The Table Top Mountain Trail in the White Mountains National Recreation Area, about an hour and a half north east of Fairbanks, is a 3.0 mile loop with 1,000 feet elevation gain. The trailhead is accessed from the mile 57.4 of the Steese Highway by turning north onto the gravel U.S. Creek Road and traveling for 7 miles. Then turn left onto the gravel Ophir Creek Road toward the Ophir Creek Campground for 8.4 miles and the trailhead will be on the right. The roads to access this trail provide excellent scenery of the mountains in the region.
The White Mountains National Recreation Area provides numerous outdoor recreation opportunities
View of Table Top Mountain from the base of the trail
We hiked the Table Top Mountain Trail loop in a clockwise direction. The trail heads quickly uphill, traveling through young brush and plants that have been growing in since the area was decimated by a forest fire in 2004. The trunks of the burned trees still stand in stark contrast to the new growth. There were some boggy sections and some standing water from recent rains.
Area of regrowth and stark reminders of the 2004 forest fire
Parts of the trail were boggy and wet
Nearing Table Top Mountain
As we approached the top of the trail, the steepness lessened as we hiked along just below the summit. With one final ascent of about 100 yards, we reached the summit of Table Top Mountain with 360 degree panoramic views of the surrounding area, with mountains in all directions.
Hiking just below the top
Table Top Mountain
View from the top
We enjoyed the view for a bit and then it was time to head back down the mountain. Throughout this trail we observed wild blueberries and bunchberries.
Many wild blueberries were growing along the trail
Bunchberries were also in abundance
We headed back into the new growth and down the hill to the road. The trail pops back out onto Ophir Creek Road several hundred yards from our vehicle. There are no services at the trailhead, but there were vault toilets at both intersections (Steese & US Creek and US Creek & Ophir Creek). We traveled to this trail from our campsite at the Upper Chatanika State Recreation Site.
