Denali National Park, 125 miles south of Fairbanks, Alaska, and 237 miles north of Anchorage, features more than 6 million acres of scenic wilderness. One of the largest national parks in the United States, it is home to Mount McKinley. Originally, the park was only accessible by train, but since 1968, campers, hikers and nature-lovers can drive to the national park via Highway 3.
The summer months of June, July and August have plenty of sunlight and relatively warm temperatures but are also considered to be the rainy season. The average temperature in July is 55 degrees Fahrenheit, and the average January temperature is 2 degrees Fahrenheit. The longest day of the year, June 21, has more than 20 hours of daylight, and the shortest day of the year, Dec. 21, has less than four and a half hours of daylight.
Since the park was established in 1917, it is the only United States national park that uses sled dogs to patrol the grounds. Alaskan huskies patrol within 2 million acres of designated wilderness. The dogs are used to help contact park visitors during the winter months, haul supplies to locations where mechanized vehicles are prohibited, transport wildlife researchers and help spot potential illegal activities within the park, including poaching. The huskies live in kennels within the park, and approximately 30 dogs are used to patrol during the winter.
The park is home to more than three dozen species of mammals, including bears, moose and caribou. Although there are no reptiles and only a limited number of fish, including three species of salmon, there are approximately 165 species of birds living within the park grounds.
Visitors are welcome to reserve a space at one of the three campgrounds open to RVs and tents or at one of the tents-only campgrounds located throughout the park. Contact the visitor center for camping reservations and to secure a backcountry permit for overnight travel within the park.
Denali is Athabaskan for "The High One" and is the name used by the majority of Alaskan residents for the mountain that is officially named Mount McKinley. At 20,320 feet, Mount McKinley is the tallest peak in North America. Originally named Mount McKinley National Park on Feb. 26, 1917, the park grounds were expanded and the name was changed to Denali National Park and Preserve on Dec. 2, 1980.
To limit the traffic on the single road that stretches across the wilderness, the park's interior is only accessible by park buses. Entrance area shuttles include the Savage River Shuttle, the Riley Creek Loop Shuttle or the Sled Dog Demonstration Shuttle or visitors can sign up for one of three narrated nature tours, the Tundra Wilderness Tour, the Denali Natural History Tour or the Kantishna Experience. A camper bus, configured for packs and bicycles, is available for visitors staying in the campgrounds or backcountry units. Visitors must reserve a campsite or secure a backcountry permit before reserving a ride on the camper bus.
