If one park is symbolic of Alaska, that’s Denali, thank to Mount Denali, the highest mountain in Alaska. But the park is more than its famous peak, so check our Top Things To Do in Denali National Park for a full experience of that iconic area.
While planning your Denali adventure, check out our Alaska Itineraries: click for the 7-day itinerary or our 10-days road trip below.
This post contains affiliate links, which means we receive a percentage if you make a purchase using these links – at no cost to you.
Denali National Park
Visiting Denali should be on anyone’s travel list when in Alaska. The Denali National Park and Preserve is indeed a must-see and deserves the time it takes to reach it.
Before exploring the park, make sure to stop at the Denali Visitor Center for information ranging from bear safety, bus schedule, trail ideas, and weather forecasts. The Denali National Park shuttle is one of the options available for traveling in the park.
Take a copy of the Denali National Park map to identify the several bus stops ahead of your trip.
Climbing Denali
Mt Denali is the tallest mountain in Alaska and even the highest peak in North America. Indeed, Denali elevation sits at 20,310 feet (6,190 m).
Given the challenges associated with climbing any mountain, make sure to prepare your expedition with experienced guides and outfitters.
If you wonder how long does it take to climb Denali, the average climber will allocate two weeks on the mountain for reaching the famous Denali summit. However, adding a few days to get to and from the mountain, you might want to plan for three weeks, or even four weeks, due to the notoriously bad Denali National Park weather.
USA Alaska Itinerary 7 Days // Denali National Park Bus Ride
If climbing is not your thing, you might want to check one of the different flightseeing tours that companies outside the park offer. A few of these trips will take you so close to the glaciers that you will actually land on them!
- Denali National Park Flightseeing Tour from Talkeetna
- Price: $237.60
- Denali Heli-Hiking Tour
- Price: $570.00
- Denali Experience Flightseeing Tour
- Price: $238.70
- Denali Peak Flight
- Price: $399.00
Things to Do in Denali National Park
You have the options to join one of the several Denali National Park bus tours, which range from a simple shuttle to full guided Denali excursions. In high season, buses and tours might fill quickly so if you are short on time, we recommend you plan your trip in details so you can reserve ahead of time the type of activities in which you are interested.
- Visit the sled dog kennels located about 3 miles (4.5 km) inside the park (summer: 9 am—4:30 pm), where you can see the working sled dogs Denali uses.
- Want to chill in the wilderness? Click here to check this horse-drawn carriage ride with backcountry dining
- Need to get your adrenaline level up? Click here to reserve a Ziplining adventure or go whitewater rafting, two Denali National Park tours that are sure to get your adventurous spirit excited.
- Join one of the Denali national park tours or ranger-guided activities that will take you to explore the backcountry safely.
- Widlife watching - be bear ready!
- And of course, endless trails through the backcountry, either as day hikes or multi-day backpacking and trekking adventures.
- Denali Wilderness Hiking Tour
- Price: $145.00
- Denali Highway Photography Tour
- Price: $455.20
- Denali Highway Jeep Excursion
- Price: $169.00
- Denali Backcountry Safari
- Price: $99.00
Denali National Park Hiking
The choice of Denali trails is almost infinite but time and physical preparation will help you define your top trails. From easy hikes around the Savage River to challenging Denali National Park backpacking in the more remote areas of the park, Denali has it all.
Denali National Park Hiking Trail
Denali Day Hikes
Savage River: drive at either of these two different locations: the Mountain Vista Rest Stop (Mile 13) or the Savage Rest Area (Mile 15) and start hiking around the area. Click here for other short hikes.
You can go on some of these hikes by yourself, or join one of the ranger-led hikes that have specific focuses depending on the park location and season.
Ranger-guided hike in the wilderness
Denali National Park Backpacking
For ideas on multiday trekking opportunities with the famous Alaskan national park, check one of the longer Denali trails. Getting into the wilderness should be best reserved for experienced trekkers who know how to be self-sufficient and have the proper gear for the challenging conditions.
Regardless of the hikes, book your Denali National Park shuttle to ensure availability in the high season.
Denali National Park backpacking
Denali National Park Animals
Regardless of where you are in the park, you will get a chance to see one of its numerous fantastic wildlife. So be prepared to observe caribou, moose, and Dall sheep along the road. Bears are also spotted regularly from the safety of the buses, both grizzly and black bears. You might see wolves, but they are less frequent to find.
Wild animals are, well, wild. Check the Denali wildlife safety guidelines before heading into the park. Keep your distance, do not feed the animals.
