USD 214.00 per adult You’ll find all the information needed to get around Denali National Park and Preserve with ease. The bus mitigates traffic and parking challenges at trailhead locations. You can drive to Denali National Park but access to the park itself is limited to the first 15 miles of the Denali Park Road. Denali is six million acres of wild land, bisected by one ribbon of road. Consider a second bus trip if you want to maximize your chances to see wildlife. Denali is largely wilderness without trails, designated by Congress to remain a "primitive" area in many respects. ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Denali National Park and Preserve plans to expand winter and off-season access to accommodate what officials said are rising numbers of people seeking more wintry conditions. Planning a trip to Denali can be a big undertaking! Attend a ranger program at the visitor center or sled dog kennels | Walk some of the short trails around the visitor center, You have chosen wisely! To provide for visitor access and enjoyment of the world class resources, our concessioner, Doyon/ARAMARK Joint Venture, offers several types of bus services along the park road. It is a meeting place for visitors to catch the tour or transit bus into the park that is run by a third-party concessionaire. For convenience, you’re picked up directly from major hotels near Denali. There are plenty of other things to do than what is listed below - this is just a starting point. In July 2011, a group of 35 visitors who are deaf, from a half dozen different states, chartered a bus into Denali. Once you’re inside the national park, you can only drive your private vehicle 15 miles to Savage River. Just getting to the park can take quite a while, and it is distinctly different from many national parks, so even seasoned park travelers can be unsure how to plan their trip. The National Park Service strives to make the park as universally accessible as possible. This is the real minimum for a visit. Travelers along it see the relatively low-elevation taiga forest give way to high alpine tundra and snowy mountains, culminating in North America's tallest peak, 20,310' Denali. But you probably want to go first to the building just beyond, on the right. Extending 92 miles from the park entrance to its terminus in the old mining community of Kantishna, this mostly-gravel road traverses boreal forests and sub-arctic tundra. Read more about non-narrated transit bus options, Read more about narrated tour bus options, accessibility of bus trips and other park buildings, trails and activities, No; wildlife viewing may occur, but chances are slimmer than with other trips, Yes; passengers may disembark to day hike, Yes; the longer the trip, the better your odds of seeing wildlife, Several choices, ranging from 6 to 12 hours, Yes; only passengers camping or backpacking in the park can use this bus. A ranger is available 9 am—4 pm daily (except on major holidays). If you get to the voicemail, please leave a message and we'll call you back as soon as we finish with the previous caller. Denali National Park to Allow Private Drivers on Access Road Drivers will be able to drive through Denali National Park and Preserve on its only access … Your driver is your narrator on the tour buses, and he or she will provide a detailed and captivating program to accompany your journey along the Denali Park Road. More time is recommended, but this gives you a full day for one of the bus rides, and partial days for other activities, like hiking or joining ranger talks or hikes. Alaska State Law requires children to be in a car or booster seat as follows: Day hiking or backpacking may require extra logistical planning if your children require a car seat. If your questions concerning accessibility are unanswered after reading information in this section of our website, please contact us. At least one tour or transit bus trip | visit, Attend a ranger program at the visitor center or sled dog kennels |. Denali is reached at Mile 237 of the George Parks and at its entrance area is Riley Creek Campground, the Alaska Railroad station, the Denali Visitor Center, the interesting Murie Science and Learning Center and Wilderness Access Center (WAC), which serves as the park's transport hub and campground-reservation center. Entrance Area shuttles provide access to the National Park Service Headquarters, Denali Bus Depot, Savage River, campgrounds, and other points of interest in Denali’s Front Country. A ranger is available 9 am—4 pm daily (except on major holidays). They manage most of the buses in the park (both narrated and non-narrated types), and you'll reserve your tickets through them. (Open captions). You should understand the nature of bus trips in Denali before booking anything. The Wilderness Access Center, now known as the "Denali Bus Depot," is not a destination or attraction in and of itself. A driver and guide take you sightseeing along the entire Denali National Park Road to the Backcountry Lodge. Head over to our concessionaire's website. After lunch there, choose an activity like gold panning, a naturalist-guided hike, or a botany walk. Varies depending on how long you spend on the bus before disembarking to camp. Children older than 12 months and younger than 4 years, and at least 20 pounds (9 kilograms), must be in a child restraint. Children younger than 12 months of age or less than 20 pounds (9 kilograms) must be in a rear facing infant seat. The America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Access Pass, Contact us to receive the application for a road travel permit, Visit our keyboard shortcuts docs for details. There are three tour bus options, of varying length. Land excursions can also be booked as a part of cruise packages. The WAC as it is commonly called, is 1/2 mile or less from the Parks Highway (the main road). In addition, a few free buses travel routes around the park entrance, connecting visitor centers and points of interest in the same area where visitors may drive their own vehicles. A ranger is available 9 am—4 pm daily (except on major holidays). Reservations. The bus ride is approximately 45 minutes one-way to access these destinations. There is only one road in Denali. The National Park Service is moving ahead with changes aimed at enhancing shoulder and winter season access to Denali National Park. Booster seats are no longer required for children of this age once they reach 57 inches (1.4 meters) tall or weigh 65+ pounds (30 kilograms). . Tour buses make the same restroom stops as the non-narrated buses, and of course will pause for views of wildlife and scenery. Drivers must purchase the permits for $55, which includes a vehicle park entrance fee of $30 valid for seven days and a vehicle permit fee of $25, valid for one day. Hitchcock, (907) 683-9583 Denali National Park and Preserve (Denali) will be implementing a previously discussed opportunity for private vehicles to access usually restricted portions of the Denali Park Road (Park