"Reflection Pond" by U.S. National Park Service , public domain
Denali
National Park & Preserve - Alaska
Denali National Park and Preserve encompasses 6 million acres of Alaska’s interior wilderness. Its centerpiece is 20,310-ft.-high Denali (fka Mount McKinley), North America’s tallest peak. With terrain of tundra, spruce forest and glaciers, the park is home to wildlife including grizzly bears, wolves, moose, caribou and Dall sheep. Popular activities in summer include biking, backpacking, hiking and mountaineering.
Travel Map of the 135 miles long Denali Highway in Alaska which connects Paxson on the Richardson Highway with Cantwell Junction on the Parks Highway. Published by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
Denali
Denali National Park and Preserve
Alaska
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Denali
means “the High One” for Athabascan Indians
north of the Alaska Range
To Make a Wild Dream Come True
Charles Sheldon had a dream. Standing on a rise
in the Kantishna Hills in January 1908, he pulled
out his field glasses—more important to him than
his hunting rifle—and looked around. Everything
his eyes feasted on could one day be a premier
national park, the Yellowstone of Alaska, preserved
and protected for one reason above all others: to
celebrate restraint as an expression of freedom, our
rare ability to save a place so it will one day save
us. He studied the ocean of land, storm-tossed by
mountains and glaciers, waves of rolling tundra, a
landscape like no other, vast, intact, winter-white,
and holding its breath, so still yet dynamic, epic
and epoch in its dimensions, the America that
used to be. Such a grand ambition. More than a
dream, it was a spark of idealism, a vision. Could
Sheldon do it? Could one person with help from a
few committed colleagues and friends successfully
campaign for the creation of a national park?
Thomas Jefferson had said it would take 1,000 years
for Americans to civilize their emerging continental
nation and build cities on the Pacific coast as they
had on the Atlantic. It took 50 years. The so-called
“myth of superabundance”—that we would never
run out of fish and bison and bears and so much
else—was rapidly becoming just that: a myth. A
Yale man who preferred to be in the wilderness,
Sheldon decided to dedicate himself to the conservation cause of President Theodore Roosevelt. He
journeyed to Alaska when the young US territory
had no roads and only 30,000 people (fewer than
five percent of what it has today), and found his
way to the mountains.
Due south of him rose the icy granite massif that
gold miners in Kantishna and Fairbanks called
Mount McKinley but that Sheldon simply called
“the mountain,” or “Denali,” the Athabascan name
meaning “the high one.” Certainly a mountain like
that could take care of itself, being the highest in
North America. But what of the magnificent wild
animals that embroidered it, the grizzlies, caribou,
wolves, moose, Dall sheep, and others that moved
over the land with ancient grace? Market hunters
were coming into the country with an aim to
kill wild game to feed gold miners and railroad
workers. It had to stop. Sheldon spent 10 months
in the Denali region, then headed back east with
one purpose: to make a wild dream come true.
Rethinking Wolves, Wilderness, and Wildness
“. . . let us be guardians, rather than gardeners.”
Adolph Murie had a theory. Wolves were not bad
or evil. They were keen predators that helped to
maintain healthy populations of prey species by
taking out the old, sick, and injured. Wolves, in fact,
were beneficial. They made everything around them
stronger, healthier, more agile, and alert. This was
heresy in the 1930s, when books, films, and legends
demonized the wolf, the wild dog that thousands of
years ago had refused our obedience training yet
remained our four-legged shadow, a ghost of the
hunter we used to be. A wildlife biologist who had
studied coyotes in Yellowstone, Murie found great
inspiration when he came north to Mount McKinley
National Park.
—Adolph Murie
Here was a dream come true, a park signed into law
in February 1917 by Woodrow Wilson after nearly
10 years of campaigning by Charles Sheldon and
other activists. Here was a once-upon-a-time land,
the most accessible wilderness in Alaska, a park to
protect wild animals by protecting the place where
they lived, the first national park created after the
creation of the National Park Service in August 1916.
The world was changing and Murie wanted to be
part of it. “Ecology” and “wilderness” were beginning to find their way into the American vocabulary.
Nature wasn’t a commodity people owned, it was a
community they belonged to. Over-civilized people
needed nature—big, mysterious, wild—to find
themselves and lose themselves and find themselves
again, to rewrite the definitions of progress and
wealth, and be reminded what it meant to be truly
alive.
and then jumped in 1972 after a highway was built
between Anchorage and Fairbanks.
For three years, 1939–41, Murie lived with his family
in a cabin on the East Fork of the Toklat River, in the
heart of the park, and studied Dall sheep, caribou,
and wolves. His young daughter sometimes joined
him on the tundra, field glasses in hand, like Charles
Sheldon, to watch wolf pups play near their den. A
single 90-mile-long road had been built through the
park, and while traffic was light, it increased steadily
As big as the park was, it wasn’t big enough. Murie
and others wanted to protect its ecological integrity.
