Buffet” on Grand Loop Road below Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone
Parkwolf Tour GuideThe highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.

Denali Tour Guide

Your drive to Savage Alpine 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 tour

Recorded for this trailhead

Savage River Area & Turnaround
Listen
“The part of the road you're on now brings you into the Savage River area, which is the turnaround point for most private vehicles.”

Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Denali Tour Guide.

More stories near here in the app

  • Savage Cabin
  • Velvet and Curl: Antlers vs. Horns
  • Tundra Grizzlies: Life Without Salmon
  • Savage River Loop Trailhead
  • 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!!!!”
JMJamesApp Store review
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4.7 from 8,600+ ratings

Trail guide

Hiking Savage Alpine Trail

Route and logisticsStart at the Savage Alpine Trailhead near Mountain Vista (around mile 13) or hike the reverse…

Start at the Savage Alpine Trailhead near Mountain Vista (around mile 13) or hike the reverse direction from the Savage River area (around mile 15). This is a one-way hike; in summer, use the free Savage River Shuttle to return to your vehicle or to the park entrance. Walking the Denali Park Road between the areas adds roughly 2 miles. Expect about 1,500 feet of climbing, sustained steep sections, rocky tread, and exposed ridge travel.

Good to knowThe route is mostly within designated Wilderness and groups are limited to 12.

The route is mostly within designated Wilderness and groups are limited to 12. Parking is limited at both areas, and access can vary in spring and fall with snow. No permit is needed for this day hike, but dogs are not allowed on the trail. Bring layers, wind and rain protection, sturdy footwear, water, and bear spray; wildlife including bears and Dall sheep may be present.

alpine tundraridge viewsone wayshuttlestrenuousexposedwildernesswildlifepanoramicwindymountain vistasavage river

Wildlife

Wildlife in Denali

All Denali wildlife maps
Grizzly Bear715 sightingsGrizzly BearMost seen around 8 PMSighting mapWolf74 sightingsWolfMost seen around 8 PMSighting mapCanada Lynx49 sightingsCanada LynxMost seen around 9 PMSighting mapMoose795 sightingsMooseMost seen around 7 AMSighting mapCaribou917 sightingsCaribouMost seen around 7 AMSighting mapDall's Sheep405 sightingsDall's SheepMost seen around 7 PMSighting map

Sighting maps show where each species has been reported across Denali. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.

Keep exploring

Near Savage Alpine Trail

See it all on the map

Trails that start nearby

EasyMountain Vista Trail0.6 mi · 30 min · 0.1 mi awayEasy roadside loop with interpretive signs and big mountain viewsEasySavage River Loop Trail2 mi · 1.2 hr · 2 mi awayEasy river canyon loop with bridge, big tundra views, frequent wildlifeChallengingMount Healy Overlook Trail5.4 mi · 4 hr · 10.2 mi awayA steep 2.7-mile climb to a windy overlook above Denali’s entrance area.EasySpruce Forest Trail0.3 mi · 15 min · 10.4 mi awayFlat 0.3-mile loop through quiet boreal spruce and birch near the Denali Visitor Center.EasyMorino Trail0.2 mi · 15 min · 10.4 mi awayShort spruce-forest connector between sections of the McKinley Station TrailEasyTaiga Trail1 mi · 30 min · 10.4 mi awayGentle one-way forest connector from the Denali Visitor Center to the Horseshoe Lake TrailModerateRock Creek Trail2.4 mi · 2 hr · 10.4 mi awayPoint-to-point forest walk from the Denali Visitor Center to the sled dog kennelsEasyRoadside Trail1.8 mi · 2 hr · 10.4 mi awayOne-way forest route from the Denali Visitor Center to Park Headquarters and the Sled Dog Kennels

Places near the trailhead

Picnic area · 0.1 mi awayMountain Vista Rest AreaEasy stop for Denali views, picnic tables, and a short loopCampground · 0.1 mi awaySavage River CampgroundQuiet, wooded base near Mile 15 with shuttle access and wildlifeSight · 0.3 mi awaySavage CabinHistoric 1920s patrol cabin on a short interpretive strollSight · 2 mi awaySavage RiverDrive-to tundra valley with an easy loop and a big alpine climbSight · 6.7 mi awaySanctuary River Cabin No. 31Historic 1926 patrol cabin by the river, viewed from the outsideCampground · 6.7 mi awaySanctuary River CampgroundTiny, tent-only river camp with real solitude and a picnic shelterSight · 8.6 mi awayMount HealyQuick climb to alpine tundra with big entrance-area viewsSight · 8.8 mi awaySled Dog KennelsMeet working sled dogs at the park’s historic, still-active kennels

Parkwolf’s Denali ranking

Top-rated trails in Denali

All 17 trails
  1. 1Eielson Alpine TrailChallenging · 1.6 mi
  2. 2Horseshoe Lake TrailEasy · 2 mi
  3. 4Savage River Loop TrailEasy · 2 mi
  4. 5McKinley River Bar TrailEasy · 5 mi
  5. 6Mount Healy Overlook TrailChallenging · 5.4 mi
  6. 7Gorge Creek TrailModerate · 2 mi

Take Parkwolf to Denali.

The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.

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