Denali National Park and Preserve covers more than 6 million acres of Interior Alaska, an area larger than New Hampshire, with a single road leading into it. Along that road you look across open tundra and braided rivers toward the Alaska Range and North America’s highest peak, Mount McKinley (20,310 ft / 6,190 m), still called Denali by many Alaskans and by the park’s own name. Grizzly bears, moose, caribou, Dall sheep and wolves roam an unfenced wilderness with almost no trails, so a visit here is less about ticking off sights and more about time: riding a park bus into the wild, hiking off-trail across the tundra, and waiting for the mountain to come out of the clouds. In 2026 buses could go only as far as Mile 43 because of the Pretty Rocks landslide; with the new bridge finished, the park plans to run buses along the whole road again in summer 2027.
Right now in Denali National Park and Preserve (Park Headquarters)
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- Thu-5–1°C24–34°FMostly clear
- Fri-1–2°C31–35°F1 mm rain
- Mon 12 Oct Columbus Day
- Mon 12 Oct Indigenous Peoples' Day · regional holiday in Alaska
Top tours in Denali National Park and Preserve
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Denali at a glance
- Best months: late May to mid-September, when the park buses run, days are long and most hotels are open. Fall colors on the tundra usually peak in late August and early September. Winter is cold and quiet but open for skiing, snowshoeing and the sled dogs.
- Time needed: two full days for the visitor center, the sled dog kennels, Savage River and a long bus ride; three or four days to add a day hike off the bus, a flightseeing trip or a quiet day in reserve for bad weather.
- Getting there: the only road entrance is at Mile 237 of the George Parks Highway (Alaska Route 3), 240 miles (386 km) north of Anchorage, nearly five hours by car, and 120 miles (193 km) south of Fairbanks. The Alaska Railroad’s Denali Star stops at the park in summer.
- Fees (as of October 2026): $15 per person aged 16 and over for 7 days, cards only. Denali is not one of the parks with the $100 non-resident fee.
- Before you go: entry rules for international visitors (ESTA or visa), driving and tipping are in our United States travel guide.
Entrance fees and passes (as of October 2026)
Denali charges a per-person entrance fee all year, instead of a fee per car. Buy it online before you arrive or by card at the Denali Visitor Center (in summer), the Murie Science and Learning Center (the Winter Visitor Center), the Denali Bus Depot or the Walter Harper Talkeetna Ranger Station. The park does not accept cash. Keep your receipt or pass, digital or printed, in case a ranger asks to see it. If you take a narrated tour bus, the $15 fee is already included in the adult ticket.
| Pass | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Standard entrance pass | $15 per person | Each person aged 16 or over, 7 days; under-16s free |
| Denali annual pass | $45 | This park only, 12 months, pass holder and up to three other adults; US citizens and residents |
| America the Beautiful pass | $80 residents / $250 non-residents | All national parks and federal recreation lands for 12 months; at Denali it covers four per-person fees |
| Senior passes | $20 annual / $80 lifetime | US citizens and residents aged 62 and over |
For international visitors: the $100 per-person non-resident fee that started in 2026 applies at only 11 parks (Acadia, Bryce Canyon, Everglades, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia and Kings Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite and Zion), and Denali is not one of them. Two adults from abroad pay just $30 for a week here. The $250 non-resident America the Beautiful pass only pays off if your trip also includes some of those 11 parks; Alaska’s other big parks, such as Kenai Fjords and Glacier Bay, charge no entrance fee at all. From 2026, the national fee-free days (the last two in 2026 are 27 October and 11 November) are for US citizens and residents only.
The Denali Park Road, Pretty Rocks and the buses
The Denali Park Road runs 92 miles (148 km) west from the park entrance to Kantishna; only the first 15 miles (24 km), to Savage River, are paved. In summer, private cars may drive only as far as the Savage River check station at Mile 15. Beyond that you travel on a park bus, a bicycle or your own feet. Places along the road are given as mile numbers from the entrance: the Denali Visitor Center is at Mile 1.5, Park Headquarters and the kennels at Mile 3, Mountain Vista at Mile 13.