And so they campaigned, and hoped for a president
one day who would be as conservation-minded as
Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson.
Imagine. Here’s a place we did not harvest or plund
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska
Official newspaper
S u m m e r 2 017
Alpenglow
HAPPY
B I RT H D AY
FEB 26, 1917
DENALI
NATIONAL PARK
EST. 1917
™
Wild, Wonderful, Waiting for You
Discover the Next 100
PHOTO COURTESY SIERRA WILLOUGHBY
Make the most of your time in Denali
Two hours
Four hours
More than a day
• Check out all of the cool offerings and
exhibits at the Denali Visitor Center,
8 am to 6 pm. The park movie plays
each half hour.
• Ride a free shuttle to Savage River at
Mile 15. Schedules are posted
at bus stops.
• Reserve a spot on a once-in-a
lifetime, ranger-led backcountry
Discovery Hike. Check fliers for trip
descriptions and difficulty ratings.
Sign up at the Denali Visitor Center,
then buy a bus ticket for an 8 am
departure from the Wilderness
Access Center.
• Drive to Mountain Vista Trailhead at
Mile 13 for a possible first glimpse
of Denali.
• Enjoy a picnic and family play space at
the Riley Creek Day Use Area.
• Attend a noontime naturalist talk
at the Murie Science and
Learning Center.
• Visit the historic Park Kennels for
a Sled Dog Demonstration. During
peak season, free shuttles depart the
Denali Visitor Center bus depot at
9:20 am, 1:20 pm, and 3:20 pm. You'll
be back about 90 minutes later.
• Attend a ranger presentation at
7:30 pm at several park campgrounds.
Check posted fliers for topics.
• Hike trails throughout the entrance
area. See maps and descriptions on
pages 10-11.
• Join a ranger-led walk or talk offered
every few hours at the Denali Visitor
Center. Check fliers for listings.
Full day
• Visit the Eielson Visitor Center at
Mile 66. Bus tickets and departures
are available at the Wilderness
Access Center.
• Take a day hike in the backcountry.
Jump off a transit bus, explore,
then wave down another green bus
heading your direction.
Stay Connected
h t t p ://t wi t t er.co m /D e na liN P S
www.f aceb o o k.co m /D e na liN P S
• Reserve a tent or RV site at the Riley
Creek Mercantile for one of six
campgrounds throughout the park.
• If you plan to bike or backpack
overnight in the backcountry, be
sure to pick up a free permit at the
Backcountry Information Center.
This orientation, safety, and planning
process usually takes about an hour.
As your travels continue, please visit
the Walter Harper Talkeetna Ranger
Station, on B Street in Talkeetna, and
Alaska Public Lands Information
Centers in Fairbanks at 101 Dunkel St.,
and in Anchorage at 605 W 4th Ave.
www.i n s t ag r am .co m /D e na liN P S
www.f l i ckr.co m /p h o t o s /D e na liN P S
www.yo u t u b e.co m /u s er /D e na liN P S
Ranger Programs ...................... Page 3
Family Offerings ....................... Page 4
Special Events ........................... Page 5
Tour and Transit Buses ............. Page 6
Entrance Area Trails ............... Page 10
Artist-in-Residence ................... Page 18
Bear Safety Advisories ........... Page 19
Park Regulations ..................... Page 20
Happy 100th Birthday, Denali
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Denali National Park and Preserve
P.O. Box 9, Denali Park, AK 99755
E-mail
DENA_Info@nps.gov
Website
www.nps.gov/dena
Phone
907 683-9532
Bus and campsite reservations
800 622-7275 Nationwide
907 272-7275 International
www.reservedenali.com
Tip Line to Report Crime
800 478-2724
Emergency
Dial 911
We are so proud to be stewards for one of your crown jewels
for appropriate development and public use with the need for
long-term, sustainable conservation of increasingly
fragile resources.
by Don Striker
Superintendent
During such times, we
are apt to remember
the lessons of the
past. Upon reflection,
it took many diverse
partners to fulfill a
vision for setting Denali
apart for the public. These partners include visionaries like
Charles Sheldon, members of the Boone and Crockett Club
as well as experts who had "been there, done that" like Harry
Karstens and, of course Belmore Brown and his Campfire
Club. But there also was support from the private sector like
that of America's railroads, hoteliers and tourism proponents;
conservationists attuned to the need to preserve special
places; and our government officials, like then Utah Senator
Reed Smoot, who sponsored the bill that led to the creation
of the National Park Service in 1916.
I believe we will be successful, because we will work together
and overcome differences of opinion to solve our challenges.
I've always taken solace in President Abraham Lincoln’s
words, "A house divided against itself cannot stand." The
same spirit of cooperation from federal and local
governments, private and public stakeholders, and motivated
visitors like yourself is at work as you read these words, and
WE ARE COMMITTED, TOGETHER, to make Denali
better and more sustainable.
