Denali National Park and Preserve is home to Denali itself, at 20,310 feet the tallest peak in North America, along with six million acres of tundra, taiga forest, and glaciers. It’s one of Alaska’s most-visited parks thanks to its road access from Anchorage and Fairbanks.
Getting There
The park entrance is on the George Parks Highway, about a 2.5-hour drive from Fairbanks or 4.5 hours from Anchorage; the Alaska Railroad also runs seasonal service to Denali from both cities. An entrance fee is charged per person (check the National Park Service site for current rates). Importantly, private vehicles can only drive the first 15 miles of the 92-mile Park Road — beyond that, visitors must use the park’s shuttle or tour buses, which should be booked in advance during peak summer months.
What to See and Do
Bus tours along the Park Road are the main way most visitors see the park’s interior and have the best chance of spotting wildlife and, on clear days, the mountain itself (Denali is often obscured by clouds, even in summer). Hiking is largely off-trail and cross-country in the backcountry, though a handful of maintained trails exist near the entrance area, including easy options at the Denali Visitor Center. Flightseeing tours from Talkeetna offer close-up views of the summit and, for the ambitious, land on the Kahiltna Glacier at the mountaineers’ base camp.
Wildlife
The park is known for its “Big Five”: grizzly bears, wolves, moose, caribou, and Dall sheep, all visible from the road or shuttle buses with some luck and patience.
When to Go
The park road and shuttle buses generally operate from late May through mid-September. Winter visits are possible near the entrance area (dog sledding, cross-country skiing) but the Park Road itself is closed to vehicles beyond a few miles.