Road) during the 2020 summer season, via a reservation system. Private vehicles can drive a small part of it, but most of the road is open only to bus traffic.Bus trips are available only in summer (roughly mid-May through mid-September). If you can stay another night, it is recommended. To reach Denali National Park, you have many options: foot, air, train, or car/bus. Anticipation of major increases in traffic resulting from a direct route to the park prompted park officials to implement a mass transit system beyond Mile 15 on the Denali Park Road. You have at least one full day for a bus trip. Wild animals large and small roam un-fenced lands, living as they have for ages. Access: There is one road into Denali National Park (92-mile Park Road); private vehicles are not allowed more than 15 miles into the park. Situated in the mountains, this hotel is steps from Wilderness Access Center and Denali National Park Visitors Center. Contact: G.W. Along its route, beautiful landscapes can be seen at every turn, and there are many opportunities to view Denali - if the normally cloudy skies permit. There are two main types of buses in Denali - narrated trips (tour buses) and non-narrated trips (transit buses). Do you already know what bus trip you want? That is the only Denali Wilderness Lodge I can find with google, though most people refer to it as the Denali Princess Lodge.. Maybe a mile or two by walking trail or car between the two. However, extra obstacles will be encountered because of … For Alaskans, this means opportunity: a chance to see Denali National Park without the frenetic march of a normal summer. For convenience, you’re picked up directly from major hotels near Denali. However, the park might allow commercially guided vehicle tours and will allow limited private vehicle access … A driver and guide take you sightseeing along the entire Denali National Park Road to the Backcountry Lodge. Bus tours include the 12-hour Kantishna Wilderness Trails Tour, which encompasses the full 90 miles of the Denali Park road and includes a stop at the historic mining town of Kantishna. (907) 683-9532 That is a lot of land to be accessed by a 92 mile road. ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Denali National Park and Preserve plans to expand winter and off-season access to accommodate what officials said are rising numbers of … Denali is a big place with unpredictable weather. (Free if you have the Denali Annual Pass or America the Beautiful pass.) Go ahead - … 15 years and younger are free and the pass gives you a 7-day entrance. Visit the park's current conditions webpage for answers to Frequently Asked Questions. Traditionally, once the park opens, Denali Park Road is accessed only via tour bus. Reservations Advanced reservations for Denali National Park camping, bus tours, and shuttle buses are highly recommended and are available online. Private Vehicles Access: Beginning June 1, private vehicle access reservations will be available using www.recreation.gov . Access fee to visit Denali National Park: $10/person without a pass. Alaska's Denali National Park Plans to Expand Winter Access Denali National Park and Preserve plans to expand winter and off-season access to … The drive from Anchorage to Denali National Park is spectacular on its own and gives you a brief insight into what to expect when you enter the park itself. Denali is largely wilderness without trails, designated by Congress to remain a "primitive" area in many respects. (907) 683-9532 ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Denali National Park and Preserve plans to expand winter and off-season access to accommodate what officials said are rising numbers of … This is a common length of visit. Beyond the Savage River Check Station at mile 15 of the Park Road, you'll need to be on a bus, bicycle, or on foot. Turn onto the Park Road at mile 237 of the Parks Highway. [As of 2017] Otherwise, read the rest of this page to decide which bus is for you. 92 miles long, the Denali Park Road parallels the Alaska Range and travels through low valleys and high mountain passes. The changes over time may include additional skiing, dog mushing and guiding opportunities from September to May, The Anchorage Daily News reported Wednesday. A visit this short isn't likely to see a ton of wildlife, but you'll have a chance to experience the frontcountry of the park and hopefully be inspired for a longer visit in the future! (National Park Service) The Denali Park Road is closed to recreational access. This is the Denali Bus Depot – the ‘Bus Depot.’ Tours: Park buses and fly-over tours, Lodges: Five private lodges are located near the end of Park Road in the Kantishna area. Denali National Park & Preserve. Children aged 4 through 7 years who are less than 57 inches (1.4 meters) tall or less than 65 pounds (30 kilograms) must be in a booster seat. Denali National Park road permit winners enjoyed the view from an overlook near Stony Dome. Having three or more days lets you make the most of your good-weather days (bus rides, hiking) and bad-weather days (ranger talks, time at the visitor centers, etc). The Parks Highway is a scenic drive and can provides some of the best views of Denali the mountain. The person making the reservation needs to be in the vehicle and present ID at the time of entry. In the wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the National Park Service has placed a hold on many access points, activities, and opportunities in most park sites around the United States, and Denali is no different. Just up the road on the left you'll see the road to the post office, Riley Creek Campground and the store. Ride a transit or tour bus on the full day | stop in the. Even more information on how the park road is managed, as it relates to vehicle traffic, can be found in the Denali Park Road Vehicle Management Plan. It is located on the Parks Highway that runs from Anchorage to Fairbanks. All of these are free, and none require reservations. Any private vehicle driving the Denali Park Road past Mile 15 will need a permit. Prior to the 1972 completion of the George Parks Highway (Alaska Route 3), which is the main travel artery into interior Alaska, visitation to Denali National Park and Preserve was fairly low. Denali National Park only has one road entrance. Size of Denali National Park: Over 6 million acres, roughly the size of Vermont. The park entrance, where the Denali Park Road meets Highway 3 (the "George Parks Highway") is 237 miles north of Anchorage, and 120 miles south of Fairbanks. $214.00 per adult Use the simplistic table below to start thinking about what might work well for you, given the amount of time you'll be here. Facilities. Also, learn about the The America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Access Pass—or more simply, the Access Pass—which provides a wide range of discounts on activities and services when you visit federal lands. All tours offer either a snack or full lunch. 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