Denali National Park Rafting Tours
Rafting is one of the most popular activities in the Denali area, for several reasons. First, it's one of the easiest ways to feel like you're immersed in the wilderness, even though on some portions of the river, you're just below the highway.
There are also tours ranging from 2 hrs to full-day, so you can always find a trip to fit your schedule. If you're spending just two nights in Denali (the most common length of stay) you can easily fit in an evening raft trip on the day you arrive or a morning trip before you depart. If you're staying multiple days, opt for a half or full-day trip.
Most tours take place on the Nenana River, a very typically Alaskan glacially fed river that's brownish in color due to the heavy concentration of glacial silt. You can opt for a mild-trip that traverses the calmer parts of the river, or a whitewater trip where you'll encounter heart-pounding rapids with names like Coffee Grinder and Ice Worm. See our recommended guides below.
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Rafting Tours
Just outside Denali National Park, the Nenana River offers a unique rafting experience: The river is big and icy cold, with glacially fed waters. But this rafting outfitter based near the Park Entrance offers a soul-warming experience on the river, which makes an excellent counterpart to a bus tour through the national park. Choose a quick 3‑hour trip on mild water or splash through some rapids. Or opt for a longer 5.5‑hour run.
Raft the pristine and scenic rivers in the Denali area with an expert, local guide. The most popular water activity is river rafting, which can range from a scenic float to a more whitewater experience on a class III+ river. For a full day of adventure, you can combine a trip on the river with hiking. Traverse Alaska also offers packrafting (each person is paddling their own small boat), which is a day-and-a-half class, transitioning from ...more
Feel the thrill of crushing through whitewater on the Nenana River just outside the iconic Denali National Park. Do it with New Wave Adventures and you’ll have your choice of rafting trips — you can even decide whether to paddle or just take in the beautiful scenery — as well as other exciting options like hiking and packrafting, all great options for family fun.
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