Denali National Park & Mount McKinley

The Land

Denali National Park, located approximately 240 miles north of Anchorage and 120 miles southwest of Fairbanks, is comprised of over 6 million acres of richly diverse terrain and is best known for North America's highest mountain - Mount McKinley.

Denali, or "High One," is the native Athabascan name given to Mount McKinley. At a height of 20,320 feet, Mount McKinley stands out over the surrounding mountain peaks of the 600 mile long Alaskan Range.

Flora and Fauna

Large mammals - wolves, moose, caribou, Dall sheep and grizzly bears - roam freely within the park and share this wild land with a host of smaller mammals including ground squirrels, hoary marmots, pikas and snowshoe hares. These smaller mammals are abundant throughout the park and serve as an important component to Denali's food chain.

More then 650 species of flowering plants and a wide variety of mosses, lichens, fungi and algae, adorn the numerous slopes and valleys of the park.

History

Among the many peoples who originally called Denali home were the Ahtna, Athabaskan, Koyukon and Tanana.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, goldseekers clambered
to the area. It was around this time that railroad executive and avid outdoorsman, Charles Sheldon, first began work to preserve this unique natural treasure.

Following the establishment of Mount McKinley National Park by President Woodrow Wilson in 1917, the Park was designated an International Biosphere Reserve by the United Nations in 1976.

In 1980, the original park was designated a wilderness area and incorporated into Denali National Park and Preserve.

Transportation

The use of motorized vehicles within the park is limited to maintained roads and parking areas. Private vehicles are not permitted past the Savage Check Station located at mile 14 of the Park Road.

Transport to Denali National Park may be made via the Alaska Railroad, Alaska motorcoach or Alaska rental car.

Lodging

There are a number of clean and comfortable lodging opportunities available to Denali National Park visitors both near the park entrance and within the park itself.

The most well known, luxurious and uniquely situated lodge within the park is Denali Backcountry Lodge, located at the very end of the Park Road in the enclave of Kantishna.

Near the park entrance is Denali Cabins a charming collection of 45 cedar cabins each containing a private bath, TV, phone and comfortable beds.

More Information

For more information on Denali National Park and Preserve, visit the National Park Service website at http://www.nps.gov/dena/index.htm.

For more information on Alaska State Parks, visit the Alaska State Parks web site.

Alaska National Parks

Denali National Park, Kenai Fjords National Park, Lake Clark National Park, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park

Alaska State Parks by Name

Anchor River State Recreation Area and Stariski SRS, Birch Lake State Recreation Site, Caines Head State Recreation Area and Resurrection Bay State Marine Parks, Captain Cook State Recreation Area, Chena River State Recreation Area, Chena River State Recreation Site, Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, Chugach State Park, Clam Gulch State Recreation Area, Deep Creek State Recreation Area, Delta Junction Area State Parks, Denali State Park, Haines Area State Parks, Harding Lake State Recreation Area, Independence Mine State Historical Park, Kachemak Bay State Park and State Wilderness Park, Kasilof Area State Parks, Kenai River Special Management Area, Kodiak Area State Parks, Nancy Lake State Recreation Area, Ninilchik State Recreation Area, Point Bridget State Park, Salcha River State Recreation Site, Sitka Area State Parks, State Marine Parks in Prince William Sound and Resurrection Bay, Summit Lake State Recreation Site, Tok Area Parks, Totem Bight State Historical Park, Upper Chatanika State Recreation Site, Wickersham State Historic Site, Wood-Tikchik State Park