Pretty Rocks: at Mile 45.4, just past the East Fork River, a landslide in ice-rich permafrost had been moving the road downhill for years, and by August 2021 it was moving up to 0.65 inches (1.7 cm) an hour. The park closed the road beyond that point, so since 2021 buses have turned around at East Fork, Mile 43, and the Polychrome Overlook, Toklat, Eielson Visitor Center (Mile 66), Wonder Lake (Mile 85) and Kantishna have been out of reach by road. Wonder Lake Campground stayed closed through 2026. A bridge across the slide was built from 2023 and pulled into place in 2025; the park says that with the bridge complete, full bus service along the length of the road will resume in summer 2027, and bus and campground reservations for 2027 open on 1 December 2026. Expect construction traffic and heavy equipment along the road meanwhile.
| Bus (2026 season) | Adult (16+) | Child (15 and under) | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Savage River Shuttle | Free | Free | Every 30 minutes from the visitor center and bus depot to Mountain Vista and Savage River, about 2 hours round trip; 15 May to 20 September 2026 |
| East Fork transit bus (green) | $33.50 plus entrance fee | Free (ticket needed) | Non-narrated, about 4.5 hours round trip to Mile 43; you can get off to hike and flag down a later bus |
| Natural History Tour (tan) | $116.75 | $51 | Narrated, 4.5–5 hours, to Primrose Ridge (Mile 17), with an Alaska Native presentation; 13 May to 15 September 2026 |
| Tundra Wilderness Tour (tan) | $144.75 | $65 | Narrated, 5–5.5 hours, to the Murie Cabin near East Fork (Mile 43); 20 May to 17 September 2026 |
Tour prices include the $15 adult entrance fee; transit bus tickets do not. Buses are run by the park concessioner, Doyon/Aramark Joint Venture, and booked online or by phone; summer reservations open on 1 December of the year before. Transit buses stop for wildlife and for restrooms about every 90 minutes, and no food or drinks are sold once you leave the bus depot, so bring lunch, water and a bag for your trash. Prices and routes for the longer 2027 trips to Eielson and Wonder Lake had not been published by early October 2026.
Seasonal road access: transit buses run from 20 May until the second Thursday after Labor Day. After that, private vehicles may drive to Teklanika River (Mile 30), weather permitting, until 15 October or until snow closes the road at Park Headquarters. In early October 2026 the road was open to Teklanika, but it can close at Mountain Vista (Mile 13) or Headquarters (Mile 3) at any time. In winter it is plowed only to Headquarters; it usually opens to Mountain Vista by mid-February and to Teklanika in late April or early May. Cyclists and walkers may use the whole road, apart from short wildlife closures.
Wildlife and safety in Denali
Distances: stay at least 300 yards (275 m) from bears and 25 yards (23 m) from all other animals, never feed wildlife, and let the bus driver decide when to stop. The park strongly encourages every hiker to carry bear spray and to know how to use it. Hike in a group, talk or make noise in brush where you can’t see far, and never run from a bear. Give moose a very wide berth too, especially cows with calves in spring and bulls in the fall rut.
Weather and terrain: snow can fall in almost any month, and rainy, chilly days are normal even in July, so hypothermia is a real risk; wear wool or synthetic layers and carry rain gear. Falls cause more deaths in the park than anything else, and most of Denali has no trails or bridges, so river crossings are cold, fast and best avoided unless you have experience. Cell phone coverage reaches only about 3 miles (5 km) beyond the park entrance, and the nearest hospital is several hours away. In an emergency, call 911 where you have signal, or tell a ranger, bus driver or campground host.
Top things to see in Denali
Mount McKinley (Denali)
The mountain rises 20,310 ft (6,190 m), the highest point in North America, and is so big that it makes its own weather; it is hidden by clouds on most summer days. On a clear day you can first see it from about Mile 9 of the park road, and the short Mountain Vista Trail at Mile 13 has a fine view. The federal government restored the name Mount McKinley in 2025; the park itself keeps the name Denali, the Koyukon Athabascan name used by many Alaskans. In 2027, buses to Eielson and Wonder Lake will again bring you much closer.
The sled dog kennels
Denali is the only US national park that uses sled dogs to patrol its wilderness, a tradition since 1922. The kennels near Park Headquarters (Mile 3) are free to visit: in 2026 they were open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from 15 May to 20 September, and on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. from late September through winter. Free sled dog demonstrations run in summer, with a free shuttle from the visitor center leaving 40 minutes before each one; there is no parking at the kennels.
