Denali

Overview

Denali National Park anchors six million acres of wild Alaska around North America's tallest peak, the 20,310-foot Denali (formerly Mount McKinley). A single 92-mile road threads through boreal forest, open tundra, and braided glacial rivers, giving visitors a front-row seat to one of the continent's last intact ecosystems. On clear days the mountain dominates the skyline with an elevation gain so massive it creates its own weather systems, cloaking the summit in lenticular clouds even when skies elsewhere are blue. Ride the park bus past Polychrome Overlook, where rust-and-purple volcanic bluffs drop into wide valleys often dotted with caribou herds. Stop at Eielson Visitor Center for the most dramatic Denali vista, then scan the hillsides for grizzlies digging for ground squirrels. Backcountry hikers can explore trailless terrain in designated units, navigating by map and ridgeline in some of the most remote wilderness in the National Park System. Plan your visit for June through mid-September when the park road is open and daylight stretches past 20 hours. Book the Kantishna bus or a campsite lottery well before your trip. Bring layers for temperatures that can swing 30 degrees in a single afternoon, and pack binoculars — wildlife sightings are virtually guaranteed from the bus.

Things to Do

• Ride the park bus to Wonder Lake
• Hike the Savage River Loop Trail
• Backpack trailless wilderness units
• Attend a sled dog demonstration
• Photograph Denali from Eielson Visitor Center
• Flightseeing over the Alaska Range
• Raft the Nenana River

Wildlife

Keep an eye out for these animals during your visit:

Weather & Best Time to Visit

Summers are cool with highs of 50-70°F and long daylight. Winters plunge well below zero with minimal sunlight. Rain and sudden temperature drops can occur any summer day.