Denali National Park Grizzly Bear
Denali National Park Shuttle
Choose between several types of buses, depending on your interests: guided bus tours or regular shuttle that drop you off at campgrounds and trailheads.
The Denali National Park buses are available from mid-May to mid-September. You don't need to book ahead, but we suggest you do so in the high season, and if you have a limited time to visit the park. Since no cars are allowed in the park, these buses are the only way to visit.
One option to visit Denali is to take the bus up to Wonder Lake Campground or Kantishna, where the park road ends. These bus rides take the whole day, with 13-hour round trip to and from Kantishna, and 11-hour to and from Wonder Lake). While they don't allow for much hiking time, they will enable you to travel deep into the park.
Try to stop at the Eielson Visitor Center for a chance to see Mt. Denali if the weather provides for clear visibility. If not, check when driving on the road to Savage River.
Denali National Park shuttle
Denali Hotels
- Within the park:
- Campgrounds: Book your campsite in one of the six Denali National Park campgrounds. Even if you are planning on exploring Denali wilderness, consider staying at the Savage River campground for your first night. Most of the campsites are further into the park, and you will need to work around the bus schedule to reach them.
- Lodges: Treat yourself at one of the Denali lodged, all privately-owned and located on private lands within the park.
- Outside the park
Most people stay in hotels near Denali National Park, either around Healy, 11 miles north of the park entrance, or Cantwell, 30 miles south of the park entrance. There you can find motels, B&Bs, and other lodgings for all budgets.
Denali National park Camping
In the peak summer months, the accommodation tends to fill quickly. Make sure to book your Denali accommodation early.
Denali National Park Weather
The high season to visit Denali National Park runs from mid-May to mid-September, when temperatures vary from 60°F to 80°F (15°C to 25°C). However, Alaska weather is notorious for changing rapidly, sometimes experiencing the four seasons in one day.
Anchorage to Denali National Park
The 250-mile (400-km) drive from Anchorage to Denali takes about 4 hours, but plan on adding a few more hours for breaks and visits.
If you wonder what to see along the scenic road, check these different points of interests:
- The 200-foot (60 m) Thunderbird Falls near Old Glenn Highway north of Anchorage
- One of the oldest Athabaskan Indian settlement in Eklutna Village
- Talkeetna and Susitna River Bridge
- Denali Viewpoints
- Chulitna River
Driving to Denali National Park
Interested in road trips? Check our Alaska Itinerary 7 days road trip, or driving over the ice road of the MacKenzie River to Tuk if you are headed to the Arctic Circle in Canada.
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Patricia - Ze Wandering Frogs
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November 19, 2019 at 1:54 pm
Hiking is a popular park activity during the summer months. Near the visitors centers, there are a few groomed trails, however most of the park is completely trail-less in order to preserve the area. Therefore you can ultimately hike wherever you want in the park, but planning your route is a must. Always be prepared by packing water, food and proper gear. Guided hikes are also offered in the park too, perfect for inexperienced hikers.
December 4, 2019 at 4:44 am
Indeed, most of Denali has no trail per se, perfect to explore the wilderness. But no without preparation for sure, from food, equipment, and a way to find your route. The groomed trails are nice too, for an easier day, and definitely take you through top scenery. So whatever option one chooses, always ready for an incredible experience.
September 29, 2019 at 1:17 am
I’m very jealous that you got to visit this incredible place! I’m seeing a lot of cloudy weather in your pictures, so I believe when you say that all four seasons can happen in one day in Alaska. It sounds like the shuttles are essential but also require some planning. While I don’t know if I’d be able to actually climb Denali itself, I think I’d be up for some backpacking and camping in the park; those views really look stunning. Thanks for sharing!
November 18, 2019 at 1:36 am
The weather in Alaska is unpredictable! We went from freezing to scorching temperatures within a few days, so better layer up! I don’t think I would be able to climb Denali either, better reserved for expert climbers for sure! But so much of Alaska is accessible with a bit of adventurous spirit, you would love it!
September 24, 2019 at 12:42 pm
My hubby and I love Alaska but have yet to visit Denali. I am turned off by all the crowds so always trying to figure out the best time to go! The scenery and wildlife keep calling though! Loved reading about your experience!
October 10, 2019 at 7:42 am
We usually prefer to enjoy places less crowded, and June was a good month for that. Granted, it was cold even mid-month with frost in the morning, but fewer people made for an incredible experience.