Savage River and Mountain Vista
At the end of the paved road, the 2-mile (3.2 km) Savage River Loop follows the river through a small rocky canyon with little climbing, and the steep 4-mile (6.4 km) Savage Alpine Trail crosses the ridge to Mountain Vista, with wide views of the Alaska Range. Parking is very limited, so take the free Savage River Shuttle in summer. Both trails are in designated Wilderness, with a group limit of 12. The area is not reachable by car once winter sets in.
A bus ride to East Fork (and beyond in 2027)
The bus ride along the gravel road, past Teklanika River and Igloo Creek and over Sable Pass, is the classic Denali day, with the best chances to see grizzlies, caribou, Dall sheep and moose. At East Fork, stairs lead down to the gravel bars of the river, a good place to wander. From 2027, longer trips should again reach the painted cliffs of Polychrome, Eielson Visitor Center and Wonder Lake, where the mountain fills the horizon on clear days.
Denali Visitor Center and the entrance trails
The main visitor center at Mile 1.5 has exhibits, rangers and the 20-minute film “Heartbeats of Denali”, with the Morino Grill (the only sit-down restaurant in the park) and the train depot next door; it is open in summer only, and the Winter Visitor Center in the Murie Science and Learning Center takes over from late September. Nearby, the Horseshoe Lake Trail drops 250 ft (76 m) to a quiet lake with beaver lodges, about 2 miles (3.2 km) round trip from its trailhead, and the 9.5-mile (15 km) Triple Lakes Trail, the park’s longest, runs south to the Tsenesdghaas Na’ Trailhead near Mile 231 of the highway.
Other sights
- Denali Visitor Center
- Eielson Visitor Center
Peaks and mountains
- Mount McKinley (Denali)
Nature
- Savage River
- Wonder Lake
Other things to do in Denali
- Off-trail hiking: Denali lets you wander almost anywhere, apart from wildlife closures marked on the park’s map. Get off a transit bus, walk across the tundra or up a ridge, and catch a later bus back. Talk to a ranger first and expect wet feet. See our hiking guide.
- Cycling the park road: bikes may ride the whole road; camper buses carry up to two bikes for campers. Spring, when the road beyond Mile 30 is snow-free but closed to cars, is a favorite time. See our cycling guide.
- Flightseeing: small planes and helicopters from the park area and from Talkeetna circle the mountain, and some land on a glacier; book with an operator and keep a spare day for the weather.
- Ranger programs: free talks and guided Discovery Hikes run in summer; check the park calendar when you arrive.
- Rafting on the Nenana River: outfitters by the park entrance run float and whitewater trips through the canyon north of the park in summer.
- Winter: ski, snowshoe or mush with your own dogs on the snow-covered road, and look for the northern lights on clear, dark nights from late August to April.
Getting there
Fly into Anchorage (ANC) or Fairbanks (FAI) and continue by car, train or bus. There is one road entrance, at Mile 237 of the George Parks Highway; the year-round town of Healy is 12 miles (19 km) to the north. In summer, private bus and van services also run daily from Anchorage and Fairbanks, but there is no public transport outside summer, so spring, fall and winter visitors usually rent a car.
| From | Distance to the park entrance | Route and time |
|---|---|---|
| Anchorage (ANC airport) | 240 miles (386 km) | George Parks Highway north via Wasilla; nearly 5 hours by car. Denali Star train about 7 hours 20 minutes |
| Fairbanks (FAI airport) | 120 miles (193 km) | George Parks Highway south; about 2.5 hours by car, about 4 hours by train |
| Talkeetna | about 140 miles (225 km) | George Parks Highway; about 3 hours. Base for flightseeing and mountaineering |
| Healy | 12 miles (19 km) | George Parks Highway; about 15 minutes |
By train: the Alaska Railroad’s Denali Star runs daily in summer between Anchorage and Fairbanks, stopping at Wasilla, Talkeetna and Denali; the depot is a five-minute walk from the Denali Visitor Center. For 2027 it runs from 12 May to 16 September, leaving Anchorage at 8:20 a.m. and reaching Denali at 3:40 p.m.; from Fairbanks it leaves at 8:20 a.m. and arrives at 12:10 p.m. A 2027 Adventure Class ticket from Anchorage to Denali costs $205 per adult. In winter the Aurora Winter train runs weekends between Anchorage and Fairbanks, stopping at Healy rather than at the park.
