How to Hike the McKinley Bar Trail in Denali National Park

The McKinley Bar Trail is an easy hike. Those looking for a more challenging experience, or looking for more adventure, should consider combining this hike with mountain biking, which is what we did. See the Biking to the Trailhead section of this article to learn more.

McKinley Bar Hiking Stats

Distance: 4.7 miles out-and-back
Difficulty: Easy
Total Ascent: 400 feet
Highest Elevation: 2,125 feet
Lowest Elevation: 2,000 feet
Time: 2 to 4 hours

Map of the location of the McKinley Bar trailhead on Denali Park Road.

McKinley Bar Trail Elevation Profile

Getting to the McKinley Bar Trailhead

From the Lodges in Kantishna

If you are visiting one of the lodges in Kantishna, then inquire if they offer transportation to/from the trailhead, if they offer a guided hike, or if they rent mountain bikes.

We stayed at the Denali Backcountry Lodge in Kantishna and they offer guided hikes in the area, including the McKinley Bar Trail. With a guided hike they will drive you to and from the trailhead and a guide will accompany you on the hike.

The Denali Backcountry Lodge also lends out mountain bikes. You can bike to the trailhead from the lodge (9 miles each way). Another alternative is to have one of the lodge vans drop you off near the Wonder Lake Viewpoint, where you can bike to the trailhead (4 miles), hike the McKinley Bar Trail, and then bike back to the lodge (9 miles), for a total distance of 13 miles by bike.

Note that guided hikes and van transports are at designed times for the Denali Backcountry Lodge. This may hold true for the other lodges in Kantishna as well. Therefore, it is important to check the schedule with the lodge you are visiting to ensure that this experience will fit into your overall itinerary.

Biking on Denali Park Road

Wonder Lake on a cloudy day

From the Wonder Lake Campground

If you are camping at the Wonder Lake Campground then simply walk 0.6 miles up the campground access road towards Park Road and the trailhead will be on your right.

From other Denali Campgrounds

If you are camping elsewhere in the park, then catch a green hiking bus out to the Wonder Lake area and ask to be dropped off at the McKinley Bar Trailhead or at the intersection of Park Road and the access road for Wonder Lake Campground. Make sure you know the green bus schedule so you can time your return.

The trailhead

Hiking the McKinley Bar Trail

Step-By-Step Trail Guide

The McKinley Bar trail is a well-traveled, well-maintained trail that is easy to follow.

For just over two miles, you will hike along a mostly flat trail to the McKinley River Bar. The trail takes you through a short, scrubby forest, through wetlands, and finally through a spruce forest before ending at the river.

Most of the trail is a compacted rocky, dirt trail, but there are some fun elements to the trail itself. At one point you will walk on flat steppingstones in order to cross a stream. And through the marsh areas you will walk along long narrow boardwalks. If it has recently rained then your feet my get wet or muddy.

As you hike towards the McKinley River you are treated to wonderful views of the Alaska Range. And on a clear day you will be able to see Denali.

View of the Alaska Range from the trail. On a clear day you will also be able to see Denali.

Once you reach the McKinley River, explore the mudflats that align the riverbank for bear, moose, and wolf footprints. Avoid stepping in the mudflats yourself as your feet can sink into mud pretty far (Julie learned that the hard way).

View across the McKinley River Bar to the Alaska Range.

McKinley River

To finish the hike, retrace your steps back to the trailhead.

Biking to the Trailhead

We stayed overnight at the Denali Backcountry Lodge. Free mountain bike rentals were included with our stay, so we opted for a biking plus hiking adventure instead of being driven between the lodge and the trailhead.

At 10:00 am a van drove us and the mountain bikes from the Denali Backcountry Lodge to a drop off point near the Wonder Lake Viewpoint (Wonder Lake’s closest point to Park Road). We then rode the mountain bikes along Park Road and turned right onto the access road that leads to the Wonder Lake Campground.

The McKinley Bar Trailhead is on the left about 1.1 miles down the Wonder Lake Campground access road. There is a small parking area here that the various Kantishna lodges use for guided hikes.

This area is also well marked with a McKinley Bar Trailhead sign. The trailhead is 4 miles from the Wonder Lake viewpoint.

After our hike we then mountain biked back to the Denali Backcountry Lodge, which was another 9 miles.

Reflection Pond

Note that the roads in this area are hilly, so the mountain biking becomes a good workout. It is actually much harder than hiking the McKinley Bar Trail. The good news is that the road is mostly downhill on the way back. 

Elevation profile of Denali Park Road from Wonder Lake to the McKinley Bar trailhead.

Elevation profile of Denali Park Road from McKinley Bar trailhead to the Backcountry Lodge.

If you are day tripping to the Denali Backcountry Lodge then note that the day trip bus only stays at the lodge for 2 hours. This isn’t enough time to get to/from the trailhead plus complete this hike. Therefore, you should consider taking the Denali Backcountry Lodge daytrip bus to the lodge and taking a flight with Kantishna Air Taxi back out of the park. This allows for more time to do this excursion.

What to Bring

• Sunscreen
• Insect repellant
• Bear spray
• Rain jacket: Just in case bad weather moves in.
• Wear long pants: Long pants can protect your legs from the vegetation that aligns the trail.

Wildlife Safety

Be bear aware, moose aware, and wolf aware. Posted signage at the Denali Visitor Center provides the following advice:

Bears

1. Talk and/or sing while you are hiking to make your presence known so you don’t surprise a bear. If you run out of things to say then simple repeat the phrase “Hey Bear”.

2. If you see a bear, do not run as they may see you as prey. Put your arms up to make yourself look bigger and back away slowly while keeping your eyes on the bear. Get at least 300 yards away from the bear.

3. If the bear charges at you then use bear spray.

Moose

1. Stay at least 25 yards away from a moose.

2. A moose may charge if you are too close, especially a mother protecting a calf. If this happens then run and get away as fast as you can. They will try to trample a perceived threat.

Wolves

1. Stay at least 25 yards away from a wolf.

2. If a wolf approaches you then shout aggressively and throw rocks at it.

In 2021 it was estimated that 350 bears, 1,700 moose, and 90 wolves (14 packs) inhabit the 6 million acres of Denali National Park. We did not see any wildlife while hiking the McKinley Bar Trail but we did see Moose droppings two different places on the trail.

If you have any questions about hiking the McKinley Bar Trail, let us know in the comment section below.

More Information about Alaska

HIKES IN DENALI: There is a long list of hikes to do in Denali. Several top hikes include the Savage Alpine Trail, Mount Healy Overlook, and the Horseshoe Lake Trail. Get the full list in our Denali Hiking Guide.

DENALI PARK ROAD: Taking a park shuttle on Denali Park Road is one of the top experiences in the park. In our Guide to Denali Park Road, learn what there is to see and do along the road. It’s also important to know that currently there is a road closure on Denali Park Road, which will impact your experience.

BEST OF DENALI: For more information about what there is to do in Denali National Park, read our article Best Things to Do in Denali.

NATIONAL PARKS IN ALASKA: There are 8 national parks in Alaska. So far, we have visited five of them. Learn more in our guides to Denali, Wrangell-St. Elias, Kenai Fjords, Lake Clark, and Katmai.

MORE GREAT HIKES IN THE NATIONAL PARKS: From hikes to the tallest peaks to beautiful coast trails, read our Guide to the Best Day Hikes in the US National Parks.

NATIONAL PARKS: In our Guide to the US National Parks, get the full list of national parks with important travel planning information, such as things to do in the parks and sample itineraries.