Denali National Park is at the top of travelers’ Alaska bucket lists for a reason. The park meets all expectations no matter how much time you’re able to give it.
If you only have time for a couple of days on a Denali National Park itinerary, that’s enough to get an overview of the park and book a bus tour for a more intensive trip.
This Denali National Park guide is a detailed look at our own trip to Denali from Anchorage. Are you ready for scenic hikes, Denali views, and one of the best parks in the country for wildlife? Let’s get into it.
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How many days should you spend in Denali National Park?
You should spend at least a full day in Denali National Park. Two days allow you to take one of their guided Denali bus tours and spend another day hiking in the park. A one-day in Denali itinerary will likely limit you to hikes and excursions from the main visitor center.
Note: The park is currently closed beyond the East Fork River at Mile 43. This is just about the halfway point in Denali. The closure is due to ongoing construction efforts to account for a missing chunk of road after several years of warming temperatures in the park. It’ll take a few more years before a bridge or other fix is completed to resume operations to the end of Denali Park Road.
How to Visit Denali National Park
To get to Denali, you’ll likely start in Anchorage and Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. Most travelers start here for travel to Kenai Fjords National Park and Seward to the south, too. I’d highly recommend both national parks if you have the time.
As far as how to explore Denali National Park, renting a car will offer the most flexibility over the Alaska Railroad. I love a scenic train trip, but if you drive, you can plan for scenic stops from Anchorage along the way.
Reserve your vehicle ahead of time using a site like Hotwire or Priceline to find the best deals.
Access to a car is nice in Denali itself, too. You won’t have to rely completely on the park shuttles to get to and from some of the main trailheads, and you can time your days with more accuracy.
Here are a few more tips as you plan a trip to Denali National Park:
- There is a fee to enter Denali of $15 per vehicle unless you hold an America the Beautiful pass. That fee is also covered under any of the paid bus tours
- The trails in this Denali guide are all well-marked trails. That said, the park is mostly backcountry. If you’re an experienced hiker, this is the park to test your skills.
- Don’t assume you’ll see Denali on your visit to the park. Only about a third of travelers see the mountain, as conditions have to be just right.
- On that note, we saw the mountain twice on three days in and around the park. Yep. We were super lucky.
- The park service recommends you carry bear spray if you’re doing any hiking in Denali. Making plenty of noise on hikes is an even better preventative.
- If you want to book tours, book well in advance, especially if you travel in July. That’s the busiest time in the park, and things book up fast.
Are the Denali tours worth it?
Denali tours are worth it, especially if you only have one day in Denali National Park. Even if you drive yourself to the park entrance and beyond, there’s only so far you can get with your own vehicle.
I put together a complete guide to our experience on the Denali Tundra Wilderness Tour, one of the best options at the moment to see wildlife and learn more about the history of the park.
Another option is the free park shuttle. The green transit buses you see driving around the park are easy to hitch a ride with along the park’s main road and beyond. They keep to a set daily schedule posted at all of the main stops, too.
They don’t come with any narration, though, so don’t expect more than a ride on those.
Denali National Park Itinerary: Day 1
If you’re booking a bus tour in Denali National Park, try to do it on your first day in the park. Better yet, time it for the afternoon. That’ll give you a full morning for hikes and getting yourself acclimated to everything around the Denali Visitor Center.
Need a map of everything I’ll get into here? Follow the Google link below:
GIMME MY DENALI NATIONAL PARK MAP!
Stop 1: Horseshoe Lake Trail
This easy two-mile trail starts along a scenic set of train tracks for fantastic views right off the bat.
From there, you’ll pass by beautiful Horseshoe Lake, a large beaver dam, and the Nenana River.
Fun fact: Look for potential whitewater rafting while you’re by the river, as it’s a popular spot for adrenaline-pumping activities.
We didn’t see any beavers but saw lots of old beaver activity. There was quite a bit of busy beaver work on display just looking at the gnawed trees along the lakeshore.
We didn’t see any bear activity, either, but there were warnings along the trail about an overly “friendly” black bear.
The parking lot at the main trailhead is quite small, so I recommend starting early on this one. If it’s full when you arrive, you can park at the visitor center. You’ll just add a mile each way if you do it that way.
Stop 2: Denali Visitor Center
I know many folks like to start at the visitor center when they travel to a new park, but you won’t miss anything by kicking off your Denali trip with one of its more popular hikes. Once you’re done with that, by all means, check out the visitor center.
