Best Reasons to Visit Denali – The Last Frontier

Is Denali on your bucket list? For many travelers to Alaska, this is their number one destination. Mt. Denali is the crown jewel. Be prepared when you visit Denali National Park, to explore the vast wilderness and view epic landscapes. Check out the best reasons to add Denali to any Alaska road trip itinerary. An amazing experience and a great way to appreciate this last frontier in Alaska.

IMPORTANT UPDATE: The Denali Park Road will be closed at Mile 43 of the 92-mile road this summer because of a landslide near Pretty Rocks. Because of road construction repairs, the Denali Park Road will be closed in thru summer 2025.

So Why Visit Denali?

Here are just some of the best reasons to visit Denali – The Last Frontier are:

1. Amazing wildlife encounters – Wildlife sightings are never a certainty. Your chances are high you will see the Big Five mammals, grizzly bear, wolf, caribou, moose, and Dall sheep.
2. You get to see panoramic views of the highest mountain in North America-“Denali” and other iconic peaks of the Alaska Range. They report it that only 30% of visitors see the top of the peak. 
3. If you are looking for solitude, most often you will never see another human on the longer trails.
4. The enchanting natural beauty around every bend of the road. You will see taiga forests, subalpine woodlands, floodplain meadows, and tundra.
5. The night sky has unobstructed views of the stars and the mind-blowing northern lights.
6. This is the only national park with a working team of sled dogs.

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They established the park as Mt. McKinley National Park on Feb. 26, 1917. Denali National Park encompasses 6 million acres, much of it is virtually unexplored. The name Denali derives from native Athabaskan languages and means “the tall one” or “mountain-big.” There is only one road in and out of the park. From the road you can view native animals large and small. Visitors to Denali National Park & Preserve can easily find solitude and tranquility in this true American wilderness.

Getting to the Last Frontier – Denali National Park

Most travelers can easily fly into either Anchorage or Fairbanks. Rent a car driving the George Parks Highway (A-3) to Denali National Park. Distance from Anchorage is 240-miles and Fairbanks is 125-miles to the Park entrance. We rented an RV in Anchorage from the Great Alaskan Holidays for our Alaska dream vacation, traveling the Parks Highway, taking two days to enjoy the sites along the way.

Denali is also accessible by train. The Alaska Railroad in the summer has daily routes, leaving both Anchorage and Fairbanks on the Denali Star Train. Private Motorcoaches are also available through various tour companies. Cruise companies provide excursions to Denali for passengers arriving via cruise ship.

Denali National Park is open all year round. Peak season is mid-May through early September.

Denali National Park Entrance Fees

They consider Denali the crown jewel of the Alaskan Park System. Park entrance fees are $20 per vehicle (up to eight passengers) or $15 per person, good for 7 days. There is no entrance station to collect the fee. Instead, they automatically add the fee to your bill when you make shuttle or campground reservations. You can purchase America the Beautiful annual pass. It gets you entrance into all the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands for one year.

NOTE: Annual Passholders are eligible for a refund of the entrance fee (with proper ID), either at the Denali Bus Depot or Riley Creek Mercantile.

Transportation Buses in Denali National Park & Preserve

Most of the Denali Road is only accessible by park buses in the summer (May 20—mid-Sept.). You can only drive the first 15-miles with your RV or car. You will need to consider whether you prefer a knowledgeable guide to lead your tour, or do you want to go it alone? All buses depart from the Denali Bus Depot, which is open from 5 am to 7 pm.

Green (non-narrated) Transit Bus

If you prefer to go it alone without the narration of a knowledgeable park ranger, then this is the bus for you! Unlimited flexibility. Get off where you like, flag down another green bus to continue. This is a true shuttle bus experience, meaning you bring your own food, water, and hiking gear for backpacking into the heart of the wilderness on your own terms. You just ask the driver to stop and disembark. When you have finished your off-trail hike ready to return, just flag down the next green bus.

NOTE: If the bus is full, you will have to wait. This is the biggest disadvantage of traveling the green bus.

