Denali National Park: What to Know Before You Go

Are you planning a trip to Denali National Park in Alaska?  Before you go, check out our tips for the best ways to travel to and experience Denali.

This post was written and photographed by Jesse Smith.

Have you been dreaming of going to one of America’s greatest national parks? 

If you’re like me, you’ve had the desire to visit Alaska for a long time, and you especially want to see this iconic park.

If the highest peaks, raging rivers, gorgeous wildflowers, abundant grizzlies, foxes basking in the sun, and reindeer eyeing you from the ridges all sound like an adventure to you– then this park is something you must experience!

Starting to plan your trip? Check out Champagne Tastes’ recommended gear for Denali National Park!

Can I Drive to Denali?

Yes, but– are you already packing your bags?

Slow down!

Before you pack your car and hit the road, there are a few things you really need to know! 

For instance, just the drive from Seattle, Washington to Denali National Park and Preserve is a little over 2,250 miles (3,621.02 km)!

Granted, that may be one epic road trip, but for most people, the long drive is not going to be an option. 

How Can I Fly To Denali?

For most travelers, I recommend flying.

Flying into Anchorage, Alaska is the most popular choice. Just keep in mind that once you land in Anchorage, it’s still a 4-hour car ride to Denali!

Another option is to fly to Fairbanks, Alaska and drive two hours to Denali.

Getting from Anchorage to Denali National Park

Yes, Alaska is a huge and remote state, but once you land in Anchorage, there are actually several ways to get to Denali National Park.  

1. Rent a car or van
2. Take a bus
3. Take a scenic train
4. Book a chartered flight
5. Hitchhike

I don’t recommend the last option, but we saw our fair share of hitchhikers on the road. 

Keep in mind that some of these options are quite expensive (especially the chartered flight!).

We found that most car rentals were around $100 dollars a day. 

Fortunately for us, we had a friend who let us borrow their mom’s van.

And mom’s van was epic!

Love the National Parks? Check out our guides to Hiking the Grand Canyon, Backpacking in Yosemite, Hiking Arches National Park, the Badlands, Saguaro, and Yellowstone!

Planning a Trip to Denali National Park

Now that you have a basic idea of how to get to the park, what do you do when you get there? 

First, you need to decide what you want from this park. 

Are you an avid backpacker or do you take a more casual approach to camping?

This first big thing to know about Denali is that it is a trail-less park. Yes, that’s right, it’s a wild and rugged trail-less park with the exception of a couple of nature trails near the visitor centers. 

Denali National Park and Preserve’s focus– aside from Denali, the highest mountain in North America– is preservation. 

Part of preserving the park means limiting how the park will be impacted by visitors. 

And that means limiting our footprints. 

Trails mean footprints.  Lots and lots of footprints.

The park and preserve encompass 6,045,153 acres.

That’s larger than the state of New Hampshire. 

Denali’s landscape is an epic mix of forest at the lower elevations and tundra and glaciers, snow, and exposed rock at the higher elevations (even during the summer).

So how do you plan a trip to a park of this caliber? 

With LOTS of research.

Do I Need a Park Map?

Yes, absolutely.

Order a good map (or even several maps).  We used this National Geographic map of Denali.

For a park this size having a good map is extremely important. You will need it in front of you both to start planning your trip and once you are in the park.

If you plan on backpacking in the park, stay tuned for my next post with more information on how to do that.  Plus, it will have ideas on where to trek once in the park. 

Travel by Bus in Denali National Park

Denali works differently from a lot of other national parks in the United States.

The park is only accessible by car for the first few miles. 

This is where you’ll find the park amenities such as the visitor information center, train/bus stations, a campground, and even a storage facility for luggage.

The main park road is 92 miles (148.06 km) long with only the first 15 paved and accessible by car.  

From there, to get further into the park, you have to buy a transit bus pass. This bus takes you down the only road that runs the length park and back.

The bus ride may be very long but, in reality, is the best way to see the park. We saw most of our animal sightings from our window. 

On the bus, when someone saw a bear or any other animal, they would shout out to the driver, who would then stop for a few minutes so that everyone could take a look.

Make sure to bring travel-sized binoculars. You will regret it if you don’t!

Denali Travel Tip: The transit buses (and a lot of other park amenities) are only available in the summer from May 20 to mid-September.

This bus will drop you off wherever you please for you to begin your adventure.  Or you can simply ride it the length of the road and back.

Now that you have a basic idea of what to expect, it’s time to plan your trip! 

Remember, it’s a wild park, so stay safe out there!

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Jesse Smith

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Jesse Smith was born in St Louis, MO and is a traveler, nomad, and creator. He has a mustache. Jesse is married to the most wonderful woman on the planet. They are learning Chinese and living the best life ever.

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• Denali National Park: What to Know Before You Go - October 7, 2019