The Trek in a snapshot
Location
Denali, Alaska
Managing Agency
Unknown
Pets
Allowed
Fees
None
Restrooms
None
Camping
Not allowed
Trail Condition
Easy to see trail. The trail skirts the creek, so just find the best path to the top of the waterfall. To get to the bottom of the waterfall, you will need to hike on the north side.
Sights
Waterfalls, rock climbing area, Nenana River overlook
Water Info
Bring a bottle of water if needed
Best Season
Summer, fall
Distance
About 1/4 mile roundtrip
Time Required
Less than 15 minutes
Parking Elevation
1560 ft
Summit Elevation
1507 ft
Elevation Difference
53 ft
Trek Planner Maps
Trailhead: 63.794291°, -148.922082°
Dragonfly Waterfall: 63.794360°, -148.922561°
Experience. Discover. Explore.
Follow along on our adventure then go out on your own!
There is a nicely sized pull-out area just off the Parks Highway and you will need to go over the guard-rail at the north side to see the trail. The dirt path to the actual creek is very short and you could easily see the waterfall in less than 10 minutes round trip.
I often see fireweed along this trail.
The creek then flows west and the trail follows the creek until the first waterfall.
Be careful around this area as it may be slippery and it is steep. The waterfall is about 50+ feet and is more like a waterslide. You can also get a great view of the railroad across the Nenana River and if you come at the right time you could spot trains going up and down the line.
You will probably notice a few climbing anchors. I have rappelled to the bottom of Dragonfly Waterfall and it is quite fun. I have also spoke with a few local climbers and they say it is a poor area to climb as most of the rock is brittle and shale-like.
On the other hand, if you are an ice climber then this may be a great spot for you to try out. The winter provides tons of ice to climb up.
If you do rappel or climb, please be safe and use all the proper gear – be cautious
I put some webbing around a good sized spruce tree nearby. It was a fun rappel but it only goes down about 50 feet or so.
The trail to the bottom follows by this same spruce tree.
From here the trail cuts north and then winds down to the base of the waterfall. Just take your time and you will be safe. (You can see my rope coming down the side of the rock)
Just below the main waterfall there are smaller falls which are pretty neat to see also.
This is a fun area to camp and have fires and otherwise enjoy the scenery. If you follow the creek all the way down you will come to the Nenana River. This river is a glacier fed river and is very silty. I have found bear and moose tracks down here so please keep an eye out for these large animals.
Dragonfly Creek in Winter
I had the opportunity to visit Dragonfly Creek in March. There was tons of snow and ice of course. The waterfall had frozen over beautifully.
I noticed some ice climbers were recently here because I could see their marks in the ice. Winter is an amazing time to visit here but just be careful so you don’t slip and fall over the edge.
Personal Thoughts
Dragonfly Creek and Waterfall are a great place to visit if you have the extra time. While working in Denali I had the opportunity to visit here often. It was even more enjoyable with a campfire and food.