Everything you should know about Denali National Park and Preserve

Slightly larger than New Hampshire, Denali National Park and Preserve in Interior Alaska, between Anchorage and Fairbanks, spans more than 6 million acres, or 9,492 square miles. The Granite State measures 9,351 square miles. Mount McKinley (known in Alaska as Denali) the centerpiece of the park, is the highest mountain in North America, soaring to 20,310 feet (6,190 meters) above sea level. Its landscape varies from glaciers to lakes and streams, from the boreal forest to alpine and tundra. Botany enthusiasts will be thrilled to learn that more than 1,500 species of plants, mosses, and lichens can be found throughout the park.

The park’s history stretches back more than a century, when naturalist Charles Sheldon drafted a bill with one goal: to protect Dall sheep. Introduced by Nevada Senator Key Pittman, the bill was signed by President Woodrow Wilson on February 26, 1917, 42 years before Alaska became a state, establishing the 2.15-million-acre Mount McKinley National Park. In 1976, the park was designated an International Biosphere Reserve, and in 1980, it roughly tripled in size when it was renamed Denali National Park and Preserve. 

Denali sits on the homeland of five Northern Athabascan Indigenous groups: Dena’ina, Koyukon, Lower Tanana, Upper Kuskokwim, and Western Ahtna. 

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Best time to visit Denali National Park and Preserve

Denali is a year-round park open 24 hours a day, but seasonal variation should be considered when planning a visit. Summer is the main season for visitors, from May 20 through mid-September, but the park is open for recreation at any time of the day or night; there is no gate at the park entrance. Denali National Park and Preserve can be cool and wet in the summer—June through August are its rainiest months—with average temperatures ranging from 33°F to 75°F. Fall colors begin showing in August and September, with winter beginning in mid-September. Winters can be extremely cold, with temperatures ranging from -40°F and colder to the high 20°F on warm days. Spring and fall are quite short, in late-April and early-May, and early-September.

Where to find the best views in the park

Most people visit Denali with the intention of seeing Mount McKinley's impressive snowcapped mountain peak, but with the park’s expanse, it’s not as easy as it seems. In fact, one of the best places to see the peak is at a scenic overlook along the road to the park, about a mile before the historic gold-mining town of Talkeetna. Denali Viewpoint South at Mile 135 on the Parks Highway in Denali State Park is another prime viewing spot. Once in the park, glimpses of the mountain may be seen from Denali Park Road.

While the entirety of Denali Park Road stretches 92 miles (148 km) from its entrance, the road is currently closed at Mile 43 due to the Pretty Rocks Landslide that occurred in 2021; it is expected to reopen for the 2027 summer season. 

That said, only the first 15 miles of the road, to Savage River, are paved. In the summer, park tour buses have priority on the road; private vehicles are only permitted for the first 15 miles. Aside from tour buses, the free Savage River Shuttles take visitors those first 15 miles, so no need to vie for parking at Savage River, which fills quickly. Your best Mount McKinley viewing spots are at Miles 9, 11, the parking at 12, 17, and 39.

When the summer season ends, the road opens to the public as far as the Teklanika River at Mile 30 and will remain open, weather-permitting, through October 15. When snow or ice closes the road at park headquarters at Mile 3.4, the road closes to the public.

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Where to find the best hiking trails

Hiking in Denali is unlike hiking in most national parks, where visitors are asked to stay on marked trails. Here, wildness prevails, and hikers are invited to forge their own paths.

That said, though there aren’t many marked trails in the park, those that are and leave from the Denali Visitor Center include the three-mile (4.8-km) Horseshoe Lake Trail (approximately 2.5 hours). On the east side of the loop, follow a short spur to see a beaver dam; take advantage of photo ops from viewing platforms on the south end of the lake. The scenery is particularly stunning on the west side, and you may want to wander through the forest and along the Nenana River on the north end of the loop. 

From Horseshoe Lake Trail, visitors with more time who are looking for a longer hike can take the 5.5-mile (8.8-km) Mount Healy Overlook Trail (approximately 4 hours), not only one of Denali’s steepest, but one of its most strenuous, too. The trail winds through a spruce forest to the tree line. Once above the treetops, hikers will find wide-open views to the south; it’s here that the trail officially ends.

Another trail that visitors can start at the visitor center is the park’s longest, at 19 miles (30 km), the Triple Lakes Trail(approximately 10 hours). On this trail, hikers cross bridges over two creeks, wind through a spruce forest, and gain of 1,000 feet in elevation, affording views of the lakes, the middle of which they wind around. 

Hikers who’d like to go beyond the park entrance can take the free Savage River Shuttle to pick up trails in the Mountain Vista and Savage River areas, including the short, flat 0.6-mile (0.9-mile) Mountain Vista loop trail with views of Mount McKinley on clear days; the two-mile Savage River Loop walk along the river; or the steep and strenuous four-mile Savage Alpine Trail that connects the Savage River area with the Mountain Vista area.

