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Denali National Park: Crown Jewel of North
America
Mt. McKinley, North America's highest mountain, roadside
wildlife, and magnificent scenery will lure you to
Denali National Park; the hiking, rafting, and flightseeing
in this protected wilderness could keep you mesmerized
for days. But since cars aren't allowed deep inside
Denali National Park, you'll need some help to hit
the highlights. Here's how to turn the mysticism
of Denali into a memorable adventure.
With North
America's highest mountain, watchable wildlife
beyond compare, migratory birds from
five different continents, more than
six million acres of tundra, forest,
rivers, bogs, lakes, and glaciers,
Denali stokes the imagination of even
the most casual naturist. And this
primeval wilderness is more accessible
than anywhere on the planet.
But forget about crowds: Denali owes its magic to the fact that there's only one road in, and this is closed to private vehicles after mile 14. The park service of Denali has succeeded, perhaps better than in any other national park, in preserving the feel of wilderness while accommodating thousands of visitors each year.
- Mt. McKinley: Viewed up close from the north side, the mountain is stunning. The scale is beyond anything else you can expect to see in North America. Visible even from Anchorage, it is one of the great wonders of the natural world. And it has a fascinating climbing history, complete with controversy, heroics, and drama.
- Wildlife: Best chance to see greatest variety of wildlife. If you're lucky, Denali offers good viewing, particularly of the “Big Four:” moose, grizzly, caribou, and sheep. A high percentage of visitors also see wolves.
- Landscape: Even when wildlife viewing isn't great, Denali's austere, sweeping landscape is worth the trip. The road travels the treeless tundra, and there aren't many places, without going to the Arctic, that have the same look.
For a real bird's - eye view of the park and McKinley, take a flightseeing tour. If wildlife is your focus, take a park road bus tour, narrated by an experienced guide.
Insider's Tip
The south and north side of Denali are so different
they're almost two different parks. The south, usually
accessed from Talkeetna, is a tangle of knife - edge
peaks, twisting glaciers, swift rivers, and dense
forests. It's stunning to fly over or float through,
but grueling for overland travel. In fact, until
the arrival of the airplane, it was seldom penetrated.
The far more famous north side is the Denali of
your imagination: moose, bears, and unobstructed
views of the park's signature icon: Mt. McKinley.
The terrain, too, is different: it's a vast tundra
plain, sliced by rivers and dotted with lakes, the
clearings making for amazing views of the Alaska
Range.
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