Most visitors start in Anchorage; its airport, the Seward Highway and day trips are covered on our Anchorage page. Many cruise passengers add Denali as a land tour before or after an Alaska cruise from Seward or Whittier.
Around Denali
- The park entrance area (“Glitter Gulch”): a summer strip of hotels, restaurants and tour desks along the highway just north of the entrance, open roughly mid-May to mid-September.
- Healy: the nearest year-round town, 12 miles (19 km) north, with lodging and food when the entrance area is closed.
- Talkeetna: a small, historic town about 140 miles (225 km) south, with views of the mountain across the Susitna River, flightseeing and the park’s mountaineering ranger station.
- Fairbanks: about 2.5 hours north, the best base for the northern lights in winter, hot springs and the Arctic.
Nearby destinations
- Anchorage222 km
When to go and how long to stay
Denali’s summer is short and busy: buses run from 20 May to mid-September, and June and July bring nearly 20 hours of daylight, the warmest days and also the most rain. Late May and early June are drier, with snow still on the peaks; late August and early September bring red and gold tundra, fewer mosquitoes and the first snow (“termination dust”) on the mountains. From mid-September services close, and by October winter has arrived.
| Season | Average high | Average low | What it’s like |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring (Apr–May) | 41–55 °F (5–13 °C) | 17–31 °F (−8 to −1 °C) | Snow melting; road opens in stages; buses start 20 May; quiet and cheap. |
| Summer (Jun–Aug) | 61–66 °F (16–19 °C) | 41–45 °F (5–7 °C) | Long days, all buses running; the wettest months, with mosquitoes in June and July. |
| Fall (Sep–Oct) | 51–34 °F (10–1 °C) | 31–16 °F (−1 to −9 °C) | Fall colors and the first snow; buses end mid-September; road to Mile 30 until mid-October. |
| Winter (Nov–Mar) | 10–25 °F (−12 to −4 °C) | −6 to 2 °F (−21 to −17 °C) | Cold, dark and snowy; skiing, snowshoeing, sled dogs and northern lights. |
Figures are NOAA 1991–2020 normals for the McKinley Park weather station near Park Headquarters, at about 2,070 ft (631 m). It gets about 15.9 inches (404 mm) of precipitation a year, most of it from June to September as rain, and about 77 inches (196 cm) of snow. Deep in the park and up on the passes it is often colder and windier, and the mountain itself has some of the coldest weather on Earth.
Weather month by month
Denali in two days
On day one, stop at the Denali Visitor Center, visit the sled dog kennels, walk the Horseshoe Lake Trail, then ride the free shuttle to Savage River for an evening walk. On day two, take an early transit bus to East Fork (or to Eielson or Wonder Lake from 2027), get off for a walk on the river bars and watch for wildlife all the way back.
Three or four days
Add the Savage Alpine Trail, a flightseeing trip around the mountain or a rafting trip on the Nenana, and keep a spare day: clouds hide the mountain on most days, and a second bus ride often brings better luck with both wildlife and views. Combine Denali with Talkeetna on the way north from Anchorage, or with Fairbanks to the north.
Where to stay near Denali
- Park entrance area: large seasonal hotels and lodges along the highway, many owned by cruise and tour companies, open roughly mid-May to mid-September; book early for June to August.
- Healy and McKinley Village: smaller lodges and cabins, some open all year; Healy is the place to stay in spring, fall and winter.
- Inside the park: there are no National Park Service lodges, but a handful of privately owned lodges sit deep in the park at Kantishna; while the road was cut at Pretty Rocks they were reached by air.
- Camping: six park campgrounds, about $25–50 a night, booked through the concessioner from 1 December for the next summer. Riley Creek (Mile 0.25) is open all year and free in winter; Savage River (Mile 14) and Teklanika River (Mile 29, minimum 3 nights if you drive) take RVs up to 40 ft (12 m) but have no hookups; Sanctuary River and Igloo Creek are tent-only and reached by camper bus. Wonder Lake was closed through 2026.
Room taxes: Alaska has no state sales tax. Lodging in the Denali Borough, which includes the park entrance area and Healy, carries the borough’s 7.5% overnight accommodations tax, added to the quoted room rate.
Practical tips for Denali
- Book early: bus seats, campsites and summer rooms go fast; reservations for summer 2027 open on 1 December 2026, and demand for the reopened full road will be high.
