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Where is Denali?
Also known as Mount McKinley, located in the U.S. state of Alaska, near the center of the great Alaska Range, Denali is North America's highest mountain peak. It also has the privilege to be the third most isolated peak of the planet. The mountain has a summit elevation of 6,190 m (20,310 feet).
Best time to visit
Denali Alaska is a year-round destination with different activities in different seasons. Sitting at the center of the stunning Alaska Range, Denali National Park ranges from the ideal summer gateway to chilling winter wonderland, depending on what time of the year you choose to visit. However, summer is the most popular time with most of the activities and facilities and is the most recommended one.
Spring and fall are very short here and do not offer many activities except driving along the road. During March, winter slowly loosens its grip allowing spring to set in. Plowing on the road begins by mid-March, and you can go as far as 30 miles. By the end of spring, i.e., in June, the entire place turns from brown to green, being the most beautiful time of the year in Denali.
June has the clearest and dry weather, and the summer has stepped in by now. Days are getting longer, with about 20 hours of sunlight. Blooming wildflowers can be seen from June to July. Wildlife is more prominent as all the animals are busy moving, eating, and living to the most. Most tours operate during this season, from mid-May to mid-September.
Mid-June to mid-August is the peak season, with most of the visitors coming here this time of the year. The prices are high, and you will see flocks of people everywhere. Weather is moderate, and you have the best chances to explore the fascinating wildlife of the region.
Denali is quieter in September with snow on the peaks, and vivid colors sprinkled all around, making the best background for taking pictures before they turn brown. By mid-September, the shuttle service is also wrapped up as the brown of autumn starts to get covered by white snow all around.
Lodges, shuttle buses, outfitters, campgrounds, etc. everything starts to wrap up by the end of November. Some lodges may offer a shoulder season discount, however, without shuttle service and tours, there is nothing much to do in Denali at this time.
By December, all the wildlife has migrated to warm climates or in hibernation. Winter has snow all around, restricting you to the margins, but offer winter sports like skiing, winter biking, snowshoeing, dog mushing, etc.
Wildlife in Denali
The excursion is your best chance to view Denali wildlife. Various tours are available, ranging from 4 to 12 hours of length. The longer you stay on the road and the deeper you go into the park, your chances to spot the wildlife increase. The bus allows you to sit higher than the normal vehicles hence, you can have a vision beside the roadside brush.
Together with dozens of other tourists on the bus, there are eyes in every direction, increasing the chance of spotting the beautiful animals. Travel along the scenic road along the mountains while relaxing and focusing on spotting the animals. Bringing binoculars can help you more in spotting animals even from a distance.
The beautiful region of Denali National park is home to about 169 bird species, 39 mammals, 14 fish, and amphibians. Most frequently visible animals are Dall sheep, wolves, black grizzly bears, moose, marmots, and caribou. Among bird species bald eagles, golden eagles, mew gulls, ptarmigan, ravens, and gray jays are most common.
Hiking is another way to encounter Denali wildlife, however, the chances are rare compared to a bus ride. Near brush or during hiking, the visibility is much reduced. If you wish to go hiking in Denali, you must learn proper behaviors to keep you safe in case of encountering some wild animal.
Hike in high alpine zones that will give you more visibility, helping you to be safe and avoid contact with larger animals. Staying along the river increases your chances of encountering a bear or moose and also enhances visibility.
Staying in Denali
There are multiple accommodation options inside and around the Denali National Park. It depends on you whether you want to have an adventurous camping site or a luxurious hotel room to spend your night.
1. Camping
Camping is a great way to enjoy the natural site and offers you a great experience of the fascinating park. Whether in a ten-camp or with an R.V., you can have a marvelous camping experience. Denali Park Road is home to five of the most famous campgrounds of Alaska so you are sure to have an adventurous night.
2. Hotels and Lodges
Near the park entrance, there are multiple hotels and lodges with easy access to excursions, activities, and dining so that you can have an adventurous trip while having home-like comfort.
3. Cabin Rentals
Hire a private cabin near the Denali National Park, away from the crowds and enjoy a private time in the natural location. Enjoy fascinating views from your patio, or have a walk on the grounds. These cabins make your stay closer to nature.