Aside from these designated trails, Denali boasts millions of acres of off-trail hiking. Regardless of whether visitors are hiking on trails, they will want to be prepared with plenty of water and food and practice wildlife safety. 

Backcountry permits for overnight stays in Denali National Park are required, as are orientations.

The best spots to see wildlife

Bring your binoculars along, as there’s plenty to see when it comes to wildlife in Denali National Park and Preserve, even along the Denali Park Road. The park provides homes to 38 species of mammals, including Alaska’s big five—moose, caribou, Dall sheep, wolves, and grizzly bears. Moose are frequently seen between the park entrance and the Savage River at Mile 15, while Dall sheep may be spotted in the mountains overlooking Igloo Canyon, from Miles 28 to 34 (look for small, white dots). Grizzly bears and caribou often share the same habitat, so look for them along riverbanks, like Savage River. Smaller creatures like pika and marmots may be glimpsed in the rocky sections of mountainsides, while fox and red squirrels can be seen pretty much anywhere in the park.

When watching wildlife, be sure to practice wildlife safety, including keeping your distance, not harassing the animals, and never feeding them.

Denali is home to more than 160 bird species. Golden eagles nest in the park from mid-spring to late-fall, making their homes in the open tundra or steep cliffs. Not shy in the least, willow ptarmigans live in the park year-round and can be seen in wet tundra near willow scrub in places like Savage River at Mile 15 on Denali Park Road, and Sanctuary River near Mile 22. Gyrfalcons, the world’s largest falcon, also live in Denali year-round, moving between open tundra for hunting and cliffs for nesting.

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Expert recommendations and tips

Jennifer Harris has worked in Denali National Park and Preserve for 35 years, beginning as a cook and baker in the employee dining room so she could “embark on an adventure and earn a little money for college.”

“Now, I am a tour bus driver who gets to invite park visitors to learn about and connect with this incredible park that has become my home,” says Harris, who drives and narrates Tundra Wilderness Tours.

“The beauty of our park’s access with a singular road is that it traverses a dynamic landscape at various elevations with the ability to begin hiking in forested areas or up above the tree line,” explains Harris. “The older I get, the less I want to move brush to get around, so higher elevations for hiking are what I enjoy most.”

Park naturalist tip: Explore the backcountry. Since visitors are in the park for such a short time that they are unable to get off a bus and into the backcountry. Harris says it’s a different experience entirely to simply see wilderness from a bus window versus being in it, hiking around to feel, smell, and see from a completely different perspective.

Things to do in Denali National Park and Preserve

Denali’s two bus tours and hiking are by far the most popular ways to see the park. The 4.5-to-five-hour Natural History Tour travels to Mile 17 of the 92-mile (148-km) Denali Park Road. Along the way, the driver-naturalist shares the park’s 10,000 years of cultural and natural history, pointing out wildlife spotted along the way. 

A variation of the five-hour Tundra Wilderness Tour has been offered since 1923. Traveling about an hour longer than the Natural History Tour to East Fork River at Mile 43, the driver-naturalist paces the tour, according to the interests of the visitors and what’s seen en route. Mile 43 marks the end of the Denali Park Road this season, due to the Pretty Rocks Landslide in 2021. 

Those who would rather explore Denali on their own can take advantage of the non-narrated transit buses. While these buses still stop for restroom breaks and wildlife viewing, they are intended to transport day hikers to their starting points and back to the park entrance when they’re ready: simply flag down one of the green transit buses along Denali Park Road, and the driver will pick you up. 

Park ranger-led daily Discovery Hikes are a terrific way to explore Denali with an expert. The hikes can be anywhere in the park, so you’ll want to bring your sense of adventure and preparedness. Learn about upcoming hikes at the visitor center, where rangers share details on length, duration, and difficulty. Discovery Hikes are very popular; visitors can sign up one or two days in advance, and everyone in the group must be present to get a spot. On the morning of the hike, board a transit bus with the park ranger and see where the day takes you.

The park has a few options for cyclists, too, including campground loops and the Roadside Bike Trail that travels alongside Denali Park Road from the visitors center to the park entrance. The Parks Highway Bike Trail continues along Highway 3 from the park entrance to the Nenana River Canyon area. The total mileage for these two trails is about three miles one-way. Riding on Denali Park Road is an option for experienced riders, though the road lacks shoulders or bike lanes, and traffic can be heavy in the summer season, including tour buses and private vehicles. Cyclists who ride on Denali Park Road (through Mile 43) will need to check in with a park ranger or via a logbook at Savage River. And, of course, they will need to practice wildlife safety.

Denali transforms into a winter adventure wonderland with the snowfall, offering ample opportunities for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing on hiking trails. Winter biking is only permissible on the Roadside Bike Trail.

