Spotlight: Denali National Park

Spotlight: Denali National Park and Preserve is centered around Denali (formerly known as Mount McKinley), the highest peak in North America. Denali means "The High One" in the native Athabaskan language. If you are lucky enough to see it, you'll understand why - it towers over most of the neighboring mountains. Mount McKinley National Park was originally established in 1917, after plans were drawn up by the Boone and Crockett Club and submitted to Congress Alaskan delegate James Wickersham. Visitation to the park was extremely sparse until the completion of Highway 3, which allowed motor vehicles access to the park from either Anchorage or Fairbanks. The park currently covers more than 6 million acres (larger than the entire state of New Hampshire), but is only serviced by the 91-mile long Denali Park Road (only a small portion of which is paved) extending from the park entrance to Kantishna.

Location: Denali National Park is located about halfway between Anchorage and Fairbanks. The easiest ways to get there are by taking Highway 3 or taking one of the trains that run between the two cities.

Train from Anchorage to Denali

Cost: A $10/person fee is collected year round. All day tours run about $180/person.

Time: Depending on the type of tour you wish to take, you can spend anywhere from 2 hours (self-guided tour) to 13+ hours (Kantishna bus tour) inside the park.

Description: Private vehicles are only permitted on the first fifteen miles of the Denali Park Road. If you wish to explore further, you may take a tour, use the transit bus service (for a fee), or obtain a backcountry permit.
     We took the Kantishna bus tour. This 13-hour tour took us along the entire stretch of road from the park entrance to the Kantishna Roadhouse. Along the way, our bus driver/tour guide gave us detailed information on the flora and fauna as well as historical background about the park. Anytime someone spotted wildlife, we stopped so that everyone could take pictures. It was an uncommonly good day to spot grizzly bears (we saw 13) but not moose (zero). We also saw six caribou, a handful of Dahl sheep (way up on a slope), several falcons, ptarmigans (Alaska's state bird), marmots and several ground squirrels.

Mother grizzly with her two cubs

caribou

Dahl sheep

falcon

ptarmigan

marmot

      We stopped at the Eielson Visitor Center where we had a great view of Denali (simply referred to as "the mountain"). We were lucky enough to be there on a day where we could actually see it. Evidently, only about 30% of tourists to Alaska even see part of the mountain. The entire mountain is only visible a few days a month on average.

Denali

The High One

Eielson Visitor Center

     The final stage of our journey took us past Wonder Lake to the Kantishna Roadhouse. There, we had a two hour break which included a nice lunch and an activity - either panning for gold or watching a sled dog presentation. We chose to see the sled dogs. Since there was no snow, they practice during the summer by pulling a four-wheeler around the ranch.

Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)

Things You Should Know: - No food service is offered beyond the park entrance area. Know how long you will be gone and be prepared with the appropriate food, drink, clothing and gear: hat, gloves, raingear, proper footgear, insect repellent, binoculars and camera.
- Summers in Denali are usually cool, wet and windy with occasional snow. In winter, the weather is more predictable - dark and snowy. From mid-September to mid-May, services are limited. The park road is only kept plowed to Park Headquarters (Mile 3.4). The backcountry can only be reached on snowshoes, skis or dogsled.
- If you plan on hiking, be aware that Denali is a true wilderness. Encounters with grizzly bears and/or moose can be extremely dangerous so be prepared by knowing how to respond.
- A free courtesy shuttle takes visitors from the Visitor Center to the Savage River (15 mile mark). For a fee, the transit bus service runs from mid-May to mid-September from the Wilderness Access Center to Toklat River (six hour round trip), Eielson Visitor Center (8 hours) and Wonder Lake (11 hours).
- Overnight backpacking trips require careful planning and a backcountry permit which is only available after an in-person orientation with a ranger at the Backcountry Information Center.
- Denali and Mount Foraker climbers must register 60 days prior to the start of their ascent and pay a special use fee. Contact the Talkeetna Ranger Station (907-733-2231).

"Somewhat" Nearby: Denali State Park, Susitna River, Chugach State Park, Nelchina Public Use Area