Distance Between Denali Park Visitor Center and:
Denali State Park = 68 mi / 111 km 
Anchorage = 237 mi / 381 km
Fairbanks = 121 mi / 195 km


Elevation = 
at Park Entrance = 1,730 ft / 527 km
Wonder Lake Campground = 2,090 ft / 637 m
Mt. McKinley = 20,320 ft / 6,158 km

Established in 1917, Denali National Park and Preserve today encompasses more than 6 million acres of some of the most remote and scenic wilderness you will ever experience. Denali offers unbelievable wildlife viewing, unmatched scenery, white water rafting, or flight seeing some of the highest mountains on earth including 20,320' Mt. McKinley. Denali National Park and the surrounding area have too many activities to list here. Most of the services are located just a few miles outside the park entrance along the Parks Highway. There are a range of activities free (several hiking trails) to commercial (river rafting,).

If you are planning on hiking, overnight camping, riding a shuttle/camper bus into the park, or just want to learn more about visiting this incredible area then the Visitor Access Center is a the place to start your journey. The Visitor Access Center is located at mile 237, approximately 2 ½ hours south of Fairbanks or 5 hours north of Anchorage. Parks Highway Express operates daily from both Fairbanks and Anchorage directly to the Denali Park Visitor Access Center or the Alaska Railroad Depot.   For more specific information about getting into the park, camping, hiking or sightseeing, click on the links above left on this page.

HOSTELS,  CAMPGROUNDS & LODGING NEAR THE PARK ENTRANCE:
There are  several private campgrounds just outside the park entrance along the Parks Highway. Better yet there are two hostels.  Denali Hostel is located near the town of Healy 10 miles north toward Fairbanks.  Mountain Morning Hostel is about 10 miles south of the park toward Anchorage at mile 224 of the Parks Highway. Click on the link for more information.

Denali Foundation    Offers a variety of educational programs  including Elderhostel. They strived to offer programs which are thematically based, seamlessly blending scholastic content with outdoor activities.  See their website for full details on learning programs.

Other accommodations include several hotels, lodges and Bed and Breakfasts. Be advised however that lodging is extremely limited in the high season and advanced reservations are strongly advised. The town of Healy offers an excellent alternative for lodging if you find it difficult to locate a place near the park entrance. For more information on lodges, B&B's, places to stay or other general information check out the Fairbanks Visitors Information Center.

For complete information on all the options that are available to you, including reservations, campgrounds, backcountry permits and shuttles into the park, contact the National Park Service at 1-800-622-7275 or visit the official Denali National Park Website.

THINGS TO DO IN DENALI NATIONAL PARK

For more information on the park see our friends at the Park Service. 

Ranger Programs (talk and film) are offered daily in the Park Hotel Auditorium at 1:30pm.

Visitor Center has a slide show and Ranger talks. Slide show is 15 minutes and takes place in the visitor center auditorium.

Sled Dog Demonstrations are held three times a a day at 10am, 2pm and 4pm. A half hour presentation by Parks Rangers who work with sled dogs, and include a tour of the kennels. You can ride the free shuttle from the Visitor Center, Park Hotel or Riley Creek Campground to the Ranger Headquarters in the park.

Ranger lead hikes are educational and very popular. These are offered several days a week and include hikes of varying degrees of difficulty and length. Some are strenuous and some are leisurely and each covers different parts of the national park. Contact the Denali Park Visitor Center for current schedules.

Weather Information
Summers are usually  hot, dry and windy in Denali.  You should be aware that the road is paved only for the first 15 miles.  The rest is dirt, which can become bumpy, and very dusty, causing complications for people with certain medical conditions.  You should contact you doctor if you have any questions regarding your ability to travel within the Park.

Summers  may also be cold, wet and windy, so please be prepared for any type of weather since Denali Park's weather is very unpredictable and facilities, in the park are virtually non-existent.

RESERVATIONS:
You may make reservation for busses and campgrounds by phone, fax, mail or directly at the Visitor Access Center at the park entrance.

• Remember, reservations are required for west bound (i.e., going into the park).
• You may get on and off the shuttle busses along the park road and re-board returning busses.  Keep your ticket!  They must be used the same day.
• If you have a backcountry permit, you may re-board any returning bus on any day.
• In all cases expect a one hour wait before re-boarding a returning bus.

Park Shuttle Bus Tickets and Campsites may be reserved by contacting the Park Service at:

Denali Park and Preserve
Box 9, Denali Park, Ak.  99755
1-800-622-7275 or (907) 272-7275.  
Fax: 907-683-2294
www.nps.gov/dena
E-mail: denali_info@nps.gov

For Tours into the Park:

 Denali Park Resorts VTS
 241 West Ship Creek Ave.
 Anchorage, AK.  99501

 In the U.S. - 1-800-622-7275 (U.S.)
 International Callers - 907-272-7275
 Fax - 907-264-4684

If you are faxing in your reservations, be sure to include names and ages of each passenger, credit information, or a check if you are mailing your request.

Reservations for the either of the two tours into the park may be made by calling 1-800-276-7234.

  - Billie's Backpackers Hostel
2895 Mack Blvd.
Fairbanks, Alaska  99709-4006
*  Info@AlaskaHostel.com
:  www.AlaskaHostel.com
(  907-479-2034