September 24, 2019 at 12:41 pm
My hubby and I love Alaska but have yet to visit Denali. I am turned off by all the crowds so always trying to figure out the best time to go! The scenery and wildlife keep calling though! Loved read about your experience!
September 26, 2019 at 5:46 am
We usually try to travel off-season, or during the shoulder months. Not necessarily a guarantee of a fewer crowd but it does work here and there. Weather can be tricky too, but going mid-June to Denali was the great time to go!
September 19, 2019 at 2:29 am
I like Denali National Park… Thanku so much for sharing this information….
September 22, 2019 at 5:42 am
Glad you found our post useful. Denali is indeed such an impressive place! Which other park did you visit?
August 31, 2019 at 1:07 am
That looks like a good place to go to and camp an RV with the family. Just set up some bbq and talk while looking at the great view. Perfect day to spend with friends or family.
September 16, 2019 at 2:30 am
That would be awesome! I would be careful with grilling though – wouldn’t want to attract a few furry teddie bears! 🙂
August 27, 2019 at 11:53 am
We’ve been hoping to embark on a road trip north from Edmonton to Alaska, and Denali National Park is a huge part of that! Even though we can get to the rockies here quite often, we would love to try the hiking, camping and wildlife viewing in the Denali area. And we’ve never done a sled dog or flight tour, that is also on the list!
August 29, 2019 at 12:21 am
Wow, Edmonton to Alaska sounds like an epic road trip! The Rockies are incredible, though we only scratch the surface exploring the region. Totally recommend a flight tour – that gives you such a different perspective!
August 9, 2019 at 3:05 pm
Thank you for sharing all this information! Quick question, where would you recommend flying into to have the easiest drive to the park?
August 26, 2019 at 8:12 am
The closest airport to Denali is Fairbanks International Airport (FAI) about 125 miles northeast, but the largest – and probably the one with more flights getting into – is Anchorage International Airport 245 miles south. Keep in mind that, if you rent a car, you probably need to return it where you took it first. Plus, most of the things we wanted to see were south of Denali so it made sense for us to fly into Anchorage. So depending on what you want to see, Anchorage might be a better option than Fairbanks.
August 6, 2019 at 6:52 pm
I would love to do one of these day walks but man the idea of bears scares me. I think I would feel safer with a guide than alone.
August 26, 2019 at 8:14 am
Going with a guide would definitely be safer as they usually know the area better, and might be better informed as to where some of the bears might usually roam. But I think there are still plenty of places to explore independently, and we always stop first at the visitor center to get information and travel safety advice from the park rangers.
August 4, 2019 at 1:10 pm
Wow! I didnt realize there was so much to do up by Denali! I will now have to add a new pin onto my list after I complete my PCT thru-hike next year!
August 9, 2019 at 11:08 pm
And the hiking there is incredible! Totally different scenery than the PCT though! And grizzly bears as potential companions! Safe hiking 🙂
August 4, 2019 at 10:02 am
Climbing Denali would be quite a feat of the feet. Alaska has always been on my life bucket list ever since reading Call of the Wild. I don’t know what call I hear louder, seeing those magnificent peaks or beautiful animals.
November 18, 2019 at 1:44 am
Climbing Denali would definitely be a challenge, one I am not sure I would be fit enough to do. But Alaska offers so much that everyone can find something amazing to do. Denali is pretty awesome in that aspect, and watching wildlife is one of the most incredible experiences.
August 4, 2019 at 6:06 am
I would love to stay in a lodge within the Denali park and just chill in the wilderness. That would be amazing. Such awesome views to enjoy here. I can’t believe Mt Denali is over 6,000 metres high!
December 17, 2019 at 2:10 am
The call of the wilderness is always strong! That, and the views of high mountains like Denali for sure!
August 4, 2019 at 12:33 am
This looks amazing! So much to do and see. My favourite part would be seeing all the interesting wildlife 🙂
August 9, 2019 at 11:09 pm
Seeing grizzly bears and moose was indeed really awesome! Hiking there was thrilling, as we kept thinking a grizzly was going to show up at every corner of every hill!
August 3, 2019 at 9:22 am
This has been on my list for a heck of a long time and reading and seeing the photos are wetting my lips even more. I wish flights were a little cheaper from the UK to get here, so dam expensive.
January 15, 2020 at 5:14 am
Sorry for adding to your wanderlust 🙂 Check flights to the West Coast first (LA, SF, or Seattle), and from there, you could find cheaper flights to Anchorage or Fairbanks. Hope you can make it there, one of our preferred places in the US!