The National Park Service does a great job with this one. Spend some time inside with the wildlife exhibit about the critters you may see at Denali and the park’s geological history.
This is also a great place to interact with park staff about available hikes and how to stay safe while you’re out there.
Stop 3: Visitor Center Trails
There are a number of trails that start at the Denali Visitor Center that you can link together for a choose-your-own-adventure type of morning.
We started with the Spruce Forest Trail, a 0.2-mile walk through the forest, to the Morino Trail, a 0.2-mile forest walk to an old homestead and roadhouse. This was the old hub of activity in the park.
From there, we connected to the McKinley Station Trail. The full trail is 1.6 miles each way, but you can connect to a portion of the Triple Lakes Trail from here to get to Riley Creek and stunning views of a railroad trestle.
Continue along the bridge ahead of you to a swinging suspension bridge. This was one of our favorite spots in the park.
If that plan seems like too little or too much, I have a rundown of more trails at the Denali Visitor Center with mileage listed roundtrip:
- Roadside Bike Trail (3.4): This is a popular one if you brought your mountain bikes with you. It travels along Denali Park Road.
- Rock Creek Trail (4.8 miles): I’ll mention this one in a little bit as a moderate forest hike.
- Mount Healy Overlook Trail (5.4 miles): This steep, difficult Denali hike offers views of Denali if the conditions are right.
- Triple Lakes Trail (19 miles): You’ll hike a portion of this if you follow my plan above. The full trail is a pretty epic day hike to three beautiful lakes.
Stop 4: 49th State Brewing
Visit the prop bus from the movie Into the Wild at one of the state’s best breweries. Just don’t leave any sandwiches inside.
There’s a reason I say this. There was a sandwich inside when we visited.
Once you’re in the brewery itself, opt for tasters if you’re not sure what you’d like. They had a delicious canned sour available during our visit that I had to try, in part because some of the proceeds would go to Maui’s rebuilding efforts after the 2023 fires.
Lunch was good if pricey for brewery food, but you’ll find that Alaska just isn’t a budget destination. We shared the King Crabby Grilled Cheese and a jackfruit quesadilla, but they’re also known for their yak burgers if you need more meat.
Optional Stop 5: Rock Creek Trail
We did a portion of Rock Creek Trail before our bus tour. If you don’t have a tour planned for your first night in Denali, feel free to tackle the full hike. It’s 2.4 miles one-way but easy enough if you have the time.
The trail is a nice walk through the woods with peekaboo views of Mount Healy along the way. The full trek connects the Denali Visitor Center with the Denali Sled Dog Kennels if you’re planning to visit those during your Denali trip.
Stop 6: Denali Bus Tour
You won’t know your exact departure time until about 48 hours before you’re set to meet your bus tour, but you can decide between a morning and an afternoon ride.
I’d recommend the afternoon times to leave your first morning in Denali open for some hikes. The bus tours are long, so despite sitting on your bottom for hours, they do have the potential to take it out of you.
I’ve read mixed reviews about the worthiness of the bus tours, but I definitely recommend one based on our own experiences. The fact that you’re only able to access half the park at the moment only makes me feel more confident in that opinion.
The Denali bus tours are the best way to see the park’s wildlife safely and efficiently, learn more about the history of the park, and travel as far as you can go at the moment.
We booked the Denali Tundra Wilderness Tour for our own guided experience. At the moment, it’s the longest tour available, but check on the status of the park’s new bridge plans before you book.
Denali National Park Itinerary: Day 2
Start off your second day in Denali with my favorite trail or feel free to move things around on this day as the weather allows. We experienced some rain on this day toward late afternoon, but we were still able to visit the Denali sled dogs in the drizzle.
Stop 1: Savage Alpine Trail
If you’re looking for Denali National Park hikes that offer spectacular views, including a shot at seeing a view of Denali along the way, the Savage Alpine Trial has to be it.
This was our favorite hike in the park by far, so I’d call it an essential stop in this guide to Denali National Park.
You’ll need to get yourself close to the Savage River area of the park to make this one happen. You shouldn’t go all the way to the Savage River bus stop unless you want to make it harder on yourself. Park or take the free shuttle bus to the Mountain Vista Rest Stop at Mile 13, instead.
The approach from this starting point is much easier. You’ll still need to tackle four miles roundtrip from this trailhead, but you won’t have the steep stone stairs to climb this way. It’s much more gradual and more scenic, as the initial climb gives you potential views of Denali.
