Denali National Park & Preserve

How Long To Stay in Denali?

If you're visiting from Anchorage, you can’t do Denali in a day because it takes 5.5 hours to get there by car or 8 hours by train. We recommend staying 2 nights, if you stay at a lodge near the Park entrance or camp. Staying 2 nights gives you one full day in the park to take a bus tour along the Denali Park Road, or experience the park in another way such as hiking or biking.

Plan to stay 3 or 4 nights if choose a lodge in Kantishna, deep inside the park. If you're visiting from Fairbanks (2.5 hours by car or 4 hours by train), you could spend a few hours exploring the visitor center and nearby trails before returning to Fairbanks, but we still recommend staying at least one night.

Favorite Activities in Denali National Park

Most independent travelers explore Denali by taking one of the bus tours, each of which covers varying lengths of the Park Road. You can compare different Park Road tours to see which is best for you, but keep in mind that you don’t have to stick with a bus. Rent bicycles and go solo—or use the hop-on, hop-off Park Shuttle to hike sections of the park on your own. Go rafting, flightseeing, take a rowdy ATV tour, ziplining, or join a guided hike. If you stay at one of the lodges deep inside Denali you can hike, bicycle, canoe and experience Denali National Park away from the crowds.

While in Denali, practice Leave No Trace ethics. Choosing reusable bags, water bottles, and recycling are easy ways to reduce waste while you travel. Check out these sustainable travel tips.

Getting to Denali

By Car: Denali is 5½ hours from Anchorage and 2.5 hours from Fairbanks.
By Train: Denali is 8 hours by the Alaska Railroad from Anchorage, or 4 hours by train from Fairbanks.
My Motorcoach: The Park Connection provides transportation between Seward, Anchorage, and Talkeetna to Denali.

For more information, see Anchorage to Denali, Seward to Denali, or Fairbanks to Denali.

Getting Around Denali

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 2025, construction will continue for a bridge bypassing the landslide. During construction, visitors will have access to the first 43 scenic miles of the park road. You can book a tour or use the park shuttle. Shuttles also operate between the park entrance area hotels, visitor center, dog sled kennels, and front-country hiking trails.