Denali National Park services
AccommodationsToursTransportation
DENALI -- "Bear! Bear!" a man shouted to the bus driver.
We had been instructed to call out when we saw wildlife so the tour could stop for a closer look. Passengers aimed cameras, focused binoculars and leaned to the left side of the tour bus as it pulled to a halt.
The grizzly bear ambled up the side of the hill toward the road.
"He's coming toward us," another passenger said in an audible whisper. A thrilled hush fell over the group and everyone shuffled and leaned to get a good look.
The bear walked right up to the bus, crossed the road and continued up the hill on the other side. Cameras clicked, film rolled and passengers stared. When the massive animal was out of sight, the Tundra Wilderness Tour moved ahead on the sole road winding through Denali National Park.
One woman had traveled from Australia to experience the majesty of Denali National Park's tundra-topped landscape, to get a glimpse at the elusive Mount McKinley on a clear day and to see grizzly bears, moose and Dall sheep. Others had come from Michigan, Alabama, Illinois and Canada. Even some of the park staff had moved from afar to make a life of work here.
Mount McKinley is better known in Alaska as Denali, meaning "the high one" in an Athabascan language. It is the tallest mountain in North America, reaching 20,320 feet above sea level. The park and preserve is much more than a mountain -- it spans 9,492 square miles and attracts nearly half a million visitors each year.
Denali National Park and Preserve was established in 1917 to protect wildlife living along the slopes and in the valleys of the Alaska Range. In 1980, Congress tripled the size of the park. Most travelers come to see wildlife and experience undeveloped wilderness. Wildlife sightings cannot be guaranteed, but the more time spent in the park, the better the chances.
Private vehicles cannot go more than 15 miles into the park, so a bus is the most popular way to see the inner landscapes of Alaska's most famous park and the most likely way to spot wildlife.
A ranger who introduced himself as Ranger Warren greeted our tour group with a bit of advice.
"Keep your eyes and ears open and your hearts and minds open," he said. "You never know how this park will affect you. This is your national park."
Common large-mammal sightings include grizzly and black bears, wolves, caribou, moose and Dall sheep. Small mammals commonly seen are ground squirrels, red squirrels, foxes and marmots. Bird enthusiasts can hope to spot golden eagles and, rarely, bald eagles.
Bus passengers have the advantage of a group of eyes to scan different directions for wildlife and an experienced tour guide or bus driver to navigate the Park Road and explain the ecology and habitat. Tour guides and bus drivers are trained to be experts on Denali's wildlife and history. Guides must pass a rigorous training program that equips them to tell stories for hours and give educated answers to visitor questions.
"Spend as much time as you can -- that's the best way to see Denali," driver and guide Bill Watkins said. "Go for hikes. Get on -- and off -- the bus to really experience Denali."
Several hiking trails near the park entrance connect the Visitor Center to Riley Creek Campground, sled dog kennels and the Wilderness Access Center. Most of the trails in Denali are easy to moderate in difficulty level. Short hikes guided by park rangers depart from the Visitor Center.
During the summer, nearly 2,500 people enter the Visitor Center each day. Inside, a film, "The Heartbeats of Denali," plays several times daily. A 3-D topographical map gives travelers a look at the park's massive scale. Exhibits on wildlife, tundra and the history of the park provide perspective on Denali's rich history.
Park Ranger Jim LeBel works a shift at the front desk of the Visitors Center fielding questions and passing out information. Visitors want to know how to best experience the park; they are full of inquiries.
"A lot of logistical questions," he said. "We try to encourage them to get on the buses because that's the best -- it's the most reliable way to see the landscape beyond the Savage River."
LeBel came to work at Denali National Park eight years ago from Chicago. He started in the bookstore and is now a park ranger. He said the attraction to Denali was simple.
"It's a different type of wilderness than there is in the Lower 48," he said. "It's left untouched." n
Denali visitors can choose between shuttle buses and tour buses. Both look like renovated school buses painted green and tan, respectively. Inside you'll find overhead compartments and more comfortable seats than the typical bus bench seat.
Shuttle bus
Green shuttle buses offer a way to reach several points along the entire Park Road including campsites, Wonder Lake and Kantishna, the old gold mining town that marks the end of the road. Unlike fully narrated guided tours, the shuttles are for more independent travel and discovery of the park. However, the drivers are highly educated about Denali and provide basic park and safety information, assist in spotting wildlife and answer questions.
Camper bus
Camper buses are part of the shuttle system, providing transportation to campgrounds and backcountry units. These buses have extra room for packs and bicycles and may only be used by those with reserved campsites or backcountry permits.
Tour bus
Three different fully narrated tours are run by Denali's concessionaire Donovan/ARAMARK.
Denali Natural History Tour
The Denali Natural History tour focuses more heavily on education and the park's past than the other tours. It is 4 1/2 to five hours and culminates at Primrose Ridge, Mile 17 of the Park Road. It's better for those with limited time at Denali but only goes a short way into the park and provides limited wildlife viewing opportunities. A snack and hot beverages are provided.
Tundra Wilderness Tour
The most popular, the Tundra Wilderness Tour runs between seven and eight hours depending upon how long wildlife viewing opportunities last. It's an odd kind of role reversal in which the passengers sit in the safety of the bus, watching the wildlife roam free. The tour, given by a certified naturalist, goes at least as far as the Toklat River, Mile 53 of the Park Road, providing extensive wildlife viewing and photo opportunities.
