Drive, Hike or Bike Denali Park Road, Denali National Park, Alaska

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The winding Denali Park Road in Denali National Park, Alaska is 92 miles long but only the first 15 miles are paved. It is normally closed to private vehicles past this mile 15 mark - you can only access it by bus, bike, or on foot. But for four days in September (usually beginning the second Friday after Labor Day, but this year’s event is tentative), those lucky few with permits can drive the road and hike from various trailheads off it. Enter the lottery for in May and check the results in June (only have approx 15% chance of getting a permit). Park shuttle buses are designed to move people around within the park and provide an informal talk as drivers provide basic park and safety information as you roll along the road in search of wildlife. Buses make regular restroom stops and wildlife-viewing stops all along the way, and you can get off and on a bus at any point along the Park Road. Everybody should take some kind of bus trip while visiting the park, as it’s a great way to experience the wildlife and stunning vistas, all while helping to protect the natural resources of the park. Rules of the Road for Bicycles: Denali has just one road, spanning 92 miles from the entrance area on the east side of the park to Kantishna in the west. It is paved to the Savage River rest area (mile 15) and is graded gravel beyond. There is no shoulder or bicycle lane on any section of the road. All non-commercial traffic is allowed to Savage River, meaning that in summer, there is fairly frequent traffic. Past that, traffic is restricted to buses, heavy equipment, and non-public/administrative traffic. The road narrows after Teklanika River (mile 31.) For a better idea of the character of the Park Road, watch our Rules of the Road video.

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