National Park · AK
Park Closure · Teklanika Area Closures
The Park Road is closed to pedestrians and cyclists from mile 26 to mile 37 for wildlife management activities. Vehicles may still drive to the Teklanika Rest Stop at mile 30, but visitors may not walk outside of the rest stop area. Backcountry units 29 and 6 are closed to both overnight and day use.
Information · Road Open To: Mile 30 (Teklanika River)
The Denali Park Road is open to Mile 30, Teklanika River. Please stay alert for heavy equipment traveling on the park road.
More information
Denali is six million acres of wild land, bisected by one ribbon of road. Travelers along it see the relatively low-elevation taiga forest give way to high alpine tundra and snowy mountains, culminating in North America's tallest peak, 20,310' Mount McKinley. Wild animals large and small roam un-fenced lands, living as they have for ages. Solitude, tranquility and wilderness await.
NP Tracker keeps a record of every National Park Service unit you visit — all 430-plus of them. Log visits with dates and photos, collect passport stamps, plan trips, and watch your map fill in. It's free.
Denali is open 24-hours a day, although services are limited after-hours (generally after 4 pm in winter or 6 pm in summer). There is no gate at the park entrance. Please note that camping is only possible either in designated campgrounds (with a valid reservation) or in the rest of the park with a free backpacking permit.
Hours are retrieved from the National Park Service and can change without notice — check the official site before you go.
This self-guided tour combines driving and walking, and calls out the main sights to see within the first 15 miles of the Denali Park Road. The best time of year to do this tour is summer (roughly May 20 to mid-September), although many of the sights are worthwhile before or after those dates. In winter, however, most of the park's sole road is closed, so the sled dog kennels are the farthest point you can easily reach.
Take a hike and learn about the early pioneer history of the area. The McKinley Station Trail is 1.6 miles long. It descends from the visitor center to Hines Creek, then travels alongside Riley Creek, under the Alaska Railroad trestle, and meanders up and down small hills til it reaches Riley Creek Campground and picnic area. Much of the material presented here first appeared in the book "McKinley Station: People of the Pioneer Park," by Tom Walker.
Denali charges an entrance fee year-round. Youth age 15 or younger are free. For people age 16 or older, the $15 entrance fee provides a 7-day entrance permit. Be prepared to show your receipt or pass (digital or physical) if requested by park staff.
The Denali Annual Pass covers up to four adults. You may purchase it online or in person at the park.
Times are in the park’s local time. Golden hour is the sun within 6° above the horizon; blue hour, within 6° below.
Source: National Weather Service.