Stampede Trail, Wilderness trail in Denali Borough, Alaska, US
Stampede Trail is a wilderness route in the Denali Borough of Alaska passing through remote backcountry terrain. The first 8 miles consist of maintained gravel surface before the path transitions into a primitive track crossing tundra and multiple waterways.
Gold prospectors established this path in 1903 as a connection between Lignite and the Kantishna mining district. Earl Pilgrim used the route during the 1930s to haul antimony ore by dog sled to the railroad.
The route carries the name from the gold rush era when miners stampeded into Alaska seeking fortune in the Kantishna hills. Today hikers follow the same path that once saw pack animals and sleds hauling supplies through the wilderness.
The Teklanika River becomes a serious obstacle during summer months when snowmelt raises water levels requiring wading gear and caution. Late August through September offers lower water levels making the crossing somewhat safer for experienced hikers.
An abandoned Fairbanks City Transit bus from the 1940s sat beside the path for decades serving as shelter for trappers. The National Guard airlifted the vehicle out in 2020 after it prompted multiple rescue operations.
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