Hiking trails in Alaska

Hiking trails in Alaska span every kind of public land the state has to offer — state parks, national forests, recreation areas, county preserves, and a few NPS units. Trail Compass currently lists 85 trails across 9 parks in Alaska, organised by difficulty so you can land on the right route in a few clicks.

Browse by difficulty using the four filter cards directly below, or scroll to the full state trail table. Easy and moderate routes dominate near the population centers; hard and expert routes cluster in the higher, more remote corners of the subarctic Alaska wilderness.

Best hiking season across Alaska is generally mid-June through early September; outside that window, daylight, snowpack, and river crossings become serious limiters. Shorter walks at lower elevations stay accessible longer than alpine routes — if you are hiking in a shoulder month, lean toward state-park trails near urban centers and save the high country for peak season.

Expect to share the trail with grizzly and black bears, moose along the river bottoms, Dall sheep on the high ridges, caribou herds, and bald eagles overhead. Carry bear spray where signage advises it, store food properly, and remember that the wildlife was here first.

Pick a difficulty tier from the filter cards below, or jump straight to a specific park.