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Denali National Park and Preserve surrounds Mt. McKinley (the largest mountain in North America) with over 5 million acres of wilderness. The Park is a natural home for dozens of wildlife species including Dall Sheep, Grizzly Bear, Black Bear, Wolf, Fox, Beaver, Moose, and Caribou.
The Park is located 120 miles south of Fairbanks and 240 miles north of Anchorage, Alaska on the George Parks Highway. There are very few towns or facilities between these two major cities, and therefore, the Park area is somewhat isolated.
Lodges, restaurants, gift shops, gas stations, convenience stores, and various other visitor-related services can be found spread out within a few miles of the Park entrance road. But with 5,000 visitors and 1,000 employees in the Park area each day, accommodations can at times be scarce so it's best to make reservations early.
Local activities include hiking and camping in and around the Park, wildlife
viewing, photography, river rafting, and the Park Service shuttle bus tours. The Denali
National Park and Preserve Web Site has all the latest information on in-park happenings. Go
to their website at www.nps.gov/dena/.
Temperatures can range from the mid 20's in early May and September to 85 degrees in July. Normal temperatures are in the high 60's with nights cooling off to between 40 and 50 degrees. It can rain a fair amount, and you may need to adjust clothing several times a day as the weather in the mountains changes frequently. Layered clothing is recommended. It will be daylight 24 hours a day throughout May, June, and the first half of July. By early September it gets dark by 8PM with sunrise around 6AM.
Medical care is available at the Healy Clinic 10 miles to the North. Emergency care is provided in Fairbanks via ambulance or Air Evac in extreme instances. There are many doctors and a hospital in Fairbanks.
THE FOLLOWING IS OFF THE PARKS WEBSITE
Denali National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Denali National Park and Preserve
The bus transportation and reservation systems in Denali National Park and Preserve are operated and managed by Doyon/ARAMARK Joint Venture, as an authorized concessioner of the National Park Service.
FOR RESERVATIONS: 800-622-7275 (Nationwide) 907-272-7275 (International) 907-264-4684 (Fax must be received no less than 2 days before travel).
Online reservations: www.reservedenali.com
Mailing Address: Doyon/ARAMARK Joint Venture 241 West Ship Creek Avenue Anchorage, Alaska 99501 (Must be received 30 days prior to travel date).
Hours for Phone Reservations: 7am-5pm
Payment Methods: Credit Card (VISA, AMEX, Mastercard, or Discover), Check or Money Order
For additional information, call or write the Superindendent at:
Denali National Park & Preserve P.O. Box 9 Denali Park, AK 99755
Office: (907) 683-2294 Fax: (907) 683-9612 E-mail: denali_info@nps.gov
BUS SERVICES
Shuttle Buses (VTS): The shuttle bus system (green buses) is designed to provide access to visitors wishing to view remote areas of the park, access a campground or disembark and go for a hike. Shuttle buses provide access to Toklat (6 hrs round trip), Fish Creek Turnaround (8 hrs. round trip), Wonder Lake (11 hrs round trip), and Kantishna (12 hrs roundtrip). Trips on the shuttle bus are informal. The drivers will assist you in spotting wildlife along the road and answer questions. It is important to bring along beverages and food, as none will be available once your trip begins.
Tour Buses: Two types of tours (tan buses) are available for those visitors desiring a formal, narrated interpretive tour of the park. The Tundra Wilderness Tour (TWT) is a 6-8 hour, narrated interpretive experience. Usually departing from area hotels on the east end, the tour may turn around at Toklat (Mile 53). A box lunch, hot beverages, and tour booklet are provided. During the shoulder seasons, a shortened version of the TWT to Teklanika (Mile 30) is offered. The Denali Natural History Tour (DNHT) is a 4½ -5 hour, fully narrated tour that departs from the east end of the park and area hotels, and travels to Primrose Ridge (Mile 17). This tour makes several stops for cultural and interpretive programs. A snack, beverages, and a tour booklet are included in this tour.
Rest Stops: Spaced along the park road at approximately 1 to 1 ½ hour intervals.
Entrance Area: The Riley Creek Loop bus provides free service running every ½ hour between the following stops: Riley Creek Campground, Riley Creek Mercantile, Wilderness Access Center, front country trailheads, the Murie Science and Learning Center, and the Denali Visitor Center complex. Check bus stops for departure times.