Best things to do for families

Hours-long bus tours and full-day hikes may not be suitable for all families, but there are plenty of other things for them to do in the park. Join a park ranger for an easy to moderate guided nature walk on a trail that leaves right from the visitors center. During the hour-long walk, the ranger will guide the group through an ecosystem home to red squirrels, moose, spruce grouse, and a variety of flowers and berries, depending on the time of year.

Another family-friendly option is a visit to the park’s sled dog kennels. Denali is the only national park with its own kennel; the dogs patrol the park with rangers in the wintertime. In the summer, the kennel is open to visitors, and rangers hold 30-minute demonstrations of the traditional Alaska mode of transportation.

Where to stay

National Park Service-operated lodging is not available within the park, there are four privately-owned, remote lodges in Kantishna at the end of Denali Park Road at Mile 92: Camp Denali, Denali Backcountry Lodge, Kantishna Roadhouse, and Skyline Lodge. These lodges are accessible exclusively by air until the park road reopens past Mile 43; Skyline Lodge is closed for the 2026 season.

Hotels, motels, vacation rental homes, and bed and breakfasts are available along Alaska Highway 3, or George Parks Highway, at the edge of Denali National Park and Preserve. The community of Healy is about 11 miles north of the park entrance, and Cantwell is to the south.

Camping: Denali National Park and Preserve has six campgrounds for those who’d like to stay overnight in the park, all of which are accessible by the park’s camper buses. 

Three of the campgrounds are accessible by private vehicles. Riley Creek Campground (142 sites) is just inside the park entrance at Mile 0.25 and open for RV and tent camping year-round. Open in the summer for RV and tent camping, Savage River Campground (32 sites) at mile 13 boasts views of Denali, just a short walk away on a clear day. An exception to no private vehicles beyond Mile 15 applies to campers staying at Teklanika River Campground (53 sites) at Mile 29; those driving in must camp a minimum of three nights. 

The park’s camper buses transport overnighters to the park’s two other campgrounds, each tent-only and open only in the summer: Sanctuary River Campground (seven sites) at Mile 22; and Igloo Creek Campground (seven sites) at Mile 35. Wonder Lake Campground at Mile 85 is currently closed due to the Pretty Rocks Landslide.

Reservations are recommended for all of the park’s campgrounds, and fees apply. Backcountry permits for overnight stays in Denali National Park are required, as are orientations.

What else you should know

Access: Denali National Park and Preserve is in Interior Alaska, 240 miles north of Anchorage and 120 miles south of Fairbanks. The only entrance to the park is at Mile 237 on Alaska Highway 3, also known as George Parks Highway. The park is accessible by car and train via the Alaska Railroad. The Denali Visitor Center is open daily during the summer, May through mid-September, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; late-fall hours through the rest of September are 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The visitor center is closed September 25 through April 30. The Murie Science and Learning Center serves as the winter visitor’s center, open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

That said, the park itself is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Entrance fees are required year-round.

Entrance fees: The cost is $15 per person. All visitors over the age of 16 must have a pass valid for seven days; children under 16 do not need a pass. An annual pass is available for $45, and covers up to four adults; it is available to U.S. citizens and residents only.

Those who are not U.S. residents will need to purchase an America the Beautiful Non-Resident Annual Pass for $250, which covers the passholder and three additional adults. The pass is valid at all U.S. National Parks and thousands of other recreation sites across the country.

How accessible is the park?

Designated a “primitive” area by Congress, the majority of Denali National Park and Preserve is considered wilderness. That said, the park is accessible in various ways. Accessible parking is available at the Denali Visitor Center, the Denali Bus Depot, and the sled dog kennels. Many of the park’s tour and shuttle buses are outfitted with wheelchair lifts; request when making reservations. The Roadside Bike Trail near the park entrance is 10 feet wide, with little elevation change, and traverses along compacted gravel. The Spruce Forest Trail is half as wide at five feet, also on compacted gravel. A few sites at Riley Creek Campground, just inside the park entrance at Mile 0.25, are designated as accessible; request when making reservations. One wheelchair is available upon request at the visitor center on a first-come, first-served basis.

American Sign Language interpreters are available for park ranger programs and bus tours, with advance notice. Additionally, the park provides visitors with hearing-assistive listening devices for programs at the sled dog kennels, and public events and ranger programs at the Denali Visitor Center and Bus Depot.

For the visually impaired, the official Denali National Park and Preserve is available in Braille, text-only, and audio-only; ranger programs strive to include tactile and audio components to make it accessible to everyone.

Visitors who are sensitive to sensory experiences will find the park carefully details different activities so they can prepare ahead of time. For example, park rangers explain their programs at the start, including what to expect and how much time they will last, and sled dog presentations can be very noisy and crowded.

Service animals are allowed throughout Denali, except at the sled dog kennels, where park staff can assist with a visit.