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Denali Park, a 6-million acre park, is one of the most popular Alaskan destinations for vacationers.
Want to see an abundance of wildlife, fabulous scenery, including Mt. McKinley - the tallest peak on the North American continent, and yet have some of the conveniences of civilization close by? Then Denali National Park is your destination. There are numerous businesses that have built up along the Parks Highway, within a few miles of the ONLY road entering Denali Park. Kantishna Road travels 92 miles into the park, from the entrance to the ghost town of Kantishna, an old mining town. This road is gravel (after mile 15) as are all the trails in the park. The entrance to Denali Park is approximately 240 miles north of Anchorage or 125 miles south of Fairbanks, on the Parks Highway. Be sure to bring food and drinks with you or pick some up nearby before you go into the Park. You cannot purchase FOOD or DRINKS within the Park past the small, Riley Creek Mercantile on the north end of the entrance campgrounds, coffee service at the Wilderness Access Center and the concession-operated Morino Grill at the Denali Visitor Center. RILEY CREEK CAMPGROUND, right inside the entrance, has a DAY USE section for short stays. It also has FREE parking in the overflow section if you want to go on one of the many hiking trails, bike paths, or take a Park bus from the entrance area. There are a number of facilities within the Park to help you enjoy your vacation more, but here are the two most important to your visit there: • The WILDERNESS ACCESS CENTER, at Mile 1 of the Park Road is open May 15 to September 21 and is where you get permits and reservations. To call for information - 907-683-9274. If you reserve a campsite or pay an advance bus fare, the park entrance fees will be added to it. If you have a National Park Pass, be sure to get your ENTRANCE FEE REFUND when you arrive, either at this Center or at the Riley Creek Mercantile, next to the Riley Creek Campground at the Park entrance. • The DENALI VISITOR CENTER, a beautiful, modern facility with an Alaska flavor, at Mile 2 of the Park Road, is open May 15 to September 22, and is where you find out all about the many services and programs available in the Park. This is also where you pay the ENTRANCE FEE ($10/person, OR $20/private vehicle-motorcycles are $15, for 7 days) to Denali Park, if you don't already have a campground reservation or a National Park Pass.
TIP: If you want to visit Denali Park in the "off season" which is anytime from September 23 to May 14, you can stay at the Riley Creek Campground with tents, or Campers up to 40', and it's all FREE. There are toilets, and drinking water here, but no hookups.ALSO, in the SPRING, the Park Road has been plowed in March and is usually open as far as Teklanika Creek (mile 30) until May 19. And the Murie Science Center, at Mile 1.4 on the Park Road is open 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM daily. In the FALL, the buses stop running on the second Thursday after Labor Day. Then there is a 4-day road lottery. It gives the winners a one day pass, with the opportunity to drive the Park Road as far as weather conditions allow. Sometimes the road is only drivable to Mile 15 and sometimes it stays open to Mile 85—but that is the chance you take! After the lottery, you can drive the road to Mile 30 (Teklanika River), as long as the weather allows. If you want to check with the Park Headquarters on the road conditions, whether it's spring or fall, contact them at 907-683-2294 or by Fax at 907-683-9617.