Fun fact: Only about a third of visitors see Denali on visits to the park. We were lucky enough to see it twice. You’ll know it’s there if you see a bright mountain covered in snow as if under a spotlight.
I’d call this one moderate if you take it from the Mountain Vista Rest Stop. The hardest bit to navigate was the summit, not for the elevation gain, but because of the wind. I’m going to go ahead and call this one of the windiest spots I’ve ever experienced!
The end of the trail drops you off at the Savage River on Mile 15. From there, you can return to the original rest stop on the park shuttle or walk back to your car at the other rest stop. It would have added another two miles to our trip on the point-to-point trail, so we took the shuttle.
Note: You don’t need to rush to Mountain Vista to snag parking from what we could tell. We got there at around 9:15am and only saw one other car in the lot.
Optional Stop 2: Savage River Loop
If you have the energy to tack on another two miles at the Savage River, you can walk the Savage River Loop without a ton of effort. This one is exactly as it sounds, a walk along the Savage River with little elevation change.
Stop 3: Savage Cabin Interpretive Trail
The 0.3-mile Savage Cabin Trail is a nice, easy loop to learn about the history of cabins in the park. You can see one still used by rangers who patrol Denali National Park in winter with sled dogs.
There are no motorized vehicles here in the winter, by the way. If you visit during that time, expect a completely different experience.
Stop 4: Lunch in Denali
The closest option for a quick lunch in Denali without packing your own is just a mile north of the park entrance along the Nenana River. This area is casually known as Glitter Gulch.
It’s a seasonal strip of hotels and eateries that cater to tourists, just in case you were wondering if this is a tourist trap.
Prices at these places are pretty high. We picked The Black Bear cafe for our own lunch because I wanted to try the “bearitos” folks online were talking about. They were fine.
We also bought some grab-and-go sandwiches for the following day that I regretted post-purchase. It was $12 for a simple turkey and cheese. I get to feel my feelings.
Here’s the thing. I usually just pack our lunches for exploration in our national parks, but doing that was pricey, too. Alaska is just an expensive place to visit these days.
With half the park closed, we also didn’t feel as pressed for time as we usually do on our national park adventures. I’m not sure I’d do anything differently here, but it’s something to consider as you plot out how many days in Denali work best for you and your budget.
Stop 5: Denali Sled Dog Kennels
The Denali sled dogs are likely the cutest thing you’ll see on your trip to Denali. We drove over to the dog sledding demo at the kennels, but you can also take the free shuttles at the Denali Visitor Center throughout the day.
This is what the park recommends. I can see parking getting quite limited here, especially in the summer months. We had just missed the shuttle, so I’m glad driving in worked out for us.
When we arrived, there were already four full shuttles of people from the visitor’s center waiting for the demo. They definitely got the “best” seats, but we didn’t have trouble seeing the dogs from the back of the gathering space.
The dogs were adorable and super enthusiastic about doing their very important work and being good boys and girls. You can meet them ahead of the demo in their large outdoor pens. Some came over for pets.
The demonstration itself was great and watching them interact with the staff was great. The guide talked as if in slow motion, though, and as the rain started coming down his talk started to get tedious.
You could tell he was working off of a memorized script that he really wanted to get through, which I guess is commendable.
If you take the shuttle here, you’ll take it right back to the Denali Visitor Center. Demonstrations are free and offered a few times per day in the summer.
Stop 6: Healy
We stayed in Healy, so decided to stay closer to our accommodations for our last night in Denali. Our pick was the restaurant in the Denali Totem Inn, a spot that was recommended to us a few times by locals.
The food here was the cheapest we’d seen in these parts and decent enough. I had a chicken gyro and Brian had a chicken sandwich.
The staff seemed a little overwhelmed and it was definitely one of those places where everyone looks at you upon entry, but I can’t pretend that it wasn’t nice to pay less.
If you’re traveling outside of the summer season, note that many businesses close down for the winter months. Here are a few more options for eats near Denali if hyper-local doesn’t sound up your alley:
- Denali Doghouse: If you want something quick, this hot dog shop is a popular option. They specialize in reindeer dogs.
- Moose-AKa’s: I did feel some regret over not trying this one, if only because I’m not sure I’ve ever had Serbian food.
- Prospector’s Pizzeria & Alehouse: Enjoy a variety of game meats and other unique toppings at this rustic spot that surely hits the spot after a day of hiking.