I tend to be long-winded. But protecting Denali for your
grandchildren's grandchildren is a task that lends itself to
long windedness. Enjoy your stay! I invit
Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Official newspaper
Au tu m n 2 016 to S p r i n g 2 017
Alpenglow
PHOTO COURTESY MENNO BOERMANS
The "Edge of the World" near the 14,200-foot camp on Denali's popular West Buttress route has a dramatic 5,000-foot drop to the Northeast Fork of the Kahiltna Glacier.
Superintendent Greeting
The year 2016 was special as the
National Park Service marked its
100th birthday. Special events were held
in Denali and other parks across the
Denali Celebrates its Next Century
Park staff and community groups are
working together to host events to
commemorate the 100th anniversary of the
park's establishment on Feb. 26, 1917.
country to mark the milestone.
The year 2017 will be just as exciting as
Denali celebrates its own centennial in
February.
The park offers year-round activities
for people of all ages. I encourage
visitors, neighbors and partners to take
advantage of the incredibly diverse, wild
and amazing landscape that is Denali.
As we move into a new century of
stewardship, the staff — in conjunction
with a host of partners — is planning
many events to highlight the park,
which is an integral part of the
Denali community and the
landscape of Alaska.
At a Solstice Luminary Stroll, you can
ski, snowshoe, or stroll down a trail lit by
luminaria (candles) on a snowy winter's
night. This family-friendly
event begins in the early evening of
Wed Dec 21 at the Winter Visitor Center
(Murie Science and Learning Center) at
Mile 1.4 of the Denali Park Road.
Trails are appropriate for all levels of
skiing or snowshoeing ability. Hot drinks
will be provided afterward.
Denali Winterfest 2017 is set for
Sat Feb 25 and Sun Feb 26. This
community-wide event offers something
for all ages, interests, and abilities. Events at
the park typically include guided skiing and
snowshoe walks, activities for kids, exhibits,
guest speakers, dog sled rides, hot drinks
and light refreshments.
A special relationship exists between
Several special events are being planned
for that Sunday to commemorate the
specific date of the park's 100th birthday.
Among the honored guests in attendance
is expected to be Charlie Sheldon, a
descendant of Charles Sheldon, who was
among the leading advocates lobbying
Congress to create the park in 1917. More
at http://go.nps.gov/Winterfest
å
February in Anchorage, Talkeetna, Denali Park,
and Fairbanks. Please watch for emerging
Mark your calendars now for Denali
Summerfest on Sat June 10, 2017.
The day will feature free events including
musical performances, food, children's
activities, and more.
Learn more about all of Denali's
Centennial events and initiatives at http://
go.nps.gov/ Denali100
−
stakeholders; remain relevant in
camping in the Bear Loop of Riley Creek
Park Headquarters (Mile 3.4) in February.
our communities; engage and
Campground is free on a first-come basis.
Weather permitting, access opens to
encourage youth; and support our
Fees may apply in Spring
Mountain Vista (Mile 12) by mid-February,
We're Open Year Round
Throughout the off-season,
partners as we fulfill our mission to
preserve and protect.
Enjoy your visit.
Don Striker
Superintendent
details on the park website and social media
feeds about event locations and times.
Narrated by Shelton Johnson, the
acclaimed 2015 film sheds light on a
complex relationship that "minority
majority"populations have with wild places.
The documentary features nine AfricanAmerican climbers on a grueling expedition
led by the National Outdoor Leadership
with future conservationists and
we will continue to make connections
outreach this winter, the park will
host screenings of An American Ascent in
the park and its visitors, volunteers and
neighbors. As we look to the future,
As a highlight of its Centennial
%
How Far May I Drive?
Road crews begin plowing beyond
the Savage River (Mile 15) as early as
i
Winter Visitor Center
the first weekend in April, and the
Running water, restrooms, a warm
Teklanika River (Mile 30) a week or two
fireplace, and permits for overnight stays
thereafter. May 19 is the last day of off-season
in the backcountry are available daily
road adventures beyond Mile 15. That's the
9 am to 4:30 pm at the Murie Science
day before regular schedules of shuttles and
and Learning Center at Mile 1.4
tours begin venturing farther into the park.
of the Denali Park Road.
School (NOLS) on America's biggest and
baddest mountain. Learn more at
w w w.anamericanascent.com
QUICK CONTENTS
Local Services, Tours, Flightseeing ............. 2
Park Rules and Safety Advisories .............. 3
Winter Recreation Opportunities ............. 4
Trails for Skis and Snowshoes .................. 5
Artist-in-Residence Program ..................... 7
Trails for Hiking the Entrance Area ........... 8
Winter Visitor Centers
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Denali National Park and Preserve
P.O. Box 9
De
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska
Official newspaper
S u m m e r 2 016
Alpenglow
Setting up a safe camp in Denali means making a "golden triangle." Tents must be pitched at least a hundred yards from cooking areas, and another
hundred yards from Bear Resistant Food Containers (BRFCs), provided free with your backcountry permit. Learn more on Page 10.
