Denali National Park and Preserve
North America’s highest mountain above a tundra wilderness crossed by a single road.
Photo: Denali National Park and Preserve · Public domain
Denali guide: the Park Road and its buses, grizzlies, caribou and Dall sheep, the Pretty Rocks landslide, seeing the mountain, the sled dog kennels and the best season.
Denali: what to expect
Denali National Park and Preserve covers about 24,500 square kilometers of Alaskan wilderness around the highest mountain in North America, 6,190 meters tall. The federal government renamed the peak Mount McKinley again in 2025, but the park keeps the name Denali, the mountain’s Koyukon Athabascan name, which most Alaskans still use.
Only one road enters the park, the 148-kilometer Denali Park Road. Private cars may drive only the first 15 miles, to Savage River; beyond that, visitors ride park buses. A landslide at Pretty Rocks, around mile 45, closed the western part of the road in 2021, and buses have turned around before it while a bridge is built, so check the current status.
The bus ride is the best way to see grizzly bears, caribou, moose, wolves and Dall sheep on the open tundra. The mountain itself hides in clouds on most days, so a clear view is a matter of luck.
Near the entrance, the park’s sled dog kennels welcome visitors in summer; these are the only sled dogs that work in a US national park. The entrance area has lodges and campgrounds, and Anchorage is about four hours away by car.
Denali: top things to do
- 1A bus ride along the Park Road
- 2Wildlife on the open tundra
- 3The park’s sled dog kennels
- 4A clear view of the mountain, with some luck
Denali: best time to visit
Late May to mid-September, when the buses run.
Denali: insider tips
- Book bus tickets ahead on recreation.gov; summer seats sell out.
- Bring binoculars, rain gear and warm layers, even in July.
- Keep at least 300 yards (275 m) from bears and 25 yards from other wildlife.
Fees, passes and parking
| What | Price |
|---|---|
| Per person (on foot or bike) | $15 per person, 7 days |
| Annual pass for this park | $45 per year |
- America the Beautiful pass accepted: $80 a year for US residents, $250 for others (also covers the $100 fee).
- Private cars may drive only to Savage River; transit and tour bus tickets are sold separately.
- US residents enter free on a few fee-free days.
Checked Oct 28, 2026. Official prices
Gas and fast charging nearby
5 gas stations within 20 km
- 1.9 km Tesoro
- 15.9 km Vitus Virus · diesel
- 16.1 km Shell open 24 hours · diesel
- 16.2 km Gas station
- 17.1 km Tesoro open 24 hours · diesel
- 16.3 km EV Gateway Fast chargers (EV Gateway)
- 16.3 km EV charging station Fast chargers
OpenStreetMap data, Oct 28, 2026.
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