Getting to Denali
There are four main ways to travel to Denali. The train is a convenient but expensive choice. During summer, full-trains to Denali leave from both Anchorage and Fairbanks at 8:15 a.m. From Anchorage, the distance is about 9:30 hours while from Fairbank it is for 4 hours. The advantage of traveling on the train is that they are luxurious, with good food, and take you along a historical path and unspoiled route through the beautiful countryside, where you have a great chance of sitting moose and caribous.
Renting a car is a cheaper and more convenient option. In the price of one round-trip from Anchorage, you can hire a small car for a whole week. It is also the fastest means to travel with a drive of about 4.5 hours from Anchorage and 2.5 hours from Fairbanks.
Another advantage of traveling by car is that you can stop wherever you want on the way to explore different spots. If you travel by train, you have to rely on shuttles and vans to get around the park, while if you are in your car, you are free to go whenever and wherever you want.
There are also various van and bus service providers that take you to Denali from Anchorage and Fairbanks in an inexpensive way. You can carry your bikes and other gear along by paying an extra fee. The big comfortable coaches leave twice a day from the points in each direction.
In addition to all these, flightseeing is also a way to explore Denali in a single day but is far more expensive than the rest of the methods and is available during the summertime.
History of Denali
This giant clock of granite emerged above the Earth's crust some 60 million years ago during a period of tectonic activity. An English navigator, George Vancouver, sighted it for the first time in 1794. In 1903, James Wickersham, an American judge, made the first climbing attempt and failed. Harry Karstens and Hudson Stuck led a party on June 7, 1913, to the South Peak. Today, hundreds of climbers attempt to climb up to the peak every year through the four routes.
The native Athabaskan Indians' name for the mountain was 'Denali,' but a prospector, William A. Dickey, applied the name of the mountain to be Mount McKinley in 1896 to honor the campaigning President William McKinley, who was later selected to be the U.S. President that year.
By the mid-1970s, efforts started to restore the native name of the mountain but were opposed until 1980, when the state of Alaska recognized the original name of the mountain, and the national park and preserve was created with this name. By 2015, the use of the name 'Denali' became so common that it was officially named back on its initial native name.
Can you climb Mount McKinley?
Denali is a year-round cold peak, so it is better to go climbing during summer when the weather is better. You can climb in other seasons as well if you have that level of expertise. There are four main routes to take you to the summit of the mountain, and each one of them requires a different level of expertise.
Climbing this high and isolated mountain is difficult and requires proper physical and technical training. Not only altitude, but you will have to face extreme weather conditions and will have to carry food, gear, and other things on you while pulling the sleds. However, this is an experience of a lifetime, if you have enough courage and training, this is going to be one of the memorable times of your life.
How many days do you need in Denali?
The time required to have an ideal Denali trip depends on your interests and what kind of experience you are looking for here. A three days and two nights trip is just the ideal time to have the awe-inspiring view of the beautiful region as well explore the depths of the park to encounter the wildlife it has to offer.
The wilderness park is located at a far distance from the large city airport, so you have to spend hours traveling. Planning for two nights will allow you to spend a whole day and parts of the other 2 days exploring the region. On your day one, you are most likely to arrive in the afternoon that let you have some time for activities like rafting, flightseeing, etc.
You can also enjoy the dogsled demo or a dinner theater show. Spend your whole second day on a sightseeing bus trip along the park road and explore the famous wildlife on your park tour. On the third day, in the morning, before departure, you have multiple optional activities like trekking, shopping for souvenirs from a variety of authentic Alaskan native arts and crafts, fishing, horseback riding, etc.
Denali National Park Reviews & Ratings
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Anne
Aug 2024
Written on
Outdoor Alaska
If you love the outdoors, stunning scenery and diversity then this trip is for you. There is a lot of travelling, as in the trip notes, but this passes quickly with...
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Andrew and Jessica
Jul 2024
Written on
Outdoor Alaska
Our tour guide Matt Johnson went above and beyond to make this trip successful. Looking for wildlife he spotted black bear and moose, absolutely amazing. In his fr...
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Gail
Jul 2023
Written on
Outdoor Alaska
Seeing the wonderful scenery of Alaska, particularly the Wrangell and St Elias National Park.
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Trusted Customer
Jul 2023
Written on
Outdoor Alaska
Really liked our guide Ken, He was full of knowledge, friendly and helpful. The highlight of our trip was either seeing three types of whales or walking a glacier. B...
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