Two celebrations mark two park centennials
T
his year, the National Park Service celebrates
the 100th anniversary of its establishment by
Congress in 1916. Next year in 2017, Denali National
Park and Preserve achieves its own centennial.
In 1917, Mount McKinley National Park, as it was
known at that time, was the first national park
founded following the creation of the new agency.
Human Hundred
Grab your gear. Mark your map. Start your app,
if that's your thing. The park is challenging its visitors
and staff to log 100 miles of human-powered travel during
2016 and 2017 to commemorate its centennial birthdays.
Walk, bike, run, ski or snowshoe. Watch for rangerled events to help you reach your Human Hundred.
●
First-Timer Friendly
Denali is working to make it easier for Alaskans with
limited hiking or camping experience to visit and explore.
The park is partnering with other public land agencies
and outdoor gear companies to provide families with
the encouragement and resources they need to make
their first experiences here easier and more enjoyable.
NPS PHOTO / KENT MILLER
Welcome to YOUR park
You have arrived just in time to join us in
celebrating a very special occasion, the
centennial of the National Park Service.
One hundred years ago the National Park
Service was created to care for and protect
the nation’s natural and cultural treasures,
to preserve its stories, and to create a
common ground for all its citizenry to
enjoy now and far into the future.
In Denali, we are privileged to share the
stories of the human connection to a vast
and wild landscape. Subsistence hunting,
trapping and gathering occur today just as
DENA 21956, DENALI NPP MUSEUM COLLECTION
Entering the park in June 1939.
The park recognizes both milestones as opportunities
to engage new generations in its timeless mission to
protect and interpret tangible treasures, such as wildlife,
wildlands, and waterways, as well as intangibles, such
as its cultural accomplishments, lessons, and stories.
Looking Good in Green
As one of three pilot parks selected for a Subaru Zero
Landfill Initiative, Denali is working with partners and
surrounding communities to put the park on a path
toward 100 percent landfill diversion. Two hybrid buses
and 12 propane buses also are joining its shuttle and
transit fleet to reduce sound and carbon emissions.
Local Services and Amenities ................. 2
Page 5
Stay Connected
Follow Denali's growing array of social media feeds
listed on Page 16 for details about upcoming events and
initiatives. Join the conversation at Fi n d Yo u r Pa r k . co m
critical to understanding the effects of
climate change on our global community.
More than anything else, we hope you
celebrate the true ideal of national parks
here in Denali, a place that has been set
aside to connect people to America’s past,
NPS PHOTO / KENT MILLER
Entering the park today.
Please consult Page 3 for wildlife safety
advisories and regulations.
Great One
Denali, Tenada, Bulshaia Gora,
Densmore Peak, Mount McKinley ...
all of these and more are names attributed
Entrance Area Trail Maps ....................... 9
to the tallest mountain in North America.
Everyday Things To Do in Denali ......... 15
Free Courtesy Shuttles .....................…... 16
change. As permafrost thaws, glaciers
to care for this living laboratory that is so
Tour and Shuttle Buses …....................... 7
Artist-in-Residence Offerings ............... 14
Denali also serves as a barometer for
shrink, and tree lines rise, we feel humbled
Safety Advisories and Regulations ........ 3
Campgrounds …...................................... 6
they did hundreds of years ago.
Park Historian Erik K. Johnson describes
key characters and events in a naming
debate that spans more than 100 years.
Page 12
a place that protects present wildlife and
amazing landscapes for your enjoyment
and that of future generations, and a place
that celebrates the individual’s opportunity
Ranger Me
Why should kids get to have all the fun
with Discovery Packs and Junior Ranger
activities? (See Page 11.)
Visitors of all ages may tackle two pages
of activities to earn distinction as a
"Not-So Junior Ranger." Challenges
include a crossword, scavenger hunt,
"I Spy" and a short essay or drawing.
to experience inspiration, reflection, awe,
and wonder. It's a big idea, but we believe
Denali is big enough for all visitors to find
something special in their park.
Enjoy your visit.
Don Striker
Superintendent
Park Partners
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Dena
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Denali National Park & Preserve
geology road guide
Denali National Park & Preserve
geology road guide
Capps . McLane . Chang . Grover . Strand
Credits
Former Denali geologist Phil Brease initiated this guide for the benefit of
countless future staff and visitors. It is the product of multiple years’ worth of
efforts by National Park Service (NPS) staff and Geological Society of America
(GSA) interns.
