Introduction to Denali National Park Region

Native Athabascans named North America's highest mountain, Denali, simply "The High One." The soaring mountain peak known more commonly as Mount McKinley crowns the 600 mile-long Alaska Range and touches a spiritual chord in travelers that can scarcely be described. Once the photographs are taken, visitors delve into Denali National Park's wild places, hiking alongside glacier-fed rivers past meadows of heather fireweed and stands of gnarly spruce. Shuttle buses help travelers encounter the park's less sedentary wildlife: herds of caribou, grazing moose and the granddaddy of them all, the grizzly bear.

Active Pursuits

Small planes and helicopters brush the sky flight seeing at Denali National Park. Flights loop around Mount McKinley and over icy ribbons of glacier, giving visitors a chance to break through the clouds and see the peak up close. Shoot through the roaring, rock-walled Nenana Canyon on river rafting expeditions, where you'll learn first-hand the power of nature and the chill of a glacial river. Or join the thousands who can't resist mountain climbing to the top of North America.

Tours

National park shuttle bus tours explore the Denali wilderness, eliminating automobile traffic and allowing for unforgettable wildlife sightings. Massive grizzly bears nibble blueberries and wild moose graze on pastures near Toklat. Caribou frequent meadows of heather en route to Eielson. Hot pink fireweed brightens the road along the way. Look up; it's still there. Mount McKinley stands as a backdrop to all of this natural beauty.

Where to Stay

Overnight at a lodge in Kantishna, where rooms overlook the mighty Alaska Range and naturalists give guests rare insight into the wilderness of Denali National Park. Healy offers affordable lodging nearby in a lovely, wind-swept valley. Set up camp at Riley Creek Campground, across from the visitor center, which even supplies wireless internet to accompany glimpses of Denali at sunrise, a crackling evening fire and a full moon overhead.