- Arrive early for transit buses: be at the Denali Bus Depot at least 20 minutes before departure, and bring food, water and layers for the whole day.
- Food: the Morino Grill is the only restaurant in the park; snacks and camping food are sold at the bus depot and the Riley Creek Mercantile. From mid-September to mid-May the nearest stores and restaurants are in Healy.
- Pets may go on campground roads and the park road, but not on trails or into the wilderness.
- Drones are not allowed in national parks; campfires only in the fire grates at Riley Creek, Savage River and Teklanika River.
- Time zone: Alaska Time, one hour behind Pacific Time, with daylight saving time (it ends on 1 November 2026).
- Phone signal stops a few miles into the park: download bus schedules, maps and tickets before you leave the entrance area. Emergencies: call 911.
What to pack for Denali
Pack for all four seasons in one day: a waterproof jacket and pants, a warm fleece or insulated jacket, a hat and gloves even in July, and wool or synthetic base layers. Add waterproof hiking boots for wet tundra, binoculars (the most useful thing on a bus ride), a head net and insect repellent for June and July, bear spray if you will hike (you cannot fly with it, so buy it in Alaska), a refillable water bottle, sunglasses and sunscreen for the long days, and an eye mask for sleeping under the midnight light.
Denali travel FAQ
How much does it cost to enter Denali National Park in 2026?
$15 per person aged 16 and over, valid 7 days; children under 16 are free. There is no vehicle fee and no $100 non-resident fee at Denali. The park does not accept cash.
Can I drive my own car into Denali?
Only as far as Savage River (Mile 15) in summer. In spring and fall you may drive to Teklanika River (Mile 30) when the road is clear, and in winter only to Park Headquarters (Mile 3). Beyond that you need a park bus, a bike or your feet.
Is the Denali Park Road open past Pretty Rocks?
Not in 2026: buses turned around at East Fork (Mile 43). The bridge over the Pretty Rocks landslide is complete, and the park plans full bus service along the whole road in summer 2027, with reservations opening on 1 December 2026.
Which Denali bus should I take?
Take a green transit bus ($33.50 to East Fork in 2026) if you want to get off and hike, or a tan narrated tour ($116.75 or $144.75, entrance fee included) if you want a guide and a set program. The free Savage River Shuttle is enough for a short visit.
What are the chances of seeing Mount McKinley?
Clouds hide the mountain on most summer days, so stay at least two or three days and look early in the morning. On a clear day it is visible from about Mile 9, and Mountain Vista (Mile 13) has a good view.
How far is Denali from Anchorage?
240 miles (386 km), nearly five hours by car on the George Parks Highway, or about 7.5 hours on the Alaska Railroad’s Denali Star in summer. Fairbanks is 120 miles (193 km) north.
Is Denali open in winter?
Yes. The road is plowed to Park Headquarters, the Winter Visitor Center and the kennels are open, and you can ski, snowshoe or walk into the park. Most hotels close from mid-September to mid-May; Healy has year-round lodging.
How close can I get to bears in Denali?
No closer than 300 yards (275 m) to bears and 25 yards (23 m) to other animals. Carry bear spray when you hike, make noise in thick brush and never run from a bear.
What is the best time to visit Denali?
Mid-June to late August for the full bus service and long days; late August to mid-September for fall colors, fewer insects and fewer visitors, before services close.
Plan your trip
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Sources · last reviewed 4 October 2026
Researched and last reviewed on 4 October 2026. Entrance fees and passes, road conditions and the 2027 bus plans, the Pretty Rocks landslide and bridge, bus and tour prices, free shuttles, the kennels, trails, campgrounds, safety advice, seasonal road access and directions come from Denali National Park and Preserve (National Park Service); the non-resident fee list and fee-free days from nps.gov; the mountain’s name from the National Park Service; train times and fares from the Alaska Railroad; the lodging tax from the Denali Borough; climate from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the McKinley Park station. Drive times, flightseeing and rafting details and the description of lodging in the entrance area are flagged for checking. Conditions change quickly in Alaska, so check the park’s current conditions page before you travel. For entry rules, driving and tipping, see our United States travel guide.
Also: NOAA NCEI normals 1991–2020, McKinley Park (Denali Park Headquarters) (climate)
Data: Weather: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · Rates: ECB · Holidays: Nager.Date · Costs: World Bank ICP and price levels · Wikidata (CC0)