Visiting Denali: Now You See It, Now You Don’t

Denali National Park is home to North America’s tallest peak, 20,320-foot Mt. McKinley, but few RV travelers are lucky enough to glimpse it in summer. During a July trip to Alaska, we had glorious views during a morning tour into the park, but by afternoon the typical haze set in and the snow-capped behemoth disappeared. Many RVers we met never saw the mountain. The same is true of wildlife. Denali’s 6 million acres are home to moose, bear, caribou, wolves and dozens of other species; but without powerful binoculars or a telephoto lens, you’ll only see a brown splotch in the distance.

Denali offers limited RV campsites (no hook ups), so book early and pay attention to size restrictions. Visitors can drive 15 miles into the park, then must travel via park bus, hike or bike into the interior. The Wonder Lake tour at the end of Denali’s single, 135-mile gravel road is worth the 12-hour trip. Shuttles stop for scenic views and wildlife sightings and make a rest stop every 2 hours. Carry food and water; the only concessions are at the entrance visitors’ center.

Want to see McKinley up close? K2 Aviation in Talkeetna south of Denali will fly you right between the peaks and land on a glacier. A staging area for climbers and rafters, Talkeetna is a bit rustic but has excellent gift shops. Eat a gourmet meal at the Wildflower Cafe prepared by President H.W. Bush’s former White House chef, now a part-time dog musher!