3 Days in Denali National Park (or More!)
If you have more than two days in Denali on your Alaska road trip, you can dig into the park a little deeper or incorporate more rest breaks on your Denali vacation.
Once the park’s back half reopens for more backcountry hikes Denali National Park has to offer, two days in Denali start to feel quite limited indeed.
Here are a few things you could add to your Denali itinerary in a best-case-scenario type of way with full access to the park:
- Visit the Eielson Visitor Center. This stop at Mile 66 is known for its views of Denali on clear days. The Thorofare Ridge Trail is a highly-rated trek through the Alaskan tundra that starts here.
- Explore the Wonder Lake Area. Wonder Lake at Mile 85 is about as close as you’ll get to Denali. You’ll need to get lucky with a clear day, but if you do you can check out the views at Reflection Pond.
- Take a sightseeing tour from the sky. If you’re a little fancy, there are several small aircraft operators that offer sightseeing tours of the park from above. Some of them get you close to Denali itself, which sounds very bucket listy.
- Book a whitewater rafting trip. Travel down the Nenana River in an adrenaline-pumping way with a guided rafting excursion. This a popular experience in a park with a short active season, so book early if you’re interested.
- Go mountaineering. I wouldn’t even know where to start with a Denali climb itinerary or Denali summit itinerary other than knowing I’d probably need to be rescued. The park service has a detailed guide to climbing if you’re into it.
- See where the road ends. Once the park has fully reopened, I’d love to make it all the way to Kantishna. This part of the park sounds incredibly remote with even better opportunities for bear sightings if that’s what you’re after.
Denali National Park: Where to Stay
We stayed in a cabin in Healy during our Denali trip and drove into the park from there. We saved some money and didn’t lose much time vs. staying somewhere more touristy like Denali Park Village.
If you crave that efficiency, use the map below for options closer to Denali:
Visiting Denali: FAQs
What is the best month to see Denali?
The best month to see Denali is from the end of May through the start of September. You’ll have access to the park’s shuttles and bus tours during this time and enjoy plentiful sun for a full day of activities.
We visited in August, typically the early start of fall in the park. That means we were treated to beautiful fall colors on top of Denali’s usual scenery.
Can you do Denali on your own?
You can do Denali on your own. Denali tours from Anchorage either make use of the Alaska Railroad or try to pack it all in on one long day to and from the city.
I wouldn’t recommend that. Driving yourself to Denali gives you the added bonus of flexibility over scenic stops along the way.
Can you drive through Denali National Park?
You cannot drive all the way through Denali National Park. Only those with special permission or camping reservations are allowed beyond Mile 15 of the park.
From there, you need to use the park’s free shuttles or book a guided bus tour.
How far in advance should I book Denali?
You should book Denali as far in advance as possible if you’re talking about accommodations, airfare, and rental cars. Denali’s tourist season is super short, so there’s lots of competition without waiting until the last minute.
Shoot for six months in advance before travel if you want decent options. I always recommend refundable bookings on everything if possible just in advance just in case prices do drop before you go.
Is Denali National Park worth seeing?
Denali National Park is absolutely worth seeing on any trip to Alaska. It does take some effort to get to, but once you’re there, it’s easy to navigate with the use of the park’s shuttles.
It’s also one of the best parks for easy wildlife spotting and glimpses of Denali itself. I’d love to come back once the park has fully reopened for an even more incredible experience.
Ready for 2 Days in Denali National Park?
Your Flight: I use a variety of tools to find cheap airfare, but if you’re looking to book during a particular period of time, you should use Skyscanner. It’s a great tool for when you’re more flexible, too, as it allows you to compare travel based on length of travel, departure date, etc.
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For adventurous folks who travel on the reg, I also subscribe to Going, formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights. You’ll get cheap flight deals from your home base straight to your inbox.
Your Accommodations: I usually use Booking.com and Hotels.com for our hotel needs. Both offer loyalty programs and now offer listings that are more of the home or condo rental variety, which is great. Vrbo is my preferred Airbnb alternative.
Scroll up for some recommendations on where to stay when visiting Denali.
Seeking even more wallet-friendly accommodations? Try Hostelworld. Their picks are heavily vetted and reviewed to offer you a safe experience on a budget.
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Planning more national parks travel? Check out these guides:
- A Guide to Crater Lake in Oregon
- Plan to Hike the Best Treks in Yellowstone
- How to Plan a Glacier National Park Trip Today
- The Best Guide for Grand Teton National Park
- Top Attractions & Hikes at Cuyahoga Valley
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