Tundra Wilderness tour buses have been upgraded with drop-down video screens connected to a camera that the driver can zoom in on wildlife for better viewing. When spotting wildlife, the tour guide stops the bus and zooms in on the Dall sheep, grizzly bears, moose and many other animals commonly seen in the park. A snack and hot beverages are provided.
Kantishna Experience
The Kantishna Experience goes all the way to the old gold mining town of Kantishna at the end of the 90-mile Park Road. This is an 11- to 12-hour tour.
Led by a certified interpretive guide and a National Park Service interpretive ranger, tour members spend time in Kantishna learning about the town's interesting history and role in Interior Alaska. The tour includes a lunch, snack and beverages.
Bus Tickets
WHERE: Shuttles from Wilderness Access area. Bus tours also pick up at area hotels.
WHEN: May-September
COST: Shuttles range from $24.70 to $31.45 and tours range from $62.10 to $155.
PHONE: 800-622-7275, 272-7275
WEB: nps.gov/dena
DENALI HIGHLIGHTS
Denali ATV Tours
Four different Denali area and Stampede Trail ATV tours with live narrations through your helmet.
WHERE: Mile 238.6 Parks Highway
WHEN: Summer season
COST: Varies, starting at $95 for drivers and $55 for passengers
PHONE: 907-683-4288
WEB: denaliatv.com
Denali National Park Visitor Center
The center has general information, ranger-guided walks, interpretive programs and the park film "Heartbeats of Denali."
WHERE: Park Road entrance area
WHEN: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, May-September
COST: Free
PHONE: 683-9617
WEB: nps.gov/dena
Denali Wilderness Access Center
The center is the headquarters for bus tickets and campground permits. All shuttle buses depart here. The film "Across Time and Tundra" is shown.
WHERE: Park Road entrance area
WHEN: 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, May-September
COST: Free
PHONE: 907-683-9617
WEB: nps.gov/dena
Murie Science and Learning Center
Featuring an exhibit area, classroom and office space for visiting scientists, it is a hub for educational activities during the summer season. It also serves as Denali's winter visitors center from late September through mid-May.
WHERE: Park Road entrance area
WHEN: 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily May-September and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily during the summer, except major holidays
COST: Free; educational programs vary
PHONE: 907-683-9617
WEB: murieslc.org
Denali Park Resorts
In addition to rooms at four hotels, Denali Park Resorts offers a variety of tours, white-water rafting and dinner theater. The Alaska Cabin Nite Dinner Theater is at the McKinley Chalet resort. The dinner theater includes a show with stories and music about the Gold Rush. There are two nightly.
WHERE: Denali Park area
WHEN: Daily during summer season
COST: Varies
PHONE: 800-276-7234; 907-276-7234
WEB: denaliparkresorts.com
Denali Saddle Safaris
Enjoy the majesty of Denali from horseback. Guided rides range from an hour to multi-day excursions. Lunch is included in longer day rides. Wildlife viewing opportunities abound.
WHERE: Mile 4 Stampede Road, Healy
WHEN: Daily, summer season
COST: Starts at $55
PHONE: 683-1200
WEB: farthernorth.com/denalisaddlesafaris
Denali Sightseeing Safaris
Take an off-road, four-wheel-drive trip into Denali National Park aboard specially outfitted trucks. The six- to seven-hour trip follows an old mining road in the Dunkle Hills area along the park's southern boundary. There are several river crossings and opportunities for hiking and wildlife viewing.
WHERE: Mile 188.5 Parks Highway
WHEN: June 10 to Sept. 15
PHONE: 907-240-0537
COST: $160 adults, $80 children 12 and younger
WEB: denalisights.com
Husky Homestead Tours
Visit four-time Iditarod champion Jeff King's Husky Homestead. Trips include visits with puppies, a glimpse of summer training and a 1 1/2-hour narrated tour.
WHERE: Eight miles from Denali National Park entrance
WHEN: Three tours daily
COST: $49 adult, $29 children 12 and younger
PHONE: 907-683-2904
WEB: huskyhomestead.com
Denali Raft Adventures, Inc.
Denali Raft has two-hour, four-hour and full-day trips on mild water and white water. Daily departures with paddling and just riding.
WHEN: Mid-May through mid-September
WHERE: Mile 238.6 Parks Highway
COST: Varies; trips start at $84
PHONE: 888-683-2234, 907-683-2234
WEB: denaliraft.com
Denali Outdoor Center
The center has two locations in the Denali area and offers rafting, kayaking and mountain biking adventures. Activities include two-hour, four-hour and half-day white-water and scenic river trips. Mountain bike tours and rentals are available. Campground and cabin rentals are available at Otto Lake in Healy, with kayak and canoe rentals.
WHERE: Mile 240 Parks Highway, Denali; Mile 1/2 Otto Lake Road, Healy
WHEN: Summer season
COST: Varies
PHONE: 888-303-1925, 907-683-1925
WEB: denalioutdoorcenter.com
Nenana Raft Adventures
Nenana offers a variety of raft trips suitable for children as young as 5 and Class IV white-water trips on which visitors can sit back and enjoy the scenery or paddle.
WHERE: Mile 238 Parks Highway
WHEN: Summer season
COST: Varies
PHONE: 800-789-7238, 907-683-7238
WEB: alaskaraft.com
