Denali National Park and Preserve Tours
3 Hour Naturalist Walking Tour in Denali National Park
5
LIKELY TO SELL OUT*

3 Hour Naturalist Walking Tour in Denali National Park

By Northern Epics
Recommended by 100% of travellers
100% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
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Stroll leisurely through the forest of Denali National Park. As you walk, listen to your guide talk about the plants, animals, ecology, geology, and more that make Denali unique. Taste the bounty of edible berries that pepper Denali's forests. Your guide is a true expert. Not a mid-rate guide who knows a few fun facts. They're a Naturalist who's prepared to answer any question you throw at them. They're ready for wildlife encounters with bear spray and good training. They have a Wilderness First Responder certification, making them better prepared than an EMT for an emergency in the backcountry. See? I told you they were an expert. This is your chance to experience Alaska up close and personal. Your chance to feel the peat moss that so few do. Taste the elusive and legendary cloudberries. This is more than a walk. It's an all expenses paid teleportation into the inner workings of Denali National Park. OH! And we donate 5% to conservation. You're helping Denali by taking this tour!
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 1-95, max of 12 per group
Duration: 3h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Live guide: English
More


  • Trekking poles
What's not included
  • Snacks
  • Bottled water


Start:Multiple pickup locations offered.
  • Denali Visitor Center, Park Rd, Denali National Park and Preserve, AK 99755, USA
    Your guide will contact you and tell you exactly where to go.
Pickup details
  • Be prepared to be standing and walking for about 3 hours.
Hotel pickup offered
During checkout you will be able to select from the list of included hotels.
    End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

      • Not wheelchair accessible
      • Service animals allowed
      • Near public transportation
      • Infants must sit on laps
      If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 398729P1

      • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
      • Most travellers can participate
      • Not recommended for travelers who cannot walk at an easy pace for 3 hours
      • This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
      • This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
      • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travellers

      • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

      If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 398729P1

      From
      â‚ą10,680.37
      per adult
      Select date and travellers

      Similar experiences

      Itinerary
      • 1
        You will be walking through the boreal forest of Denali for the duration of the tour.
      About the operator
      Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
      • Northern Epics
        102
        United States
        Joined in March 2023
      • R3909ZWsaram
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        The best experience in Alaska
        My husband and I had an absolutely amazing hiking tour in Denali National Park! The day of our tour, it ended up being just the two of us, but the tour wasn't canceled, and we were so grateful for that. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and patient, sharing fascinating details about the park's history, wildlife, and landscape. The fall colors were in full bloom, painting the mountains with vibrant shades of red, orange, and gold – it was breathtaking! It felt like we had the entire park to ourselves, and the beauty of the scenery made the experience unforgettable. Highly recommend this tour!
        Written 20 September 2024
      • X8988LUbarbaras
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Our off trail adventure!
        Wow, Trinidad was super helping us arrange this tour. My friend & I love to hike & wanted something completely different.....off trail hiking! Jade was our fabulous guide & we had a blast as we walked ( bounced) on the "peat moss" over the permafrost . Ptarmigan were all around. This hike also takes you up & over branches & terrain. He reviewed the plants as we went along. Perfect hiking day. No one else there but our small hiking group. This is a definite trip to take if you want a different experience.
        Written 14 September 2024
      • KWH0420
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Northern Epic Did Not Disappointed
        We went on a five hour guided hike. We were really blown away by the level of professionalism and educational knowledge that Jordan, our guide, was able to provide. He knew so much about the local environment, the culture, plants, trees, shrubs and even fungus. He was also able to tell us much of the history of Denali park. We were able to hike from just above the river all the way above the tree line and see great views of the surrounding area.  We were also very impressed by the level of education the guides receive in the way of safety and field medicine. You never want to use those skills, but it is invaluable that your guides have them. We would definitely recommend Northern Epic to anyone wanting an “off the beaten path” small group individualized hike.
        Written 13 September 2024
      • howardd881
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Magical Denali back country.
        Our guide Jade transformed our experience from something simply academic and informational into something magical. He was informed, articulate, detailed, funny, energetic and really partnered with our group to align with our slower pace and plethora of questions. Driving along Hwy 3 is an amazing experience. Hiking "off-road" was a completely new and expansive experience: wonderful, beautiful, breathtaking views, the flora reminded me of the movie "Avatar"! Also, there was confusion reserving this hike, something about 3rd party players taking our reservations too late. Sam was professional and very accommodating in making the corrections and adjustments. It all worked out well. Thank you for agreeing to our 1pm-5pm time adjustment. That time frame worked perfectly for our party. Thanks again to Jade!
        Written 13 September 2024
      • L2297XXmarkw
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Highly recommended
        I’m 73 and the hike was not demanding, just a walk in an amazing garden of nature. Our guide Jade was knowledgeable and good-humored. It was the highlight of our Denali visit so far. Highly recommended.
        Written 12 September 2024
      • 926kl
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Definitely worth it!
        TripAdvisor Review We were picked up at our hotel parking lot and headed to another hotel parking lot to begin our hike up Sugar Loaf. I thought there would be a nice warmup, but this hike began with an incline almost immediately. Eventually, as we hiked through the wooded areas, we reached a gravel and rock area with a little technical climbing and high winds (though Alaskans will consider this “light winds”). Although strenuous and tricky at points, we were actually lucky to have a great hiking group that wanted to go all the way to the top. We went for it, and it did not disappoint. As we climbed up, it became more and more breath-taking, figuratively and literally. Jason, our guide, was excellent and recognized almost all the plants that we encountered along the way: berries, mushrooms, trees, etc, even picking some and offering the ones that were safe to eat. He also brought extra water, trekking poles, and gloves in case you need them, which I did need. Lastly, if you need recommendations for food or other things to do throughout Alaska, he was very knowledgeable about that too! Remember: slow is safe and safe is fast, so be careful, don’t rush, and enjoy the views!
        Written 11 September 2024
      • austinwB638SS
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        An excellent trip
        I haven’t ever eaten more wild foliage than I did on this trip, an absolute rural plate must. Jason, our guide, was seemingly bottomless well of botany knowledge, and it’s hard to say what was more plentiful—the foliage, or Jason’s knowledge of the foliage. A breathtaking, edge-of-your- seat tromp majeure. I would highly recommend for the recreational hiker and the edible-plant curious. Skip this experience at your own peril.
        Written 10 September 2024
      • PW82
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        A great and memorable time
        We joined as a family of 4 and we all had such a great time. Derek was such a good guide. He made sure we all moved as a group safely. The view at the top was so rewarding. Derek was full of information about the plants, wildlife, and landscape. We had a very memorable time.
        Written 9 September 2024
      • NancyO606
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Afternoon full of wonder
        Jade was an informative cheerful guide who told stories and encouraged our sense of wonder for the beautiful land we trekked. This adventure was my best 4 hours in Denali.
        Written 6 September 2024
      • maureenbD6301QS
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Wilderness Wonders tour is wonderful
        Our guide Jason was absolutely amazing! We thoroughly enjoyed this off trail adventure. Jason is so knowledgeable about the plants in the area and we learned so much. It was so wonderful to learn about the unique vegetation and animals in this area. We also had incredible views of the mountains and the river. I highly recommend this tour with Jason.
        Written 5 September 2024
      • Faregato
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Great viewpoints during the tour and great tour guide!
        The tour was better than we expected. We had a very good time with our guide Jason. He knows very well the area, the geographies, the flora and fauna of the place and he was kind all the time.
        Written 5 September 2024
      • GrandTour60218874252
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Incredible mountain hiking experience!
        The views of the mountains and valley were amazing, we took incredible pictures and videos. Our tour guide was Derek and he was a great source of info on the plants, wildlife, and Alaska in general. We absolutely enjoyed every part of the hike and it was great exercise! All in all a win win.
        Written 1 September 2024
      • Shivani S
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Awesome Hike
        Derek is amazing!!! He is very informative and careful to the needs of the guests. He is also very knowledgeable and exactly the guy for the job. He texted us a day before to give us details. Pickup was scheduled and on time. He also helped take some great photos for us to save as memories. Overall the experience was pretty good. Steep hike but The views were incredible.
        Written 1 September 2024
      • samirmalviya
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        MUST DO EXCURSION IN DENALI (Derrick and Trinidad are the best!!!!)
        We will remember this experience for the rest of our lives. 1) The Logistics - The logistics/communication from Northern Epics was ON POINT. They called to confirm a few days before, texted the day before to reconfirm and showed up exactly on time. Before the trip, the company's owner, Trinidad answered all of my questions and even recommended other activities and restaurants to check out. 2) The Hike - the perfect level of strenuous. Didn't kill us, but definitely was challenging enough that at the end of the experience, we felt like we achieved something. The views were absolutely incredible, and we had plenty of space to stop and take photos. 3) The Guide - In a word, Derrick was AMAZING. Not only was he knowledgeable, but he was super personable and really interesting to talk to. He provided us with the perfect amount of information on plants, geology, Denali and Alaska - he didn't drone on and on, instead found the perfect balance between fun and informative. He even helped us identify edible plants and berries to snack on along the way (make sure you still bring a granola bar or two). In short, we cannot recommend this excursion strongly enough!
        Written 27 August 2024
      • peterhS9347PZ
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Great Overview of Denali from Northern Epics
        We enjoyed a interpretative nature tour from Northern Epics as part of a weeklong Nat Geo trip to Alaska. We spent several hours with our guide, Derek. He was knowledgable, funny and an absolute pleasure to be with. He talked about the plants, wildlife and ecosystems on Denali. This was important because Denali is somewhat less accessible than other national parks. The mountain is 100 miles away and the attractions aren't in your face. Parts of our group worked with several other guides, all of whom got rave reviews.
        Written 24 August 2024
      See all 102 reviews
      These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

      Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

      Popular mentions

      5.0
      5.0 of 5 bubbles55 reviews
      Excellent
      55
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      Anna F
      Clarksville, MD52 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Jun 2024 • Couples
      Northern Epics provides a very casual interesting walk in the woods that leaves you with a much greater knowledge of Denali than you would have otherwise. It is an insightful walk with a very knowledgeable guide who makes the information fun and interesting. Trinidad was our guide and we highly recommend this walk!!
      Written 7 June 2024
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      So glad you had a great time on your tour and learned some things! I hope you have an even better rest of your time in Alaska!
      Written 8 June 2024
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

      urma kats
      Leuven, Belgium15 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Jul 2024 • Couples
      We made two incredible nice hikes with Derek and Jordan. They know so much about nature and geology and with great enthusiasm they explained and answered to all our questions. They picked us up, provided walking sticks and made sure we knew some basic safety rules. The tour was a lot of fun, we enjoyed every minute and can highly recommend them!
      Written 7 July 2024
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      So glad you enjoyed your tours. We hope to see you up in Alaska again sometime!
      Written 7 July 2024
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

      Expedition79856
      12 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Jul 2024 • Couples
      Our naturalist guide in Denali was Jason. We were very fortunate to have had him showing us the plants (mostly) and animals (not so much) of the area. We had a wonderful 3 hrs with him walking through a small portion of the park near the visitors center. He has an impressive knowledge of the area; no question went unanswered. We got to taste edible plants (non of which were that tasty, just sayin'), he pointed out the poisonous ones, and one particular do not touch one...as my husband reached for it. It was a very pretty purple. Fortunately we did not run into any bears or moose. Jason was friendly, very personable and articulate with a really nice sense of humor. We would, and did, highly recommend him to anyone wanting a small look into the nature of Denali.
      Written 29 July 2024
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      Hahaha, sorry you didn't think the berries were very tasty! It's always a matter of preference. I'm glad you had a nice time out there nonetheless, and I hope we get to see you up here again sometime!
      Written 10 September 2024
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

      U O
      Chandler, AZ8 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Jul 2024 • Family
      We enjoyed our tour with Derek. He told us a lot of things about the local plants and geology. He did a good job engaging our teenagers with questions and we all enjoyed sampling some of the plants that were safe to eat. It was also nice that they came by and picked us up from our bed and breakfast.

