I asked a local about some of his favorite places to hike in the Healy area and he suggested this “secret” canyon called Suntrana Canyon.

The name Suntrana comes from the Athabaskan (Native Alaskan) language meaning, “burning hills,” from fires coming from the coal seams.  Now days, there isn’t much, if any, fire coming from the ground but there is an active coal mining operation nearby.

Suntrana Canyon is a great place to hike and see many different types of rock including the thick black bands of coal visible at the surface.  I love this canyon because it is something totally different than the tundra landscapes nearby and all of the different colors from the rocks make this hike very interesting.

You start off at the base of Suntrana Creek – this is the trailhead!  You simply hike up the canyon as far as you’d like.  I’ve never actually hiked to the top of the canyon but it’s something I plan on doing.

This canyon is quiet!  Meaning, you will probably have it all to yourself.  This entire area in general doesn’t get many visitors unless it’s moose hunting season.

A few years back, some friends and I went gold panning here at the creek.  We didn’t find any gold but it was fun to try anyway.

This is just a fun and unique place to leisurely hike and explore.

You will see many rock formations that strangely resemble some sandstone features of the western United States.