Denali National Park and Preserve
- Admission
- $15 per person (valid for 7 days); youth 15 and under are free
- Hours
- Open 24 hours daily, year-round; main visitor center open May to September
- Duration
- 1-3 days
- Parking
- Ample parking available at the Denali Visitor Center and Riley Creek
- Access
- Wheelchair-accessible visitor centers, accessible transit buses, and paved trails
Spanning six million acres of wild Alaska, Denali is home to North America's tallest peak and roaming grizzly bears. Accessible primarily by a single park road, its vast, trail-less tundra offers a truly untamed wilderness experience. An unexpected highlight is the park's active sled dog kennel, where canine rangers help patrol.
Read more
Encompassing six million acres of pristine wild land, Denali National Park and Preserve is crowned by North America's tallest peak, the majestic Denali. Originally established in 1917 as Mount McKinley National Park, this vast sanctuary was created to protect its abundant wildlife rather than just its mountain scenery. Today, it stands as a testament to subarctic wilderness preservation, where natural processes continue undisturbed.
Visitors to the park will find a dramatic landscape of low-elevation taiga forest giving way to high alpine tundra and sweeping glaciers. A single ribbon of road, the 92-mile-long Denali Park Road, cuts through this wilderness, offering unparalleled opportunities to spot grizzly bears, caribou, Dall sheep, and wolves. Because private vehicles are restricted on most of the road, the journey feels remarkably peaceful and wild.
What truly sets Denali apart is its commitment to maintaining an untamed character, encouraging visitors to explore off-trail. There are very few marked paths, inviting experienced hikers to navigate the wilderness using only maps, compasses, and their own intuition. It remains one of the few places in the world where travelers can experience a massive, intact ecosystem on such a grand scale.
Ratings
parkVisitor Tips
- ◆ Book transit or tour bus tickets well in advance, as private vehicles are restricted past Mile 15 of the Denali Park Road.
- ◆ Dress in synthetic layers and pack waterproof gear, as subarctic weather can change from sunny to freezing rain in a matter of minutes.
- ◆ Utilize the park's hop-on, hop-off transit buses to access remote wilderness areas for day hiking.
- ◆ Visit the Denali Visitor Center near the park entrance to check daily ranger-led program schedules and view interactive exhibits.
Heads Up
- ◆ Be strictly bear-aware and carry bear spray; both grizzly and black bears roam the park and encounters are common.
- ◆ Landslides and geological activity can cause seasonal closures along the park road, so check current road conditions before your trip.
- ◆ Cellular service and GPS signals are extremely limited or non-existent once you travel past the park entrance area.
Common questions
How far can you drive your own car into Denali National Park?
Private vehicles are only allowed to drive up to Mile 15 (Savage River) on the Denali Park Road. To travel further into the park, you must ride an official park transit or tour bus.
Is the road through Denali National Park closed because of the landslide?
Yes, the Denali Park Road is closed at Mile 43 due to the Pretty Rocks Landslide, restricting all traffic beyond this point until bridge construction is completed, which is expected in 2026.
Can you see Mount Denali from the park entrance visitor center?
No, Mount Denali is not visible from the main Denali Visitor Center due to blocking terrain. The closest viewpoint on the park road is at Mile 9, though the mountain is only visible about 30 percent of the time due to cloud cover.