I will say that while this is not a tour, the drivers are very knowledgeable and will freely provide excellent narration if you strike up a conversation or ask questions. These buses stop if you spot wildlife along the way, so keep a keen eye and for restroom breaks, I think green shuttles are the best way to see the park if you aren’t camping and just want to spend the day seeing the park interior. Because of the current road closure at mile 43, this bus goes to the East Fork just before the closure. It then turns around, making the return trip. These buses depart every 30-minutes from the visitor center so there are lots of them so no worries.

Note: Denali National Park Visitors Can Expect Major Road Closure to Mile 43 thru 2024. Roughly half of the main road through Denali National Park and Preserve will remain closed as park officials contend with landslide issues.

Free Shuttle Bus

In the summer, there are three free bus lines around the park entrance area to help visitors travel between the visitor’s center and other facilities. They are called the Savage River Shuttle, the Riley Creek Loop Shuttle and the Sled Dog Demonstration Shuttle. The free shuttle marked, “Savage River Shuttle” gives visitors access to the Savage River Campground and Savage River or Mountain Vista Trailheads. The free shuttle marked, “Riley Creek Loop” accesses the Riley Creek Mercantile, Riley Creek Campground, Denali Bus Depot, Horseshoe Lake Trailhead, and the Denali Visitor Center. The Sled Dog Demonstration Shuttle Provides free round-trip shuttle service to the popular sled dog demonstrations from the Denali Visitor Center.

Camper Buses

You may only reserve camper buses in advance for those visitors with campground reservations or a backcountry permit. They mark camper buses with a small tent icon to differentiate them from regular transit buses. Bike riders can use this bus to travel the park as well.

Tan Tour Bus-Narrated Tours

On these narrated tours you cannot disembark even if you spot wildlife. On our tour, much to our pleasure, we were part of the 30% club that got to see Denali. Denali didn’t cannot live up to its promise: the rugged mountain was magnificent. We felt incredibly lucky! We saw moose, caribou, a lynx, a grizzly, and Ptarmigan. You can buy snack food and drinks at the Denali Bus Depot. Book your tickets online and pick them up at the Denali Bus Depot the day before-arrive early!

TIP: Don’t hog a window – take several pictures and then move so others can take photographs too.

• Natural History Tour – (4.5 hours) This tour is excellent for those with limited time in the park. We really enjoyed this tour that turns around at Primrose Ridge, where we got to experience a native presentation. We also got a great view of the mountain at the turnaround.
• Tundra Wilderness Tour – (5.5 hours) takes you as far as the current road ends (MM43). 20-40 minute stopover at East Fork, where you will learn about Adolf Murie and his research in the park during the 1930s & 1940s. A tour of his cabin where he lived while conducting his famous research. Included is a snack and water, however preorders of boxed lunches are available on request.
• Kantishna Experience Tour – (12 hours) – To the end of the road 92-miles and back. You can take lunch at the Kantishna Roadhouse. The bus stops for photo ops and also for restroom breaks. I highly recommend this tour! Currently unavailable because of the road closure.

For 5 days in the fall, the Denali Park Road is only open to public vehicles via a lottery. The September’s Denali Road Lottery is very competitive, but if you are one of the lucky ones, it is unquestionably the trip of a lifetime. Not being offered in 2023.

Recommended Things to do on the Last Frontier

Ride the Buses or Drive the Road

On our first trip (2012) to Denali, we took two different bus tours into the park. The Natural History tour was a short half-day trip that helped us get a general feel for the park. Staying at the Riley Campground gave us early access to all the amenities. We also did the full Kantishna Experience Tour (now called the Denali Experience Tour). The bus takes you the entire 92-miles to the old gold town of Kantishna. Narrated by a National Park Service Interpretive Ranger, we got to experience lots of wildlife (ptarmigans, lynx, moose, bear and caribou) and even got to do some panning for gold. It was a long day (12hrs) but worth every penny. Wonder lake and the Kantishna Roadhouse Lodge just some stops we made.

