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• About Denali Park: General Information & Campground Information

General Information

The interior of Denali National Park and Preserve is accessed by a 90-mile road. The first 15-mile section is paved and open to private vehicles as well as the free Savage River Shuttle. Beyond the Savage River Bridge, the road is closed to private vehicles except those with special permits.

To go beyond the bridge, you need to travel on a bus. You can make reservations and board buses at the ‘WAC.’ There is plenty of parking for all size vehicles behind the building. The basic ‘shuttle bus’ will take you into the park to different destinations. The longest run goes a couple of miles past Wonder Lake. There is a special ‘Camper Bus’ for backpackers. Shuttle buses are a do-it-yourself affair. You bring your own lunch and, although the driver will stop for wildlife viewing and photos, no specific program is offered, so it is not considered a “tour.” There are bus tours that provide lunch and a structured tour agenda. Be sure to ask about the length of your tour as well as the destination point to be sure you are getting as far into the park as you wish in the time frame you have. A trip deep into the park is a long day that usually starts early. Keep this in mind when making your campground or room reservations.

On the green shuttle bus, you can simply ride out and back or you may elect to get off at some point along the road, spend some time hiking, and return later in the day. When planning your hike allow plenty of time to catch a returning bus. The buses run often, but the first bus you flag down may be full. You may want to plan more than one trip into the park, one to see it all and one to get off and hike.

Reservations are recommended!

There are a couple of locations inside the park that you will want to locate upon arrival. As you turn on to the Park Road from the Parks Highway there is an entrance sign on your right. It offers a nice photo opportunity. If you already know you need to pick up bus tickets or make reservations to take a bus into the park, your next stop should be the Wilderness Access Center. You will find it 1/2 mile further up the park road on the right. The road to the ‘WAC’ winds around behind it to the parking lot. Inside you will find an information desk, the bus reservation desk and the campground reservation desk. The Backcountry Information Center is located in a trailer in the parking lot.

The Denali Visitor Center is a little farther up the Park Road. You will cross the railroad tracks, enter a roundabout and take the second exit to enter the Visitor Center parking lot. The Visitor Center is a relatively new complex and has some great displays. There is an information desk staffed by National Park Service personnel and a theater that regularly shows an 18-minute film on Denali. Find information about kennel tours and ranger-guided hikes here.

Just past the first exit off the roundabout, on the right, is the Murie Science and Learning Center. This facility, which is open year round, houses some exhibits. In the winter, this is the main visitor center.

Campground Information

Of the five park campgrounds in use this season, Riley Creek, Savage River and Teklanika campgrounds have RV sites with no hookups, while Sanctuary and Wonder Lake campgrounds are tent camping only. Advance reservations are available for Riley Creek, Savage River, Teklanika, and Wonder Lake. There is a minimum three-night stay at Teklanika. Campground reservations are available at the same phone numbers as the shuttle bus system (see page 12). Quiet hours are 10 p.m. until 6 a.m., and generators may only be operated from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. Don’t be disappointed if the park sites are full. There are plenty of campgrounds outside the park, which have hookups and showers, and which accept advance reservations.

Every year, the park has a lottery for private vehicles to drive beyond Savage River, on the second weekend after Labor Day. There’s
a $10 application fee and you have to submit your application in July.

+ More general information about Alaska's Denali National Park may be found in the Alaska 101 Denali National Park section.

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