Alaska Hiking, Camping and Backpacking Trip Ideas. Save Time, Avoid Frustration

Alaska hiking resources, guides, books, clubs, parks, and tours.

This is intended as a quick Alaska hiking overview as trips can vary. Please check for recent updates and information to see if a trip is right for you. Please keep in mind some of these are limited to 8-15 people.

Trips are constantly being updated. So you may want to visit Iexplore.com for a current list:

Kongakut River (10 days)- River rafting and long day hikes up ridgelines and mountains. Possible wildlife includes grizzly bears, musk ox, wolves, and caribou. Alaska hiking (6-8 hours)/walking/trekking, and whitewater. Alaska camping accommodations are large tents or rustic cabins. Basic skills recommended but not required.

Wonders of the Tongass (7 days)- Two person kayaks to possibly see orcas, sea otters, humpback whales, and hike the coastline, old-growth rain forest, creek bottoms, and meadows. Hiking (6-8 hours)/walking/trekking, and whitewater. Accommodations are large tents or rustic cabins. Basic skills recommended but not required.

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Noatak River (10 days)- A combination of canoeing, hiking, and walking in August when the tundra foilage is turning brilliant colors and the Caribou are migrating. Hiking (6-8 hours)/walking/trekking, and canoeing. Accommodations are large tents or rustic cabins. Basic skills recommended but not required.

Sheenjek River (10 days)- Hiking through tundra, alpine ridges, and forest mixed in with half days of easy paddling rafting. Hiking (6-8 hours)/walking/trekking, and whitewater. Accommodations are large tents or rustic cabins. Basic skills recommended but not required.

St. Elias Expedition (10 days)- Hiking on land and sea kayaking through the icebergs to see the scenery and wildlife. This is a serious challenge: 12+ hours that could include steep and high altitude hiking/walking/trekking, safari, and whitewater. Camp in small 2-person tents or huts, no heavy packs, and probably no daily showers. Basic skills recommended but not required.

Whales & Ice (8 days)- Kayaking and camping in old rain forest and on the shores of a sea park combined with short day hikes. Could include 2-4 hour hikes/walks/treks, safari, and whitewater. "Pleasant" accommodations. Basic skills recommended but not required..

REI also has quite a few trips that include Alaska hiking. I won't list them here as they will probably change in a day or two and I don't want to give you outdated information. Please click here though for more information about REI's Alaska hiking trips. Guides or books can be a very important timesaver if tossed in with your equipment used for camping or hiking...

Guides/Books/Resources:

Hiking Alaska 5/5 rating, by Dean Littlepage: Dean uses his 25+ years experience to cover 100 hikes with 200 potential destinations. Hiking for any level of experience or age. Information on Denali National Park, Gates of the Arctic, Katmai, and Wrangell-St. Elias. Tips, elevation profiles, maps and much more.

Denali Guidebook to Hiking, Photography, and Camping in Denali National Park, Alaska, by Ike Waits: A guide to 35 one-half to 8 hour day hikes, 10 Alaska backpacking trips, camping, and photography. Hike descriptions, tips on hiking tundra and off trail, and detailed maps on hikes and secret trails. Also has recommendations for other maps and books. Ike has lived in Alaska since 1964, and first hiked Denali in 1967.

Frommer's Alaska, by Charles P. Wohlforth: Candid information by a man who has lived in Alaska all his life and knows Alaska, especially the Southeast, well. Details on hiking, sea kayaking, whale watching, glaciers. Also covers shopping and nightlife. Comes with an online directory for more information, updates, and pictures. Lists several outdoor rental companies and companies that offer expeditions into the wilds of Alaska with prices.

Lonely Planet Alaska4.5/5 rating, by Jim Dufresne, Paige R. Penland, Don Root: This resource has over 70 maps covering trails and waterways, candidly covers places, and has a top ten list for Alaska hiking. Information to plan your itinerary, find good accommodations, food, and to identify plants and animals with its illustrations.

50 Hikes in Alaska's Chugach State Park, by Shane Shepherd, Owen Wozniak: Covers nearly all day hikes and multi-day backpacking trips in the park with maps and photographs. Information on some of the plants and animals in the park, history, and geology are also included.

55 Ways to the Wilderness of Southcentral Alaska (100 Hikes in), by Nancy Simmerman, Helen Nienhueser, John Wolfe: This book focuses on "hikes in the vicinity of Anchorage" and includes maps, distance, and seasons the trails are open. The hikes start on or near the roadways.

Traveler's Guide to Alaskan Camping: Explore Alaska and the Yukon With RV or Tent, by Mike & Terri Church: Hiking, kayaking, mountain biking, rafting, boating, and wildlife observation information. Campgrounds with amenity descriptions, contact information, and maps for each. Trip details like appropriate clothing, possible wildlife encounters, border crossings, budget planning, road conditions, and vehicle preparation.

Alaska Hiking Clubs:

Fairbanks Area Hiking Club: If you're visiting Fairbanks as part of your Alaska hiking trip take a look at their calender. Note: Overnight trips do require membership in their club.

Valdez Adventures Hiking Club: There isn't much information, but if you're looking for Alaska hiking around Valdez they might be able to point you in the right direction.

Alaska Parks:

National preserves, parks, historical parks, and a wild river. Click on "more ť" under "Search by Topic", then check off "hiking" under "ACTIVITIES", check off the PARK TYPE(s) you are interested in, select Alaska, and click "Find a Park". Sorry there's no direct Alaska hiking link. It's pretty self-explanatory once you see it. :-)

State parks, preserves, historic site, recreation areas listed by area.

I hope your trip to Alaska is good enough to send me a "Thank You" postcard. ;-)