Twelvemile Summit Trail

The feel

This is a short alpine tundra summit walk from the Twelvemile Summit wayside on the Steese Highway, where the Pinnell Mountain National Recreation Trail ends. The trail is a 27-mile route along alpine ridge tops entirely above timberline, and it is marked with rock cairns as it crosses open tundra.

From the ridge you look north to the Yukon River and south to the Alaska Range. Wildflower displays run under the midnight sun, and wooden posts along the trail show the mileage from the Eagle Summit start to Twelvemile Summit.

What to expect

Route and terrain

Out and back, 3 miles total, with 1013 ft of gain, across open alpine tundra marked with rock cairns.

Time

About 2 hours out and back.

Parking

The trailhead is the Twelvemile Summit wayside at milepost 85.5 on the Steese Highway, a maintained gravel highway northeast from Fairbanks.

Hazards

Unpredictable, dramatic alpine weather; thunderstorms and mountain fog are common in summer.

Bathrooms and water

Finding drinking water along the trail can become difficult later in the summer, when snowfields and small ponds dry up.

Mingo says

Pack rain layers for a summer visit, since storms and fog roll in often. Carry your own water late in the season.

Before you go

• Drive the Steese Highway, a maintained gravel highway, to milepost 85.5.
• Fill your bottles before you leave, as water along the ridge dries up later in summer.
• The Pinnell Mountain Trail is non-motorized; bikes are allowed but several steep sections cannot be ridden.

Written October 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page.