Petersville Road
Mining road to Denali's wild north side
Petersville Road branches off the Parks Highway and plunges 30 miles into the Talkeetna Mountains, following historic mining claims and traplines toward Denali’s massive north face. The road crosses Peters Creek multiple times before deteriorating into a rough track that challenges even seasoned overlanders. At Mile 19, the route passes Forks Roadhouse ruins, a reminder of the area’s gold rush past, before continuing through increasingly technical terrain toward Cache Creek.
This is difficult overlanding requiring 4WD with skid plates and recovery gear — creek crossings can be deep and rocky, especially during spring runoff. The road is typically accessible from June through September, but conditions change rapidly with weather. Bring camping gear and extra fuel since the area is completely remote beyond Mile 15. The reward is solitude in prime grizzly country with unobstructed views of North America’s tallest peak when weather cooperates.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Difficult |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Technical 4x4 |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Features | Camping, Historic, Remote, Scenic, Water Crossings |
| Length (miles) | 30 mi / 48.3 km |
| Duration | 1-2 days |
| Max elevation (ft) | 2800 ft |
| Best season | June-September |
| Minimum vehicle | Stock 4WD high-clearance |
| Nearest town | Trapper Creek, Alaska |
| Land manager | Alaska Department of Natural Resources |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | Yes |
| Dispersed camping | Yes |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
| Copy both for Google Maps directionsClick to copy the directions URL · or open it directly in a new tab | |
| Find on Google | Search on Google → |
Location
Trail Conditions
No recent condition reports. Be the first to post one.
Log in to post a condition report.