Authors
Denny Capps, NPS Geologist, Denali National Park and Preserve
Sierra McLane, NPS Director, Murie Science and Learning Center
Lucy Chang, GSA Intern, Geoscientists-in-the-Parks program
Layout and Design
Ellen Grover, NPS Science Communicator, Denali National Park and Preserve
Sarah Strand, GSA Intern, Geoscientists-in-the-Parks program
Laura Vachula, NPS Education Technician, Denali National Park Preserve
Special Thanks
Christina Forbes, GSA Intern, Geoscientists-in-the-Parks program
Chad Hults, Don and Sandy Kewman, Jan Tomsen, Kara Lewandowski,
Ron Cole, and other contributers and reviewers
Cover Photo
NPS Photo / Tim Rains
How to Cite This Book:
Capps, D., McLane, S., and Chang, L. 2020. Denali National Park and Preserve
Geology Road Guide (3rd ed.). National Park Service, Denali National Park and
Preserve, Denali Park, Alaska.
Available for free online.
The original edition of this book was inspired by the 2016 National Park Service
Centennial during which Denali celebrated 100 years of geological research and
exploration.
C016245
Dedication
This guide is dedicated to Phil Brease (Denali Park Geologist from 1986 to 2010).
Phil’s humor, wisdom, music, and love of adventure and geology will never
be forgotten by the many people whose lives he touched. Throughout his
years as Denali’s geologist, Phil discovered fossils, monitored glaciers and
road hazards, reclaimed mined lands, taught geology, and predicted that if
we kept looking in the right places, someday we would find a dinosaur track
in the park.
Denali geology is no piece of cake, or one should say ‘layer cake,’
as places like the Grand Canyon are often described. In fact, I like
to describe the geology of Denali as a mix of several well-known
western parks. The recipe is to place the sediments of the Grand
Canyon, the plutonic rocks of Yosemite, and the volcanics of Mount
Rainier in a blender, and turn it on briefly to ‘chop.’ Then layer as
a parfait, and serve with large quantities of ice from the likes of
Glacier Bay National Park!
—Phil Brease
NPS Photo
Table of Contents
Part 1
From Old Rocks to Young Ice:
Entrance Area to Teklanika
Part 2
1
Dynamic Denali:
Teklanika to Toklat
29
Mount Healy
6
Where Teklanika and
Cantwell Formations Meet
32
Glacial Forces
7
Teklanika Dikes
33
Glacial Erratics
8
First Dinosaur Footprint Found In Denali
36
Drunken Trees
9
Tattler Creek
37
Hines Creek Fault Expression
10
Igloo Creek Debris Slide
40
Lignite/Dry Creek Terminal Moraine
11
Sable Pass Debris Slide
42
The High One Emerges
12
Coal Mining by the East Fork Toklat
43
Gossan
13
Polychrome Pass
44
Gravel Ridge
14
Bear Cave Slump
46
Building the Park Road
47
Pretty Rocks Landslide
48
Spheroidal Weathering
50
Polychrome Overlook—Looking North
51
Savage River
16
Nenana Gravel
18
Double Mountain
19
Antecedent Stream
23
Polychrome Overlook—Looking South
52
Drunken Forest
24
Patterned Ground
55
Kettle Ponds
25
Road-Blocking Debris Flows
58
Teklanika River and Surrounding Area
28
Toklat River
59
Part 3
A Park of Unusual Scale:
Toklat to Kantishna
Geo Features
60
Rock Types
4
Highway Pass
64
Braided Rivers
15
Bergh Lake
65
Aufeis
22
Denali Unobscured
67
Assembling Alaska: Accreted Terranes
26
Eielson Visitor Center
68
Paleontological Wonders
34
Pillow Basalt
71
Precarious Permafrost
38
Muldrow Glacier
72
Glaciers
56
Hines Creek Fault
74
Why is Denali so Tall?
70
Muldrow Moraines
75
Earthquakes
78
Western Kettle Ponds
76
Geologic Timeline
84
Wonder Lake
77
Glossary
85
Glaciofluvial Terraces
80
References
88
Seismic Activity in the Kantishna Hills
81
Index
94
Kantishna Area Mining Legacy
82
Introduction
Denali National Park and Preserve is a place where powerful geologic
forces—tectonics, volcanism, and glaciation, among others—have collectively
produced a stunning showcase of landscape features. Some features
dominate, like the flanks of Denali and the glacially-carved valleys that
surround it, while others may only be noticed by the trained eye. This
guide highlights some of the most interesting geological phenomena
that can be experienced from the Denali Park Road. It stands on the shoulders
of several past road guides, including some by the previous park geologist,
Phil Brease10,48. Though the text is composed with an east-to-west drive
in mind, each feature stands alone, allowing for the guide’s use regardless
of where you are or how you got there.
If you a
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Denali National Park and Preserve
Featured Trails
Most of Denali is devoid of trails. The trails that do exist are primarily around the Denali
Visitor Center, near the park entrance; and at Savage River, 15 miles into the park.
