I have had the incredible opportunity to visit Denali National Park not once, but twice. I was able to see it once in the summer time – green and lush, and again in May (still winter in Alaska) – covered in snow and ice. Each time I got to visit it was spectacular in its own right. Denali National Park is hands down one of the most beautiful places I’ve had the privilege of getting to see. Denali National Park features the highest mountain peak in North America – Mount McKinley! Seeing this peak in person is definitely something to add to the travel bucket list!
The trek to getting there is not easy (or a short drive), but the journey to get there is absolutely worth experiencing the destination. Let’s start with getting there!
Both times I visited I made the drive from Anchorage. The drive is about 4 hours one way – so it’s a long day trip. You can fly into Fairbanks, which is a little over an hour from Denali. However, I will say, the drive was half the fun! The picture on the left was from my drive in May when the mountains were still capped with snow.
On a clear day, you can see the mountain tops of Denali from Anchorage. The entire four hour drive was full of breathtaking views and glimpses of the snowcapped peaks! If you want an experience, and don’t mind a road trip, I highly recommend doing the drive from Anchorage. An important thing to know before you make the drive from Anchorage, or even Fairbanks, is the road that connects the major series in the mainland of Alaska is pretty barren. Not to mention, phone service is very spotty (although the last time I was there, 5G towers were popping up along the route which made it better than the first time I did the drive).
Make sure that you check the weather conditions before making the drive up this road, and are prepared for not being able to make phone calls. The weather can be drastically different the closer you get to the park and the further you get from Anchorage or Fairbanks.
When you get to the park, make sure that you stop at the visitor’s center and chat with the National Park Rangers! They can give you information on weather conditions, tour information, and things to do and see around the parks. Something really important to check out at the visitor’s center is the information on what to do if you encounter certain animals in the park!
Moose were the most common animal I saw in and around the park, but it is important to know that there are black bears, grizzly bears, and wolves that also call Denali their home! Lookout for signage around hiking trails and walking paths while you’re in the park!
From the visitor’s center, you can take bus tours to different areas within the park – including a visit to the sled dogs which I will talk about later!
I opted to drive through the park on my own, which I highly recommend! The bus tours stop occasionally along the route if they see an animal or a particularly good overlook, but I stopped a ton more times and was able to capture the picture on the left! There were several times I just put the car in park in the middle of the road and got out to take pictures. There were barely any people around!
When you drive by yourself in the park, you can drive through about the first 5 miles of the park before it’s blocked off. You can go past this point if you take a bus tour! An important caveat is that this was the case during the summer months or “peak season.” When I went back in May, I was able to drive past the cut off point with no issues. This time of year they don’t do as many bus tours due to the weather conditions.
During the summer, when the rest of the park is blocked off the personal vehicles, the cut off point is at this beautiful river. There are tons of trails along this river and down into the valley you can see in the picture on the right! It was absolutely so peaceful, and the water was so beautiful and clear! I said here for about an hour and just took in the views! Keep in mind, every trail along this river has signage warning against grizzly bears! I did not walk down these trails since I was alone. Not to mention, at this point in the park, there is absolutely no phone service. You cannot even make emergency calls. So safety is a very important factor when exploring this area!
This picture was taken when I went in May and was able to drive past the usual cut off point! Seriously, highly recommend getting to see the park covered in snow! It was absolutely gorgeous!
Now, let’s talk puppies!! Denali is the only place in the United States that still employs sled dogs to protect the park! You can learn more about them here!
When they aren’t working, you can visit these good boys and girls at the kennels inside the park! The area where the dogs live is roped off, but the dogs are able to walk all the way up to the rope! So, when they’re in the mood for pets, you’re more than welcome to pet them as long as you don’t enter their living space!
This was probably my favorite part of the park and I visited both times I went to Denali. In May, the dogs were much more active and wanting to interact with guests. In July, they were trying their best to stay cool so most of the dogs were napping in the shade!
There are several exhibits as well that talk about the history of sled dogs in the U.S. and everything that these dogs do when it is their working season! There are park rangers and sled dog handlers that are around where the dogs are so you can ask them any questions you have about the dogs! Fun fact: when the dogs retire from being sled dogs, they are adopted to loving families all across the country! The waitlist to adopt one of these dogs has hundreds, if not thousands, of people on it at any given time!
Most days at the kennel, the rangers will give a demonstration with the dogs on how they train them, how they pull sleds, and how they go about keeping the parks safe! They will talk about all of the operations that the dogs are apart of and take questions from the crowd! This is a really cool part of visiting the kennels and I highly recommend it! In the summer months, the demonstration with the dogs themselves is typically limited because of the heat!
There is a bus tour that you can take to visit the kennels, or you can drive there yourself. I drove there myself and it was extremely easy to find. There really is only one road that goes through the park, and the kennels are right off the main road! There is also plenty of parking! Before I move on, here are several more pictures of the goodest boys and girls for your viewing pleasure!
Let’s talk food in, and around, the park! On one of my visits, I had lunch at Morino Grill! Make sure you click the link and check out the info here because Morino Grill is not open all year round!
Morino Grill is located inside the park store and features a variety of grab-and-go as well as hot food options! There is also a coffee shop so you can grab a warm beverage on a cold day! I had a chicken pesto sandwich and it was absolutely delicious! The perfect little pick me up after a long day in the park!
*Image Belongs to 49th State Brewing Company*
If you are looking for an option outside the park – you can check out 49th State Brewing Company! Like many things in this area of Alaska – they are closed for the winter time but open back up in the Spring/Summer/Early Fall months!
I did not eat at the 49th State Brewing Company in Denali, but I was able to eat at the one in Anchorage! Now, I’m not a big beer drinker, so I was there for the brewery food!
All over Alaska, I tried crab dip at pretty much every restaurant I went to! 49th State Brewing’s crab dip was my absolute favorite of them all! Along with the crab dip, I had a burger that was delicious! Not only was the food delicious, but we also were able to enjoy live music while we ate! So while I didn’t get to eat at the Denali location – the Anchorage location definitely stuck out as a favorite!
Overall, my experience at Denali National Park was nothing short of amazing and I highly recommend it to everyone that I meet! Even if you aren’t an “outdoorsy” person, this park is still for you!
I’ll be posting so much more about my trips to Alaska, so keep an eye out in the “Checked Out” Tab!
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