      The review from my son: "Derek is awesome!"
      Written 6 July 2024
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      So glad you had a great time out there with Derek! I agree with your son - he is awesome!
      Written 7 July 2024
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

      pat f
      california23 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Jun 2024 • Solo
      I took the Naturalist Walking hike with Northern Epic in June and can highly recommend it. Our guide was Sam, and he was very knowledgeable and fun to hike with. We went at the slowest person's pace (which was me) and had a blast. He responded to every question and we had time for photos and listening to bird calls as well as investigating every plant. He showed us things I never would have noticed! Like winter moose poop! Absolutely recommend!
      Written 24 June 2024
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      So glad you had a great time out there Pat! That winter moose poop is so cool! Our guides are great at opening our clients' eyes to all the little things that would normally go unnoticed.
      Written 25 June 2024
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

      Gary S
      1 contribution
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      This was an easy hike where we learned about the flowers, trees, animals, geology, and history of the area while enjoying occasional views of the local mountain range. Jade was very knowledgeable and had an easy-going personality that made me feel comfortable asking lots of touristy questions. Jade was also very patient as I took many photos of the scenery, and he responded to my various questions. FYI, this is not an adventure hike. It is an easy walk on established trails near the visitor center. Definitely recommend this hike for those who want to understand how the various parts of the ecosystem mesh together in Denali. Bonuses included a hotel pickup, water, and a snack.
      Written 11 September 2024
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      Thank you for the review, Gary! Jade is a great guide, and I'm happy to hear that you learned a ton about the Denali area on your naturalist walk. You're dead on about the more relaxed nature of the naturalist walking tour. Our 4-hour Wilderness Wonders tour (off-trail) and 5-hour Into The Mountains tour would much more likely scratch anyone's adventure itch. We hope you return to Alaska again soon, and maybe we'll catch you on one of those other tours next time!
      Written 27 November 2024
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

      Tony D
      7 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      May 2024 • Family
      First, just book this. Now my thoughts. If you want to spend some time understanding Denali and the ecosystem, plants, animals and perhaps eat some wild cranberries, Northern Epics is brilliant. 110% recommend this to everyone, not too physical, learnt so much and my family had a great time. Our guides were incredibly knowledgeable, we could have spent 3 more hours with them easily. Did I mention we saw a moose up close!
      Written 27 May 2024
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      Thank you so much for the kind words! We're so glad you had a great time on your tour - and saw a moose!
      Written 4 June 2024
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

      Monica F
      1 contribution
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Jun 2023 • Friends
      We had a great a great experience hiking with Trinidad. He was so knowledgeable about the plants and the landscape and willing and able to answer questions about all kinds of things about the Alaskan interior. We learned things we never would have otherwise! I wish we would have had time for a longer hike!
      Written 6 July 2023
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Escape22070438156
      1 contribution
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Jun 2023 • Family
      Trin was so knowledgeable! He taught all about which plants were edible, and even more importantly, he told me what plants were not edible, and that really saved my bacon. I had no idea the tour would include a full, natural, salad buffet! What a delight to taste the many bounties of nature. I would recommend the trip to any traveler looking to feed their hunger for nature. 10 stars out of 10 stars, which is my own system for ranking things by number of stars. This was my best tour experience in all of Alaska, and that's an Alaska-sized 10-4 partner!
      Written 17 June 2023
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Dreamer21074106565
      1 contribution
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Jun 2023 • Friends
      I went on a guided hike with northern Epics yesterday where Trinidad and Jordan showed us a lovely trail through part of the park. I totally recommend going with these guys because I would have never known one tenth of the things they showed us. They gave such an in depth explanation over every single question I asked ranging from rocks to animals to the Athabaskan people (I ask lots of questions too so I was thoroughly impressed Trin and Jordan had the knowledge) . Trinidad’s speciality is in plants and lichen and he showed us all the edible flowers, lichen, berries and even showed us the poisonous ones as well which look very deceiving and similar to the edible ones. I now feel equipped to survive on my own off berries and plants in the wild (well maybe only for a couples days)!! My favorite part in the trip was when they led us through a sneaky game trail into an open mossy meadow overlooking the mountains where we frolicked around and relaxed on the comfortable Peat’s Moss. We would have never found this area without them. Also, big thanks to Northern Epics for providing rain jackets and trekking poles. If you are looking for a fun, safe, and informative hike, I would totally recommend that Northern Epics is the way to go!
      Written 30 June 2023
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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      *Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

      3 Hour Naturalist Walking Tour in Denali National Park provided by Northern Epics

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