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The Stampede Trail is a road and trail located in the Denali Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. A paved or maintained gravel road for 8 miles (13 km) on its eastern end as far west as Eight Mile Lake, the remainder of the route consists of a primitive, remote, and at times, dangerous hiking or ATV trail, following a path where the original road has deteriorated over the years. Historically, access to the east end of the trail was gained from the Alaska Railroad. Today, the primary access to the trail is from the George Parks Highway (Alaska Route 3) which opened in the early 1970s. The Parks Highway intersects the trail at milepost 251.1, two miles north of the center of Healy. Though this intersection marks the present-day eastern terminus of the Stampede Road, Lignite Road continues a few miles east from this intersection to the railroad tracks and the Nenana River. The trail is located near the northern boundary of Denali National Park in a small finger of State of Alaska public land that extends into the national park. The valley known as the Stampede Valley or the Stampede Corridor is mostly low-lying tundra and creek beds. The Stampede Trail has been the subject of international attention since the 1992 death of Christopher McCandless, whose body was found in an abandoned bus deep inside the wilderness about 30 miles down the trail. First brought to the public's attention by Jon Krakauer in an Outside magazine article, a book in 1996 and film in 2007 followed. The landmark's infamy led to an increase in hikers along the trail during the 21st century, as well as complaints of a corresponding increase in unprepared hikers who require assistance in the backcountry. Many rescues and incidents occur annually along the trail. The Alaska State Troopers and the Tri-Valley Fire Department (Healy) are primarily responsible for these rescues. The trail currently receives limited tour traffic. In 2015, Alaska Travel Adventures stopped operating Jeep tours along the trail due to deteriorating trail conditions and frequent mechanical problems. Denali Tundra Tours ceased operations of an Argo/ATV tour in 2016. As of 2017, Stampede Excursions operates two daily tours along the trail in Pinzgauer 6x6 military grade trucks as well as Volvo C306 6x6 personnel carriers. This tour is called the Denali Backcountry Safari. While they pick up passengers from all Denali area hotels, the 6x6 tours actually begin at their Eight Mile Lake Base Camp at mile 7.5 of the Stampede Road. Their picnic pavilion and other buildings are the last permanent structures along the road. All tours have typically turned around a few miles before (east of) the Savage River. Traversing the "mud flats" and later crossing the Teklanika River are major obstacles preventing most vehicles from continuing further along the trail. During the fall, hunting traffic along the trail is heavy as the area is prime habitat for moose. Most hunters use ATV's or Argos to access their hunting camps. Winter travel by snowmobile, dog sled, or tracked vehicle is much easier than summer travel after the boggy tundra, beaver ponds, and rivers freeze. In September 2017, Circle the Globe Productions filmed a pilot episode for a new TV series along the trail and at the bus. Logistics and equipment were provided by Stampede Excursions and Alaska Mountaineering School. The series is titled "Off the Map" and premiers on the Travel Channel on July 18th, 2018.