Denali National Park Hints
and Tips:
 On
days when the weather is good, Denali
National Park affords one breath taking scene after another. Denali is a massive park
with a single access road running through it. Private
vehicles are only allowed to drive the first 15 miles.
While the drive can be nice and affords some glimpse of the
wildlife, the best scenery and the most active wildlife lies
beyond the part that can be driven. The mountains of
Denali form a very large bowl which surrounds and captures much
of the wildlife, but most of that bowl can only be seen by
using the park-run shuttle bus system.
You can reserve bus tickets for your Denali visit in advance.
The advantage of this is that you know you have the tickets for
your desired time of day. The disadvantage is that you have a
reservation for one particular time slot come rain or shine.
On our very first trip to Denali, we reserved everything in
advance, and the day of our planned bus tour it rained...and I
mean rained hard all day. When we got up to the Eielson
Visitors Center (mile 66), we were so socked in with fog that
you could not see a thing! Our bus driver was apologizing
most of the day for our failure to see much wildlife as well.
Fortunately near the end of our ride, we came upon a herd of Dall sheep not too far from the road, but for the cost of the
tickets and the length of time we spent riding in an old school
bus, I'd have to say we were somewhat disappointed. Since
that time, we no longer reserve the bus in advance.
Instead we wake up early and go purchase our tickets if the
weather looks good.
Ideally, you want to stay around
Denali for several days to improve your chances of getting a
view of the Great One (aka Denali or Mt. McKinley, altitude
20,230'). While we have seen Mt. McKinley, whenever we're
around she doesn't seem to stay out for long!
You might find that you have a better view of the mountain from
Denali State Park on the south side of the mountain, than you do
from within Denali National Park.
 In general, your best chance for seeing wildlife is early in the
morning or late in the afternoon, although we have encountered
wildlife at all times of day. You may wish to take this
into account in planning your trip, but remember that many of
the bus rides last the better part of the day. (Round-trip
park bus rides last from 5 to 12 hours.) If you're
planning to go to Kantishna, the furthest ride (mile 90), you probably
will need to make your reservations in advance. The number
of buses making this run are limited, and it seems like they are
often full. Fully narrated bus tours are also available.
While I understand why Denali has a shuttle bus system, I also
find it takes away from the total peace and beauty of the nature
experience to be packed on a school bus all day with a bunch of
strangers, and it often can be difficult if not impossible to
photograph through the windows. While the windows do open,
keeping them open and ready to shoot can be a challenge since
you're sharing the bus with others that may find open windows
uncomfortable. The advantage of this form of travel however, is
that you have lots of eyes watching for movement. The
drivers also have local knowledge of where the animals like to
hang out, and are a big help in spotting activity. The
drivers will stop for sightings and try to stay around long
enough for everyone to have a good look. You are not
allowed off the bus to photograph sightings, but you can get off
the bus to hike whenever you like. However, once you give up your
seat...your bus trip is on a stand-by basis. However,
getting off the bus and taking a hike is one of the best ways to
get away from people while in Denali.
If you plan to ride the park shuttle buses, be aware that you
need to bring along your own food and beverages. If you
bring a cooler, it must fit under the bus seat. The
shuttles are basically school buses, so there is a limited
amount of room for storage.
For a more serene wilderness experience you might choose to
either camp in Denali or stay in Kantishna. Another
alternative would be to explore and sign up for one of the many
activities taking place in Denali for which special permits are
issued.
 If
you'd like to learn about dog sledding (mushing), check for the
times of day when demonstrations will be held. At other
times, visit the kennel to meet some of the sled dogs. The
park offers free bus service to the kennels.
When walking through the park, be aware that you are in bear
country, so stay alert and be sure to read and follow the bear
encounter tips that seem to be posted everywhere.
Happy cruising! -Therese & Reid
return to Denali index |