The Savage River Shuttle provides free service from the Wilderness Access Center to the Savage River Bridge (Mile 15) from 9am to 9pm during the summer. Check at the Wilderness Access Center for schedule and pickup locations. Free service is also provided from the Denali Visitor Center Bus Stop to the sled dog demonstrations at park headquarters. Be ready to board 40 minutes prior to scheduled demonstration time.
CAMPGROUNDS
There are six campgrounds within Denali National Park & Preserve. Of these, the four largest are available for advance reservations: Riley Creek, Savage River, Teklanika, and Wonder Lake. Sanctuary and Igloo Creek are only available on a walk-in basis at the Wilderness Access Center, two days in advance.
Note: Due to wildlife activity, tent camping is not permitted at Teklanika; and Igloo Campground will be closed this season.
Quiet Hours: 10pm to 6am. Generators may only be operated from 8am to 10am and from 4pm to 8pm.
TO MAKE RESERVATIONS: Fax, mail-in, and online service begin on Dec. 1, 2005. Fax forms are available on the NPS website. A maximum of 8 seats may be requested per reservation, and individual names and ages are required as age discounts may apply. Include alternate dates and times when possible.
A fax help line is available M-F, 8am to 12pm, from Dec. 1, 2005 through Feb. 14, 2006: 800-622-7275. Reservations cannot be made via the Help Line.
Reservation phone lines open on Feb. 15, 2006: 800-622-7275 from anywhere in the US or 907-272-7275 locally or outside the US. Tickets can be purchased by phone up until the day before your bus trip. Shuttle bus tickets are also available, by walk-in, at the Wilderness Access Center (at the Park), beginning two days before the travel date. See sidebar for mail-in, online addresses, and phone and fax numbers.
Fares and General Information
SHUTTLE BUSES (Green Buses)
Toklat Mile (Mile 53/6 hrs), Adult (Age 18 and over): $19.00, Young Adult (Ages 15-17) $9.50
Fish Creek (Mile 62/8 hrs), Adult: $24.25, Young Adult: $12.00
Wonder Lake (Mile 86/11hrs), Adult: $33.25, Young Adult $16.50
Kantishna (Mile 91/12 hrs), Adult: $36.25, Young Adult: $18.00
Ages 14 and under: Free
TOUR BUSES (Tan Buses)
Denali Natural History Tour (4 1/2 - 5 hrs, to Mile 17 to a Mt. McKinley viewpoint), Adult (Age 15 and over): $52.05, Children (Age 14 and under) $25.75
Tundra Wilderness Tour (7 hrs, to Mile 55), Adult: $83.75, Children: $42.00
TWT: Teklinika (4 - 6 hrs, to Mile 30), Adult: $56.25, Children: $28.25
Entrance Fees: Please include an entrance fee of $10.00 per individual or $20.00 per family when mailing or faxing reservation requests.
Refund Policy – VTS & Campgrounds: There is a $4.00 cancellation fee for each bus seat and/or campground site. This fee will also apply to any changes made to existing reservations, but will not apply to cancellations of reservations for children 14 and under. Cancellations must be made prior to 5pm for campgrounds and 2 hours prior to the departure of a VTS bus.
Refund Policy – Tours: Cancellations may be made up to seven (7) days prior to scheduled bus departure date in order to receive a refund. Cancellation fees may apply. There will be no refund if cancellation occurs within seven days of scheduled departure.
Wildlife: Please remember to talk softly and avoid leaning out of the windows when viewing wildlife from the bus. Do not feed the birds and animals or leave scraps of food where animals can get them.
What To Bring: Weather and temperatures are always unpredictable. It is always good to bring warm clothing and raingear. Binoculars are recommended for wildlife viewing.
Shuttle System Specifics: In order to make the best use of the system, visitors should be aware of the following points:
• Reservations are required for all west-bound boardings except as noted below.
• Passengers may get off along the park road and re-board later buses (west of mile 20) on a space available basis with a ticket valid for that day.
• Visitors with current backcountry permits may board buses west of mile 20 on a space available basis with a camper pass
• Visitors may board eastbound on a space available basis. Please keep your ticket stub for the driver’s inspection.
• Expect up to a one hour wait before reboarding buses along the park road.
• The Teklanika pass is for campers staying at the Teklanika campground only. It is good for confirmed space on the first complete day of the visitor’s stay, and space available thereafter.
• Food and beverages are not provided on the shuttle buses and are not available for purchase once aboard the bus. Bring enough food and beverages for the whole day. |
Life at Denali National Park, Alaska