NOTE: Currently Denali Backcountry Lodge and  Kantishna Roadhouse are the only access to Kantishna/Wonder Lake Area. Only a few guests accepted for these all-Inclusive fly in adventures.

On our second trip in 2021 (Covid year), we entered and received the Road lottery permit driving to the Teklanika River Rest Area (MM 30). The scenery was just as breathtaking as we remembered. We saw grizzly bear, moose, and Dall sheep. Sadley on this trip the mountain did not show itself.

Stop in at one of the Visitor Centers

• Denali Visitor Center- The park has a beautiful visitor’s center with a small museum and a theater. Watch the award-winning park film. Knowledgeable rangers can give you trail maps and advice. Take a ranger-led walking tour. Junior Ranger books and passport stamps are available.
• Eielson Visitor Center (MM66) – park rangers at the information desk can answer your questions. Interesting exhibits. The 3-dimensional map detailing the mountain climbing routes intrigued me. I just love maps. The intertwined moose antlers have a fascinating story to tell. Outside is a nice patio area for viewing the mountain and the surroundings. We took the Eielson Alpine Trail; it is steep and feels a lot longer than 0.8-miles. Beautiful spring wildflowers lined the trail. The 360-degree views from the top are stunning, hard to put into words. Another hiker told us that in the fall, this area has phenomenal blueberries. Currently Closed due to the landslide.

Discover the Murie Science and Learning Center

In the winter, this serves as the visitor center. It’s open from 9:30 am to 5 pm from mid-September to mid-May. The center’s ultimate goal is to increase research, education, and science-related learning via multiple non-profit organizations. As a teacher, I have often used the podcast story on natural history with my students.

A Visitor Favorite the Boisterous Denali Sled Dog Kennels

Be sure to make a trip to see the free demonstration at the Denali Sled Dog Kennels. The Parks Kennel is open to visitors year round from 8 am to 5 pm. The kennels can be accessed either by car, the free park shuttle leaving the visitor center, or by hiking either the Denali Roadside or Rock Creek Trails. We arrived just as the dogs were being led out for the ride around on the wheeled vehicle. They were yelping and barking up a storm. These dogs love to mush. The ranger told the history and how they are pretty much the only means of transportation for the rangers during the winter. The highlight is being able to meet the dogs and puppies after the demo. They are absolutely adorable!!

Where the Adventures Never Stops – Hiking Trails In Denali

 Looking for a great trail in Denali National Park, there are breathtaking views and vistas, truly incredible. There are many trail options for day hikers.

NOTE: Dress in layers so you are prepared for weather changes.

Bring sunscreen, water, binoculars and, of course, your camera. The park is a wilderness area with plenty of grizzly bears, so consider taking bear spray. Drinking fountains and water bottle refilling stations are at the Murie Science and Learning Center, the Denali Visitor Center, and at the Denali Bus Depot. Trail Map Download.

Just a few of our Favorite Trails

• Horseshoe Lake Trail – (2.1 mile-loop) Near the visitor center has a steep descent, but the trail flattens along the shore of beautiful Horseshoe Lake with excellent views of the Nenana River. It was outstanding we got to see a beaver drag a log across the trail. Another beaver swam across the lake to the beaver dam. A short, easy hike for all skill levels. Combined this with the Tiaga Loop Trail.
• Savage River Loop Trail – (2.1 mile-loop) essentially all flat and well-maintained. The loop trail goes up one side of the river, crosses the river via a footbridge, and comes back to the other side of the river.
• Teklanika Trail (5-mile-loop)- Known as Toch’edha Nik’a in the Lower Tanana dialect, meaning “Water Amulet River.” This trail basically follows the braided glacier-fed and silt-filled river. You can walk in either direction through the wide gravel river bed as far as you want before returning to the road. The expansive views of the tundra. Make noise on the trail to avoid startling a bear.  