Savage River (Miles 12–15)
GE
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aR
RG
Ne
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Horseshoe Lake Trail
To Fairbanks
O
Savage River Loop
r
PA
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D E N A L I PA R K R O A
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Tr a
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Roadside Bike Trail
Jonesville Connector Trail
A
Riley Creek
Campground
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( H side Bike
AY Road
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1
W
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DE N
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Riv
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PA
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O
Sav
Mount Healy
k
LI
Backcountry Information Center
Denali Visitor Center Campus
Circled area not to scale!
HI
Note: Parking is limited.
Use the Mountain Vista Trailhead
when full or take the free
Savage River Shuttle.
S
Denali Bus Depot
Savage Alpine Trail
R
RK
15
K
A
l
To Park
Entrance
E
Meadow View
Connector Trail
r ai
ek
T
North
o
R
To Mountain Vista (9 miles)
and Savage River (11 miles)
DE
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ad
K RO
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kin
Hi
Spruce Forest
Connector Trail
Morino
Connector
Trail
Ro
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Tra
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Riley Cr
McK
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3
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Cre
Triple La k e s
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Hin
Riley Creek
L
Nen
Mountain Vista Trail
N
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Savage Cabin Loop
tion
Tra
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P
C
St a
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M
B
Q
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RO
13
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Sled Dog Kennels
Denali Park Headquarters
To Anchorage
Continues south
9 miles one-way
I
Denali Visitor Center Campus
Denali Bus Depot
A Denali Visitor Center
H
B Alaska Geographic Park Store
Bus Tickets and Departures
Sled Dog Kennels
C The Morino Grill
D Bus Stop and Baggage Claim
Legend
Riley Creek Campground
Denali Bus Depot & Backcountry Information Center
M Riley Creek Mercantile and Campground
Visitor Information
Campground
N Riley Creek Campground Bus Stop
Bus Depot
RV Dump Station
Restrooms
Fee Collection
Store
Park Road Mile Marker
Gifts
Riley Creek Loop Shuttle
Bus Stop
O Riley Creek Day Use Area
I
Sled Dog Kennels
J
Sled Dog Kennels Bus Stop
Savage River Area (Miles 12–15)
E Restrooms
Other Bus Stops
P Mountain Vista Trailhead
F Alaska Railroad Depot
K Horseshoe Lake Trailhead and Bus Stop
Q Savage River Campground
Picnic Area
Savage River Shuttle
Bus Stop
G Murie Science and Learning Center
L Park Headquarters Bus Stop
R Savage River
Restaurant
Sled Dog Demonstration
Bus Stop
Frontcountry Trails
Savage River Area Trails (Miles 12–15)**
Safety
Hikers should be prepared for
encounters with moose, bears,
or wolves.
Trail
Difficulty Elevation Distance*
Trail
Difficulty Elevation Distance
Roadside
Bike Path
Easy
150 ft
(45 m)
Savage Alpine
Trail
Strenuous 1,500 ft
(457m)
4 miles (6.4 km)
One-way
Spruce
Forest Trail
Easy
Negligible 0.1 miles (.16 km)
One-way
Mountain
Vista Trail
Easy
50 ft
(15m)
0.6 miles (1 km)
Round-trip
Horseshoe
Lake Trail
Moderate
250 ft
(76 m)
4 miles (6.4 km)
Round-trip
Savage Cabin
Loop
Easy
50 ft
(15 m)
0.8 mile (1.3 km)
Round-trip
McKinley
Station Trail
Moderate
100 ft
(30 m)
1.6 miles (2.6 km)
One-way
Savage River
Loop
Moderate Negligible 2 miles (3.2 km)
Round-trip
Rock Creek
Trail
Moderate
400 ft
(122 m)
2.4 miles (3.8 km)
One-way
Roadside
Hiking Trail
Moderate
350 ft
(106 m)
1.8 miles (2.9 km)
One-way
Mt. Healy
Overlook
Trail
Strenuous 1,700 ft
(518 m)
2.7 miles (4.3 km)
One-way
Triple Lakes
Trail
Strenuous 1,000 ft
(305 m)
9.5 miles (15.3 km)
One-way
1.7 miles (2.7 km)
One-way
*All distances are measured from the Denali Visitor Center (DVC). Hiking the
Horseshoe Lake Trail from the Horseshoe Lake Trailhead reduces the distance to
2 miles round-trip.
Bookstore
•
Carry bear spray and know
how to use it.
•
Be prepared to run from
moose, but never run from a
wolf or bear.
•
Stay 25 yards away from all
wildlife, except bears—stay
300 yards away from bears.
•
See go.nps.gov/DenaliSafety
for detailed information
on wildlife safety and on
staying safe in a wilderness
environment.
Access Savage River Area Trails by using the Savage River
Shuttle from the Denali Visitor Center—see go.nps.gov/
DenaliCourtesy for schedules and dates of operation.
Please note, access to Savage River is variable in spring and fall,
depending on snow conditions.
