Petersville Road
Total Miles
43.4
Technical Rating
Best Time
Summer
Trail Type
Full-Width Road
Accessible By
Trail Overview
Petersville Road is a 49-mile (98-mile round trip) out-and-back trail starting in Trapper Creek. The trail starts with a paved road immediately off the park's highway before giving way to a dirt road that weaves through the mountains into a tundra valley before diving down and crossing Cache Creek multiple times as you pass through individual mine claims to the end of the road.
Photos of Petersville Road
Difficulty
The trail has close to a dozen water crossings that can be up to 2+ feet deep with strong currents depending on the seasonal snow melt and rainfall. Because of this the road also has the possibility of having washouts and landslides that can close the road causing the need to divert.
History
Petersville Road is the "other" road to Denali, the southern gateway to Denali and certainly the road less traveled. It's a rugged mining road that was built in the 1920s and designed for true explorers of Alaska who wish to discover the backcountry on their own terms.
Status Reports
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