Denali National Park & Preserve

It's more than a mountain. Denali National Park & Preserve features North America's highest mountain, 20,320-foot tall Mount McKinley. The Alaska Range also includes countless other spectacular mountains and many large glaciers. Denali's more than 6 million acres also encompass a complete sub-arctic eco-system with large mammals such as grizzly bears, wolves, Dall sheep, and moose.

The park was established as Mt. McKinley National Park on Feb. 26, 1917. The original park was designated a wilderness area and incorporated into Denali National Park and Preserve in 1980. The Park was designated an international biosphere reserve in 1976.

Today the park accommodates a wide variety of visitor use including wildlife viewing, mountaineering, and backpacking. It continues to provide a laboratory for research in the natural sciences.

Superintendent's Office
P.O. Box 9
Denali Park, AK 99755
907-683-2294 - Headquarters

By Plane
Air travel to either Anchorage or Fairbanks and then car/shuttle/train to Denali.
Anchorage is 240 miles to the south and Fairbanks is 125 miles to the north of the park.

By Car
Denali Park's headquarters is located along Alaska Route 3, the George Parks Highway, approximately 240 miles north of Anchorage, AK, 125 miles south of Fairbanks, AK, and 12 miles south of Healy, AK. Denali Park's mountaineering headquarters is located in Talkeetna, AK, approximately 100 miles north of Anchorage, AK.

By Plane
Denali is accessible by car or via the Alaska Railroad from either Anchorage or Fairbanks. In summer a variety of private bus and van services and the railroad operate daily from Anchorage and Fairbanks. If you are flying your own airplane to Denali visit our "Flight Site" at www.nps.gov/dena/aviation

Getting Around
The Denali Park Road is accessible by private vehicle for 14.8 miles to the Savage River bridge. To travel to destinations farther into the park, including Eielson Visitor Center, shuttle and tour bus services are available. Bicycles are permitted along the Park Road.

Summers are generally cool and damp with average high temperatures in the mid-60s. Winters are extremely cold with temperatures falling to -40F and below. Layers of clothing, including good rain gear and hiking boots are recommended for summer. Specialized cold-weather gear is necessary for mountaineering and winter visits.

Here are some of the activities that are offered at Mount Rainier National Park.

• Auto Touring
• Biking
• Camping
• Climbing
• Educational Programs
• Hiking
• Wilderness Area
• Wildlife Viewing
• Snow Skiing
• Backpacking
• Mountaineering
• Nature Walks
• Stargazing
• Cross Country Skiing
• Dogmushing
• Snowshoeing
• Snowmobiling

Recommended Activities

Touring the Park Road by bus, attending ranger-naturalist programs, mountaineering (advanced registration required), day hiking, backcountry camping (permit required), skiing and dog mushing (winter only).

Click on image to enlarge.