Denali Trails
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska
McKinley Station
TRAIL
Welcome to McKinley Station
Journey back nearly a century to a time when a raucous and vibrant community
existed here, to an era of gold prospectors, trappers, hunters, and pioneer rangers.
McKinley Station was typical of Alaska towns of the era, booming overnight then fading
into obscurity. Construction of the Alaska Railroad provided the original stimulus for the
community and the development of the new park kept it going.
Park Road and Entrance
Until 1932, the boundary of Mount McKinley National
Park lay a few miles to the west of here. Upon its completion in
1938, the Park Road led 92 miles from the railroad depot to the
Kantishna Mining District, just outside the park boundary at that
time. Much of the road was cut by hand by teams of laborers, at a
finished cost of around $1.3 million.
Mount McKinley Park Hotel
Maurice Morino’s park hotel opened for business on
Thanksgiving Day 1921. For almost two decades, people from far
and wide gathered at this rustic hotel. Here, dog mushers and
trappers mingled with miners and rangers, school teachers and
itinerants, and once, a U.S. president.
Station Residents
The trail here traverses an area where Maurice Morino
allowed people to build cabins, trading labor for free rent.
Residents included Woodbury Abbey who came to conduct the
park’s first boundary survey, school teacher Louise Ann Fairburn,
miner Elmer Hosler and his wife, Maud, the postmaster.
Go online to learn more about Maurice Morino, Harry Karstens,
pioneer scientists, early law enforcement, and a detailed history
of each stop along the McKinley Station Trail:
http://go.usa.gov/D58
Riley and Hines
You are now standing on the south bank of Hines
Creek. In the 1920s, your view would have been of a wide,
treeless and rocky, flat area with two streams converging
nearby. One enduring mystery is the identity of the people
for whom these creeks were named.
Original Park Headquarters
The park’s first ranger, Harry Karstens, arrived in early
summer 1921, and began the pioneering work of applying
the rule of law in the new park. Karstens began clearing land
for his headquarters on the northwest bank of Riley Creek,
upstream from the bridge. The location offered an ideal place
to monitor people using the trail leading west to the park.
Railroad Trestle
The steel bridge looming high above you looks much
the same as it did upon its completion in early 1922, with one
exception. Gone is the football-field-length wooden trestle
that originally connected the steel structure to the north bluff.
In the 1950s, the railroad hauled hundreds of tons of rock and
earth to extend the bluff to the edge of the first concrete and
steel support.
Photo: Harry Karstens, his family, and a friend, Helen Livingston, await the
arrival of a train at the depot.
Credit: Henry P. Karstens Collection, 0297, Karstens Library
The Hole
Denali Visitor Center
You are now standing at the northwest corner of Maurice
Morino’s original roadhouse. Imagine the isolation here when
Morino built his cabin in 1914: no road, no railroad, no easy overland trail, and the Nenana River unfit for navigation. The area
below the bridge and at the junction of two trails was known as
“the hole,” an area off limits to the local children. The illicit traits
of the “Roaring 20s”—bootlegging, alcohol manufacturing,
gambling, violence, and prostitution—were centered here.
Alaska Road
Commission HQ
Depot
Schoolhouse
Arch
First Roadhouse
Silver Fox Ranch
Until the 1920s, fox farming was a burgeoning industry. The
cold, long winters here offered near ideal conditions for breeding
foxes with luxurious fur. Silver foxes, an almost black color phase
of red fox, were especially valuable and in high demand both in
the U.S. and abroad. This is the former site of Duke and Elizabeth
Stubbs’ Mount McKinley Silver Fox Ranch, a business that sold
furs both to tourists and fur buyers, and supplied breeding pairs
of foxes to fur farms across Alaska.
Riley
Hines
Credit: H.G. Kaiser, Alaska Railroad Collection; Anchorage Museum, AEC.G1444.
Railroad
Construction
Camp
Please stay on established trails.
Do not disturb historic artifacts.
The community
gathers for a summer
party in 1926.
Henry P. Karstens
Collection, 0636,
Karstens Library.
Morino’s second business concern, the Mount McKinley Park Hotel, hosted
a visit by President Warren Harding and a 65-person Congressional delega
tion in July 1923.
Henry P. Karstens Collection, 1486, Karstens Library.
Denali Trails | McKinley Station Trail
Moderate
1.6 miles/2.6 km, 1 hr one way
Please stay on trails.
Creek
Creek
End of an Era
On March 19, 1932, President Herbert Hoover signed an
act expanding the park, moving the eastern boundary to
the “natural boundary” of the Nenana River. The move
placed the entire community within park boundaries.
Conservationists hailed the extension a
Denali Trails
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska
Mount Healy Overlook
TRAIL
Wild CHALLENGE
Hiking the Mount Healy Overlook Trail can involve both mental and physical challenges,
but the rewards are worth it. Take time to reflect as you climb this steep trail. The challenges
can be compared to those experienced in the park’s creation and management.