Explore the Last Frontier on a Discovery Hike

Denali National Park offers a variety of hiking opportunities for visitors to explore the park’s natural beauty and wildlife. One of the most popular options is the Denali Discovery Hikes, which are guided hikes that provide visitors with an up-close and personal experience of the park’s backcountry wilderness. You may sign up for a hike one to two days in advance, and you can only sign up in person at the Denali Visitor Center. No morning sign ups as these start 8 am before the visitor center is open. The hike is free, however if the bus goes beyond mile-15 you will need to pay the bus fare.

An experienced and knowledgeable guide provides insights into the park’s ecology, geology, and wildlife. The “off trail” hike ranges from moderate to challenging and covers a variety of terrain, from tundra, river crossings to forests. These hikes can last anywhere from a few hours to a full day (10 hrs). Disco Hike’s require being prepared for any conditions, including getting your feet wet, and climbing in elevation. Remember, this requires a bit of preperation beforehand.

Denali National Park & Preserve 6-Campgrounds

Campground Information & Rules

• Reserve far in advance – https://www.reservedenali.com/
• You MUST check-in for all the campgrounds is at the Riley Creek Mercantile or the Denali Bus Depot. 
•  If you are staying in the Teklanika campground, purchase the TEK-Pass-$40 flat-rate access to green park buses.
• There are no RV hookups in the park campgrounds.
• Operation of generators is from 8 am to 10 am, and 4 pm to 8 pm. Quiet hours are between 10 pm and 6 am.
• The Riley Creek Mercantile has the only showers ($4.50) dump station and laundry ($4.00). 
• Campgrounds in the backcountry require that you drive to your site and park your RV/car for the duration of your stay. Must use the park shuttles to traverse the park road further into the park (you cannot go east towards the front entrance).
• You must take everything you need for the duration of your stay for campgrounds beyond Savage River.

Riley Creek Campground (MM 0.4)

It was mid-day when we arrived at Denali National Park & Preserve. The Park Road leads 0.3-miles west to Riley Creek Mercantile and Riley Creek Campground. This is the main front-country campground in the park and is always full during peak season. Make reservations for months in advance. Luckily, I am a planner.

The campsites lie within dense moss carpeted boreal forest, giving the illusion of privacy. Many are within walking distance of the showers and the visitor center. However, you are free to use the Riley Campground Loop shuttle. The campground is located close to Denali Park Village for easy access to restaurants, excursions, and groceries.

We made a small fire to keep the mosquitoes away while we set up camp. This was the only place on our trip we had an issue with the mosquitoes. Tomorrow we are looking forward to the Denali Natural History Tour in the Park and the Kantishna Experience Tour is our last day in the park.

Other Campgrounds In the Park

• Savage River Campground (MM 12.8) – 32 sites- Flush Toilets. Close to good hiking trails. They spread campsites out-very private. Attend a ranger program in the evening.
• Sanctuary River Campground (MM 22.6) – 6 sites – For tent campers only on a first-come, first-serve basis. Nestled beside the Sanctuary River.
• Teklanika Campground (MM 29.1) – 53 sites- This is a fairly wooded campground. You can see your neighbors, but there are plenty of trees and vegetation around to make you feel you’re secluded. The minimum stay is 3 days for RVs.
• Igloo Creek Campground (MM 34) – 7 sites-No potable water-tent only. On the eponymous creek, in the valley between Cathedral and Igloo mountain.
• Wonder Lake Campground (MM 85.9) –  28 tent-only sites. On the shores of the lake, the mosquitoes can be ferocious, bring lots of bug spray or head-net!

Final Thoughts on Denali National Park

John Muir, America’s most famous naturalist, and conservationist said it best. For those that desire solitude, you’ll find it in Denali. Visiting Denali National Park was definitely one highlight of our Alaskan vacation. If you enjoy visiting national parks, love scenery, and nature or are a hiking enthusiast, then you must put Denali National Park on your Alaskan To-Do List!

Have you taken a Denali National Park tour? Do you have any helpful tips to SHARE? What else should people know before visiting Denali National Park and Preserve?