Denali National Park

Denali National Park and Preserve covers six million acres in Alaska, home to North America’s tallest mountain, Denali, which rises 20,310 feet. Glaciers cut through the Alaska Range here, and forests of spruce and tundra plains provide habitats for grizzly bears, moose, caribou, and Dall sheep. A single 92-mile road runs through the park, giving access to trails, small-plane tours, and bus rides that pass rivers filled with glacial silt and mountains covered in snow. You can bike this road, hike with park rangers, or set up a tent near Wonder Lake to experience landscapes shaped by ice and wind. This park lets you walk, ride, or fly through some of the most remote terrain on the continent.

How to Reach Denali National Park

Drive, take the train, or ride a bus from Anchorage (5.5 hours by car, 8 hours by train) or Fairbanks (2.5 hours by car, 4 hours by train). The Alaska Railroad’s Denali Star Train has large windows for spotting moose in wetlands or bald eagles perched near rivers. If you drive, you can go as far as Savage River (Mile 15), where a 1.7-mile trail loops around a river canyon with a wooden bridge. Beyond Savage River, only buses, bikes, or approved shuttles can travel deeper into the park. From June to August, the Park Connection motorcoach connects Denali to Seward, Anchorage, and Talkeetna on scheduled routes.

Spotting Animals in Denali

Denali shelters 39 types of mammals, including roughly 300–350 grizzly bears. Watch for caribou eating lichen on open plains, Dall sheep balancing on rocky ridges, and moose feeding in willow thickets. Wolves and foxes leave tracks along rivers like the Teklanika, but sightings are less common. Keep 300 feet away from bears and 75 feet from other animals. Bring binoculars to watch animals from buses or stops like Polychrome Pass, where cliffs attract golden eagles.

Traveling the Denali Park Road

The 92-mile Denali Park Road starts at the entrance and ends at Kantishna, a former gold-mining site. From mid-May to mid-September, hop-on buses and guided tours run daily. The Tundra Wilderness Tour stops for animal sightings and provides lunch, while the Transit Bus lets you get off to hike or camp. Biking the gravel road takes you past Eielson Visitor Center (Mile 66), where displays explain how glaciers form. A landslide near Polychrome Pass has closed the road beyond Mile 43 until a new bridge opens in 2025.

Climbing Denali

To climb Denali, you need a permit, must attend a safety briefing, and prepare for sudden storms. The West Buttress Route requires crossing glaciers, avoiding crevasses, and spending weeks adjusting to high altitudes. Around 1,200 people reach the summit each year, many with guides who set up ropes and camps. Basecamp at 7,200 feet is where climbers start their ascent, and the camp at 14,000 feet looks out over peaks like Mount Foraker. Rangers track weather and hazards, and sled dogs patrol the park in winter.

Visiting Denali in Winter

From October to April, snow covers the park. Ski or snowshoe along the closed park road, or join a ranger-guided walk. The park’s sled dogs demonstrate how they transport gear for rangers across frozen terrain. Snowmobiles are allowed only west of the park boundary, where frozen lakes and spruce forests stretch for miles. Temperatures can plunge below -40°F, so wear insulated layers and check trail updates at the Murie Science and Learning Center.

Where to Sleep in Denali

Four campgrounds—Sanctuary River, Teklanika River, Igloo Creek, and Wonder Lake—have tent sites with basic facilities. Wonder Lake Campground (Mile 85) faces Denali, which reflects in the lake on clear days. Book sites early, as summer slots sell out months ahead. Lodges like Camp Denali and Kantishna Roadhouse sit deep in the park, reachable by bus or small plane when the road is closed. These lodges plan guided hikes, canoe trips on lakes like Wonder Lake, and evening talks about local plants and animals.

Human Stories and Protecting the Land

The Koyukon Athabascan people have lived near Denali for generations, calling the mountain “the Great One.” Gold seekers arrived in the early 1900s, but efforts by conservationists led to the area becoming a national park in 1917. The park’s name changed from Mount McKinley to Denali in 1980 to reflect its Indigenous roots. Follow Leave No Trace rules: carry out trash, stick to established paths, and never approach wildlife. Rangers at the Denali Visitor Center host talks on topics like melting glaciers and how wolves hunt.

Flying Over Denali or Rafting Nearby Rivers

Small planes from Talkeetna or the park entrance fly over Denali’s glaciers, some landing on the Ruth Glacier for short walks on the ice. Companies like Denali Raft Adventures guide trips down the Nenana River, with calm stretches and rapids framed by the Alaska Range. Helicopters drop visitors in remote valleys for hikes or fishing in alpine lakes. These trips run from May to September and require booking ahead.

Short Hikes and Backcountry Trips

Trails near the park entrance include the 1.5-mile Horseshoe Lake Loop, where you might see beavers or salmon in season, and the 5.4-mile Mount Healy Overlook Trail, which climbs 1,700 feet for views of the Nenana River valley. For overnight trips, get a free backcountry permit at the Wilderness Access Center. Rangers suggest zones with fewer bears and accessible water. Most routes involve hiking off-trail through tussock grass or crossing shallow rivers. Pack bear spray, a map, and a sturdy tent.