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Spend
a day and travel some 60 miles into
the wilderness of Denali National Park
and the heart of bear country. On the
fully-guided Denalli
Tundra Wilderness Tour, you’ll
get interpretation from your driver/guide,
along with 6 to 8 hours of wildlife
spotting and spectacular scenery. If
the weather cooperates, you’ll
see Mount McKinley up close.
This is
a good option if you’re looking
for more than just a quick taste of
the park but don’t want to overdo
it with the 11-hour tour to Kantishna.
During the early part of the trip,
watch for moose: there are some huge
bulls that hang out in the taiga forest
between headquarters and Savage Campground.
Look for caribou anywhere above treeline. But don't
be surprised if wildlife is sparse in those early miles—it’s
not unusual to see no animals on this section of road,
depending on the time of day and season.
The tip of Mount McKinley first comes
into view at Mile 9. You'll ride over
high mountain passes and usually see
Dall sheep on the mountainsides. If
you're lucky, you'll spot bears too.
It’s not uncommon to see
wolves from Teklanika on.
A high point—literally and figuratively—is the drive over Polychrome Pass, which offers a grand view of the Plains of Murie, stretching to the Alaska Range on the horizon. The colors of the mountains seem to change depending on light and time of day. Just on the other side of Polychrome Pass is the Toklat River and Toklat Bridge. If clouds cover Mount McKinley, the tour turns around here. On a clear day, the tour continues. (Hint: morning tours have the best chance of moving on.)
Watch for bears ambling along the tundra or riverbeds and for Mount McKinley, which will be in and out of view the rest of the trip. The bus goes over Highway Pass and stops at Stony Hill Overlook at Mile 62. There, Mount McKinley looms only 36 miles away—a perfect photo opportunity. Then you’ll turn around and head for home.
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