Alaska is full of breathtaking scenic areas, expansive mountain ranges, huge glaciers and vast wilderness regions. A hiking tour will provide an opportunity to experience firsthand what nature has to offer. You can choose from an abundance of different tours with many diverse areas to explore.
Popular Hikes
Hiking tours on offer are plentiful. Alaska Alpine Adventures has some desirable hikes to choose from. Denali National Park offers a mid-level hike through the park. Lake Clark National Park hiking tours offer a kayaking and hiking or a hiking and camping combination where you can pair either of the two to experience Turquoise Lake. You can also just hike or hike and kayak to Twin Lakes in the Lake Clark National Park. The Gates of the Arctic National Park is a hiking and rafting combination tour that lasts 13 days. This tour will take you through the Arrigetch Peaks and down the Alantna River. Go Alaska Tours offers a few different hikes as well. Like Alaska Alpine Adventures, Go Alaska offers hikes through Denali National Park and the Gates of the Arctic National Park, but it also offers hikes to and from Whitehorse. Two different trails (Aurora Trail and Miners Range) on the Kluane National Park Reserve are available that start and end at Whitehorse. The Chilkoot Trail in Skagway and Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Parks also start and end at Whitehorse. Other popular areas to hike with Go Alaska Tours are Brooks Range, Talkeetna, Mt. McKinley and Glacier Landing. Trek Alaska Hiking tours can guide you through Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Yet another hiking tour, known as Back Roads, will guide you through the Kenai Peninsula, where you can hike to see the Kachemak Bay on the Ptarmigan Lake trail.
Duration
The duration of your hiking trip will depend on the terrain you are hiking in, your destination and your ability level. Most hiking tours range from three to nine days. Some last longer, such as the 13-day hiking and rafting trip through the Gates of the Arctic.
Equipment Needed
The rental equipment needed for the trip will most likely be included with the price of the tour. Check with your chosen tour group, but most include the items you will need on your chosen trip. You should bring with you personal items, such as a sleeping bag, clothing and backpack.
Group Size
You can choose to have a tour that has a small group size or a larger one. The advantage of having a smaller group is that you get more individual attention and get to know all the members of the group. Larger group tours may cost less.
Hiking Season
June through September is the prime hiking season in Alaska. Due to extreme weather conditions and the limited number of daylight hours in the winter, hiking during the nonpeak months is not advisable.
Price
Prices for hiking tours vary between the tour companies and also depend on the length of the adventure and the number of overnight stays. The prices usually include meals, equipment rentals, first aid kits, camping or hotel accommodations during the tour and the rafting or kayaking that is part of your specific tour. Prices may also include the short flights to and from your destination. These tours can cost on average from $550 for a three-day hike to $3,199 for a 13-day hike, although prices do vary.
Member Comments