Denali National Park Road Tours
Bear crossing the Denali Park Road
To experience the heart of Denali National Park, you'll have to travel by bus, van or plane -- private cars aren't allowed past the first 15 miles. The options all vary with respect to time, distance, price and flexibility. It's worth doing one of them: You'll get closer to Denali (formerly Mt. McKinley), see more wildlife, and get a better sense of what makes the park so renowned.
Over the past several years, an ongoing landslide has intermittently closed part of the Denali Park Road, requiring a massive effort by the National Park Service to keep the area safely maintained for visitors and staff. In 2026 construction of the bridge bypassing the landslide was completed! The Denali Park Road will reopen fully in 2027!
Denali Park Road Bus Tours
Narrated large group tours on the Denali Park Road, 4 - 12 hours. In 2025, there will be a revised service. No busses will travel beyond Mile Post 43 while there is construction on a bridge to bypass a landslide at Mile Post 45.4 of the Denali Park Road.
The best way to get an overview of Denali National Park is aboard one of the park buses, which feature a trained naturalist who both drives and provides narration. Available tours include the Natural History Tour (4−5 hrs), and the Tundra Wilderness Tour (5−5.5 hrs).
Most people who visit the six-million-acre Denali National Park only see roughly the first dozen — or maybe 50 — miles of the legendary park road. But this tour takes you all the way to the depths of Kantishna — the heart of the park where you have the chance to experience postcard-perfect views of Denali. This tour makes for a full day — from about 6 in the morning until 7 or 8 in the evening — but it’s an adventure of a lifetime
Park Service Hiker & Camper Shuttle Bus
Not always narrated, serves as transportation for campers and hikers in the park. Or, you can ride it as an alternative to a tour.
This flexible alternative to the standard bus tour is an excellent option for independent travelers. Get off anywhere, spend a few hours hiking, then catch another bus back to the park entrance (as long as a seat is available). You can take a short ride before starting your adventure, or travel out to Kantishna, at the end of the park road. See adjusted services for 2025.
Hiking & Biking Tours along Denali Park Road
Experience the Denali Park Road on two feet or by bike!
If you want to experience Denali National Park, Bike Denali has a fun, unique way to do it — on two wheels! Options include afternoon rentals to ride around the park entrance, full-day rentals to the explore the Denali Park Road to multi-day rentals for bike camping. Opt for a mountain bike, or eBike.
Traverse Alaska can craft fully-guided custom adventures, or set you up on a trip into the Alaska wilderness arming you with some know-how — and providing you with the independence to freely explore. Excursions include private day hikes, rafting and packrafting, and multi-day backpacking.
Denali Highway
30 miles south of the Denali National Park Visitor Center, is the town of Cantwell and the start of the Denali Highway. This was the original road to Denali National Park. In 2025, one tour is available to experience this historic road as an alternative to the Denali Park Road.
This is your chance to experience the spectacular scenery along the Denali Highway, a road recently ranked #2 worldwide as a ‘Drive of a Lifetime’ by National Geographic Traveler Magazine. You’ll be given the opportunity to take the wheel, or if you prefer, just sit back and enjoy stunning views of the peaks and glaciers of the central Alaska Range. There is a guide in the Jeep up front, but you can stop wherever, whenever, and as often as you ...more
Fly-In Tours
Fly the length of the Denali Park Road to the remote Kantishna area in the heart of the park. Spend the afternoon gold panning, hiking, kayaking, or paddleboarding before flying back to the park entrance.
Your journey starts with a 35-minute flight, gliding over towering mountains, glaciers, and pristine wilderness. On a clear day, you’ll have a front-row view of Denali, North America’s tallest peak. Touch down in the remote Kantishna Gold Mining District and board a shuttle for the Kantishna Roadhouse where you’ll enjoy lunch and choose from a menu of activities like gold panning, guided walk or hike, or self-guided kayaking or paddleboarding on ...more