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MARGARET BAUMAN / Associated Press archive
Visitors to the new Eielson Visitor Center observe Mount McKinley from the center in Denali National Park. The center opened in summer 2008. At 20,320 feet, Mount McKinley is North America's tallest peak.

To-do list

Kris Fister's Top 5 "Things to Do" in and around Denali National Park:

1. Take the bus shuttle along the park road but be sure to get off for a day hike instead of just riding out and back.

2. Sign up for a ranger-led hike in the front country -- a great way to learn more about the area's natural history, especially for those less comfortable hiking alone.

3. Attend a sled dog demonstration at park headquarters -- "We're the only park with a working dog team, so that's very unique," she said.

4. Take a white-water rafting trip on the Nenana River.

5. If you have time, sign up for one of Murie Science and Learning Center's educational seminars, from one day to a weekend long. (www.murieslc.org)

Editor's Picks

• Get some info: Enjoy the Denali Visitors Center at the park entrance. It's packed with information. Stop by to get a preview of what you'll see in the park.

• Get on the bus: To really experience Denali National Park, you have to get deep inside it. The best way to do that is on a tour or shuttle bus. Expect a several-hour trip; seeing this magnificent part of Alaska is why you're here. Sit back and enjoy ... and keep your eyes open for animals. If you use the shuttle bus, you can get off and on at different points.

• Get wet: Several companies will take you for a white-water rafting trip on the Nenana River. It's an adrenaline rush you won't forget; they provide dry suits so the chilly water won't be too much to handle.

• Get in the air: If you haven't seen Mount McKinley from the air from another location, go on a flightseeing tour -- from a plane or helicopter.

• Get into mushing: Watch a dog sled demonstration in the park or with Iditarod musher Jeff King.

I saw it before I heard it, far down the river bar and headed our way. Its head lolled back and forth with each deliberate step it took. Its caramel-colored fur rippled as it walked.

Following the advice we'd heard from the instructional video Denali National Park trekkers are required to see before heading into the backcountry, my hiking partner and I put on our backpacks to appear larger, stood shoulder to shoulder and waited to face the bear.

Most visitors to this breathtaking national park and preserve will never see a bear this close -- and that's a good thing. These wild animals are meant to roam free of human interaction and remain unaccustomed to our smells and habits.

But for me, that first visit to Denali National Park and Preserve will always remain the most vivid. I've been there countless times since -- as a hiker, naturalist program participant, cyclist on the road. But that August day 13 years ago remains etched in my mind.

Luckily for us, the bear was only curious. It continued toward our spot on a braided section of the Teklanika River, far into the backcountry.

We stood our ground -- never run from a grizzly, experts agree, because it will only make them chase. It stopped within a breath-stopping four feet of us and sniffed around, walking in a circle around us.

Then it wandered away, disappearing among the alders and bushes of the riverbank and leaving us quaking in our hiking boots.

That's Denali National Park for you. While a close encounter with a bear is not likely to happen, there are countless other ways this place will take your breath away.

Ride one of the park buses across Polychrome Pass and be wowed by the rainbow of colors washing the landscape. Gaze at Mount McKinley on a clear day and feel dwarfed by its grandeur. Watch a moose feed at Wonder Lake or a pack of wolf pups frolic on a hillside and be awed by their beauty.

"For me (Denali National Park) is a combination of spectacular scenery, no matter what the clouds or the weather situation is, and an abundance of wildlife," said park spokeswoman Kris Fister. "I'm always amazed at what wildlife can be seen from the road. We're in this protected ecosystem, yet we can see wildlife from pretty close-up. Some days it's slower than others, but from the big stuff to the little stuff, the opportunity is amazing."

Established in 1917, first as Mount McKinley National Park, Denali National Park and Preserve remains one of Alaska's most popular and highly visited regions. At 6 million acres, it's often compared with Massachusetts in size, but that's where the similarities end.

It's a wild land, with glaciers, mountains (North America's tallest, Mount McKinley, at 20,320 feet, is a dominating feature), rivers and endless wildlife. From brown bears and moose to wolves and caribou, there is always something to see.

"Because the park road offers this wonderful access, there is so much to see," Fister said. "I like the area between Igloo (Creek) and the Cathedral and Sable Pass areas. I like the Plains of Murie -- I go out there a lot for day hikes. And anywhere between Toklat (River) and Eielson (Visitor Center) is nice. I like the higher elevations."

Finding things to do is not hard either. Park rangers lead hikes and natural history programs regularly. There is a daily sled dog demonstration at park headquarters, and plenty of activities available through the Murie Science and Learning Center.

Fister said the sled dog demonstration is one of the most popular events, attracting roughly 42,000 visitors in 2007, the most recent data available. Overall Denali received 432,000 visitors in 2008, down slightly from the 458,000 who came in 2007. There were fewer independent travelers, she said, although those visiting by bus shuttle seemed to remain steady.

Also popular in Denali are hiking trails closer to the park entrance, or opportunities for serious backcountry trekking. Numbered units, each of which can accommodate a limited number of backpackers at a time, divide the less-explored area of Denali's backcountry. It's a management tool, Fister said, that allows Denali's wildlife to remain free of too much human interaction. The trails closer to the park entrance, however, are open for hiking anytime.

Cycling too is becoming evermore popular, and many prefer to see the whole park this way, riding its 90 miles from the park entrance to Wonder Lake, then taking a bus back or camping and returning back by pedal power. Fister said this is a particularly popular trip in the springtime, before most of the buses begin running.

One of the most popular ways to really see the sights of the park remains, however, a shuttle bus. The buses are convenient for seeing wildlife up close but at a safe distance. They'll cross directly in front on the road. In an odd reversal of roles, humans stay in their metal cages while watching the bears, wolves or whatever else happens to pass by, roam free.

The park runs a concessionaire that takes visitors by bus along the ribbon of road bisecting the park. Passengers can get off, take a hike and reboard another shuttle for the ride back. There are varying options, and Fister said it's never a problem to get a reservation.

"People always say Denali is impossible to get into and it's frustrating that that has been perpetuated," Fister said. "We never restrict the numbers of people who can drive in the first 15 miles, and there is usually always space on a bus shuttle. I've never had a problem."

Fister said she recommends the park shuttles because of the flexibility of getting off to explore the area, as well as the lower price.

"I frankly don't recommend the (commercial) tours," she said.

No matter how you explore the park, though, Fister said, she promises it will be a memorable experience. Even for her, with the park as her back yard, the amazement is there each time she enters it.

"Right now, for instance, the wolf-viewing opportunities west of Toklat are amazing," she said. "There's always something to see, no matter the weather."

Outdoor and adventure travel writer Melissa DeVaughn can be reached at www.melissadevaughn.com.