Stick to the trail.
That’s what travelers are usually told do, but not at Denali National Park and Preserve.
Adventure seekers are encouraged to chart their own courses through the vast expanse of protected Alaska wilderness.
“But we recommend you do it with bear spray,” the park’s spokesperson Sharon Stiteler told USA TODAY.
Denali may not offer many marked trails, but from North America’s tallest peak to the federal government’s only sled dog kennel, there’s so much to explore across its more than 6 million acres.
Here’s what visitors should know about Denali, the latest national park in USA TODAY’s yearlong series.
What is so special about Denali National Park?
Denali is home to the highest peak in North America, also called Denali. The 20,310-foot mountain was previously also known as Mount McKinley, but it was officially renamed Denali in 2015 to honor its Indigenous history.
Who are the Indigenous people of Denali?
Denali and its surrounding areas are the ancestral homelands of the Dena’ina, Koyukon, Lower Tanana, Upper Kuskokwim, and Western Ahtna.
“Each group has their own language and traditions, but are part of a larger language group called Athabascan or Dené,” according to the park. “Alaska Natives continue to live on and near their traditional lands and to practice cultural traditions.”
What are some fun facts about Denali?
- Denali houses the only sled dog kennel in the federal government. “More than 5,100 dogs work for the U.S. Government, yet the 30 Alaskan Huskies in Denali are the only dogs performing the cultural activity of dogsledding – most government dogs have working roles in security and law enforcement” Stiteler said, citing the 2022 Government Accountability Office report.
- Instead of flying to the southern U.S., Central America or South America for the winter, one of the birds that breeds in the park, the Arctic Warbler, migrates all the way to Southeast Asia.
- “On the winter solstice, the park has 4 hours and 40 minutes of sun. On the summer solstice, the park’s day length is 20 hours and 20 minutes,” Stiteler said.
- Superintendent Brooke Merrell is the first woman to serve in the role in the park’s more than century-long history.
Mush!Sled dogs carry on long Alaska tradition at Denali
What city is near Denali National Park and Preserve?
The closest year-round community, Healy, is about a dozen miles away from the park entrance, according to the park. Fairbanks is 120 miles away, while Anchorage is twice as far.
The park advises travelers flying into Alaska to arrive in either of those cities then travel the rest of the way by car, bus or train.
What is the best month to visit Denali National Park and Preserve?
Most people visit Denali from late May to mid-September. That’s the only time of year when the park provides bus service and offers sled dog demonstrations.
The kennels are open for limited hours on weekends in the winter, and “a visit in spring or fall can be rewarding, though services and activities are limited,” according to the park.
Can you drive through Denali National Park and Preserve?
Denali has just one road, which is only partially open to private cars in the summer and closed during the winter. Most of the park is inaccessible by car. That includes 2 million acres of federally designated wilderness in the heart of Denali, where only hiking, skiing and dog sledding are allowed.