There is a lot of detailed information about Denali Park on the National Park Service website, so I will just give you an overview of some of the most important information, to plan your visit.You can get to Denali Park several ways: With your own vehicle, whether it's a car, camper, truck, SUV or whatever (up to 40' vehicles allowed at some campsites).With a shuttle bus - there are a number of private businesses in Anchorage or Fairbanks that will take you to Denali Park.With the Alaska Railroad - it has a stop across from the Denali Visitor Center at Mile 2 of the Park Road. Once you are at Denali Park, you have a number of choices for exploring it: FOR ONE DAY OR LESS IN THE PARK: If you brought your own vehicle you can drive as far as the Savage River Bridge, which is 15 miles from the entrance. From there, you can walk or take a bike to your destination, OR -You can also park your car at a FREE entrance parking lot and take one of the FREE shuttle buses. There are 3 different ones, depending on what you'd like to do. You can get on and off these GREEN buses as you wish:A - Riley Creek Loop Shuttle - this runs every half hour and takes you to all the major visitor facilities in the entrance area of the Park, including Riley Creek campground and the head of a backwoods trail.B - The Savage Creek Shuttle - this one starts at the Wilderness Access Center or Denali Visitor Center (which can be reached with the Riley Creek Shuttle) and takes you the first 15 miles of the road, including the Savage Creek Campground.C - The Sled Dog Demonstration Shuttle - this one starts from the Denali Visitor Center and has a precise schedule because of the demonstrations, so you have to find out the times it runs.You can also take one of the Shuttle Bus Tours which have a small fee, but will take you to several different locations along the 91 miles of Kantishna Road. Below is the fee schedule and note that this would be the economical route to go if you have children. Since there is NO FOOD or DRINKS available within the Park, the Shuttle Bus fares INCLUDE beverages with snacks or meals, depending on the length of the trip. You'll spot wildlife during the ride and there are campgrounds and hiking trails once you reach your destination. If you just want to spend a short time off the bus, these are the buses to use. | Shuttle Bus Fares | Distance One Way | Trip Duration | Adult 18 & Over | Young Adult 15 - 17 | Children 14 & Under |
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| Toklat | 53 miles | 6.5 hours | $24.70 | $12.35 | Free | | Eielson V.C. | 66 miles | 8 hours | $31.45 | $15.75 | Free | | Wonder Lake | 85 miles | 11 hours | $42.95 | $21.50 | Free | | Kantishna | 91 miles | 13 hours | $46.70 | $23.35 | Free |
If you prefer a NARRATED, FORMAL BUS TOUR, you have three choices. The guided tour buses are TAN and they will pick you up from any local area hotel:- A - Denali Natural History Tour - This tour takes you the first 17 miles of the Park road and is a 5 hour maximum tour. It has several stops that will give you the history of the area and an Alaskan Native presentation. Snack and hot beverages included. Fares: 15+ - $62.10, 14 & under - $31.50
- B - Tundra Wilderness Tour - This is a 7 to 8 hour tour and goes to mile 53 of the Park road. It gives you lots of opportunity for photographing wildlife while your tour guide gives you an in-depth narrative of the history of the area. This one is a version of the original tours that were started in 1923. Box lunch and beverages included. Fares: 15+ - 104.35, 14 & - 53.10
- C - Kantishna Experience - ONLY available June 8 - September 11. This tour takes you all the way to the ghost town of Kantishna--91 miles one way. It's a 12 hour tour, so lasts all day and you have to get up early -- pick up at area hotels is between 7:00 and 7:45. You'll have both a Certified Interpretive Guide and a National Park Service Interpretive Ranger. You'll do some walking on this one. Includes lunch, snack and beverages. Fares: 15+ - $155.00, 14 & under - $77.50
Sweet Smelling Alaskan Wild Rose Photo Courtesy of an Angel FOR MORE THAN ONE DAY IN THE PARK: If you want to spend more than a day in the park, and you're not bringing a camper, you may want to use the Camper buswhich will accommodate bikes and backpacks. This again, is a GREEN bus. (You'll need a campground reservation or a hiking permit to use this bus - see below.)Camper Bus Fares: | Adult 18 & Over | Young Adult 15 - 17 | Children 14 & Under |
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| $31.45 | $15.75 | Free |
You can also walk, or take your bike on the road from the entrance instead of purchasing a bus ticket. But if you are planning on staying in the park for any number of days up to the 14 day limit, you'll need to purchase a campground reservation or a back-country permit for hiking, or both, depending on your plans. You have to get the hiking permit after you get to the park, so there are no reservations possible. For campground reservations, you can call 1-800-622-7275.Bike rentals in Denali Park - call: 907-683-4636
TIP - If you are walking on any marked trail, I heard there are plans to line the pathways with Devils Club so people wouldn't decide to wander through the woods. However, people who are not familiar with Devils Club (like most tourists) might decide to walk through them anyway, but that is something you definitely wouldn't want to do. Devils Club plants will make your skin itch a lot for a long time after you brush against one.
If you want to go on one of the Ranger led hikes, you might find this Denali Discovery Hike Checklist and Information useful.If you have children, they might like to do this Junior Ranger Activity Page to become a Junior Ranger of Denali Park. If they want to do research on Denali, they might find this Denali Educational Packet useful.Just one last note on Denali Park before you go on to other things. This is a vast wilderness with lots of wildlife that are potentially dangerous. And help could be far off when you need it the most. Please be sure to check in at one of the Visitor Centers to get the information you'll need on safety in the Park. Are there a few more parks you'd like to get acquainted with? Denali Park is just one of the Alaska National Parks... Return to Top of Denali Park Page Return To Alaska Parks Page Return to Tips for Backwoods Alaska Vacations Home Page
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