Backpack Trail Guide

Trails / Alaska / Denali State Park

K'esugi Ridge Trail

Denali State Park, Alaska State Parks (Parks Highway, north of Talkeetna)

K'esugi Ridge landscape, Denali State Park
“K'esugi Ridge landscape, Denali State Park” by Paxson Woelber , CC BY 2.0 · Source · Resized for the web

K’esugi Ridge is a long alpine ridge in Denali State Park, running parallel to the Parks Highway about an hour north of Talkeetna. On a clear day, Travel Alaska says, the view of the Denali massif from the ridge is stunning. The traverse from Little Coal Creek to Byers Lake covers about 27 to 29 miles, mostly above treeline.

Travel Alaska says K’esugi is a Dena’ina Athabascan word meaning “the Ancient One.”

The hike

Travel Alaska describes K’esugi as a ridge four to six miles wide that reaches only about 4,500 feet, without the jagged spires and knife-edge ridgelines of the Alaska Range to the west. It says the K’esugi Ridge Trail system runs 37 miles along the alpine ridgeline, with access at the Little Coal Creek, Ermine Hill, Byers Lake, and Upper Troublesome Creek trailheads.

Alaska State Parks says most people hike north to south because there’s less total elevation gain. The usual start is the Little Coal Creek Trailhead at mile 163.9 of the Parks Highway. The state’s brochure says the Little Coal Creek Trail climbs alongside the creek to the northern end of the ridge and is the easiest way up. Its north guide lists that climb at 3.3 miles and about 1,750 feet. One AllTrails reviewer called the first three or four miles a moderately difficult climb.

Once on top, the trail follows the ridge south across rolling tundra. The Alaska State Parks north guide lists the 10.8 miles from the top of Little Coal Creek to the Ermine Hill junction. It gives a 17.8-mile traverse from Little Coal Creek to the Ermine Hill Trailhead and 28.9 miles to Byers Lake. Ermine Hill, the brochure says, winds through woods and over Giardia Creek before switchbacking up to the ridge, and can serve as an exit.

South of Ermine Hill, conditions change. One AllTrails reviewer found the ridge smooth going until about mile 14, then called the stretch from Ermine Hill to Skinny Lake a miserable slog, muddy and overgrown. The same reviewer called Skinny Lake to the Byers Lake overlook very easy and the most beautiful part of the trail.

The trail finishes by descending to Byers Lake on the Cascade Trail. The Denali Guidebook says the Byers Lake trail up the ridge is steep, and slippery when dry and worse when wet. Travel Alaska says Byers Lake Campground, at mile 147, has 73 campsites, six walk-in sites at Byers Lake Lakeshore Campground, and three public-use cabins.

The trail system continues south. ALASKA.ORG notes 11.7 more miles from the final junction to the Upper Troublesome Creek Trailhead, mostly through a forested valley. It also says Upper Troublesome Creek is often closed because of flooding and bear activity, so check with Alaska’s Department of Natural Resources first.

Alaska State Parks warns that weather on K’esugi Ridge can change fast. Wikipedia lists bears and severe weather as the trail’s hazards. The same park guides note that some trails may close seasonally when bear concentrations are high.

For another multi-day Alaska route, see the Resurrection Pass Trail.

Tips

Camping

The Denali Guidebook says backcountry camping is allowed anywhere along the ridge trail, with a designated camping area near popular Skinny Lake to reduce impact. Alaska State Parks says open fires are prohibited, so use a camp stove. Its brochure also says bear-resistant food containers may be required. Confirm the current rule with Alaska State Parks before you go. Pets must be leashed at trailheads.

Inside Intel: Skinny Lake comes up in more than one account. The Denali Guidebook points to the designated camping area there, and one AllTrails reviewer called the section from Skinny Lake to the Byers Lake overlook the most beautiful part of the traverse. The same reviewer warns that the stretch between Ermine Hill and Skinny Lake is muddy and overgrown, so allow extra time to reach it.

Trail facts

The Lowdown

Dinner with a view of Denali:

Open fires aren't allowed on K'esugi Ridge, so your stove handles every meal. See which stoves testers trust.

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Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.