What does this language mean to you, and how would you uphold it?
“…to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same
in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.”— The National Park Service
Organic Act, 1916
As you enjoy the initial meanderings along this trail today, and cross a creek on a wooden bridge, imagine this setting in the park’s infancy.
Funding AN IDEA
The FIRST JOB
What are the immediate challenges to
providing for the protection and preservation of this place?
Congratulations, you are the first superintendent.
How will you establish this park?
When the former Mount McKinley National
Park was founded by Congress in 1917, no funds
were provided to establish it, much less attend
to its operation. As construction of the Alaska
Railroad approached the park’s unenforced
boundaries, pressure increased from early
advocates to stave off indiscriminate slaughter of
wild game populations here. In March 1921, the
park received $8,000 to hire a superintendent to
institute and enforce regulations.
You may notice a stretch of trail that widens, flattens,
and curves broadly before it narrows and turns
uphill. Here you are walking what remains of a
service road from early park days.
In 1921, Harry Karstens became superintendent.
His job was to mark and patrol park boundaries,
to foster a community presence, and to
eliminate poaching. He earned $10 a
year. There were no amenities. Supplies
and comforts were freighted in, or
created locally.
Watch for a set of log benches in a dense
thicket of alder. Here you are standing
in what remains of a recreational
ski area created for soldiers during
World War II.
Mt.
Hea
ly O
ver
loo
k
Park Road
Taiga Trail
Tra
il
y
hwa
s Hig
Park
rge
Geo
MURIE SCIENCE
AND LEARNING
CENTER
DENALI
VISITOR
CENTER
Taiga Trail
Rock Creek Trail
RAILROAD
DEPOT
CLOSING the Park
How do you continue the park mission with the park closed to the public?
In 1942, the War Department declared Alaska off-limits to tourist travel. The park operated
with minimal staff and budget, and became a destination for rest and relaxation trips. Soldiers
used the newly built Yanert Lakes Trail (now Triple Lakes), the Horseshoe Lake Trail, as well as
a ski tow here on the shoulder of Mount Healy.
Denali
National Park
and Preserve
Abruptly, the character of the trail shifts to a series of steep switchbacks. As you catch your breath,
consider the challenges of maintaining a difficult balance between conserving park resources, and
providing access and appropriate services for more than 400,000 visitors each year.
kW
l
na
io
at
ss
ne
er
ild
Par
N
Wild RIDE
A Way of LIFE
How does the character of a road affect the
wilderness experience?
How would you allow for subsistence use on new park lands?
In the early 1960s, a nationwide initiative provided funds to
improve park facilities and visitor experience. Here, plans
were made to widen and pave the full length of the Park
Road to allow for modern travel. Park biologist Adolph
Murie spoke up. Murie by this time had published landmark research on wolves and their prey that revolutionized
wildlife management across the National Park System. He
argued that a completely paved road here would negatively
affect the wilderness character of the park, and diminish
a more deliberate, immersive experience that traveling a
narrower unpaved road commands. His view prevailed,
and held further sway in 1972, when access to vehicle traffic
on the Park Road was restricted beyond the Savage River at
Mile 15.
As you climb above treeline, take advantage of your widening
perspective to note where people have left their mark on this
vast landscape. Imagine how things might have looked in
earlier times, and how they might change further, farther into
the future.
In 1980, with the passage of the Alaska National Interest Lands
Conservation Act, the name of the park changed, its original area of
roughly two million acres became legally designated Wilderness, and
its boundaries expanded to include another four million acres of new
park and preserve lands. With ANILCA, Congress formally recognized
the social and cultural importance of ongoing subsistence use of these
new park and preserve lands by Native and rural residents. (Hunting
remains prohibited in the park’s core Wilderness area.) While much of
the guidance within ANILCA has functioned well here for more than
30 years, some contentious issues remain related to spec
Denali Trails
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska
Roadside
TRAIL
An Environment of Extremes
The boreal forest of Denali is a subarctic ecosystem consisting of a patchwork of
coniferous and deciduous tree stands interspersed with lakes, wetlands, and tundra.
Boreal forests support relatively few plant species, mainly white and black spruce and a
small number of deciduous trees and shrubs. Boreal forests in Denali are underlain by
discontinuous permafrost, inorganic soils that are frozen for all or most of the year.
Summers are short, wet, and moderately warm, while winters are long, extremely cold,
and dry. Explore the boreal forest and discover the strategies that plants use to survive
the extremes of the subarctic environment.
LONG DAY
Short Summer
When the tilt of the Earth’s axis orients the
northern hemisphere toward the sun, days
are long, with almost 24 hours of daylight
peaking in mid-June.
White Spruce
Picea glauca
Evergreen
Leafs: 1-2.5 cm long, 4 sided.
Bark: Loose ashy brown scales.
Average Height: 20-65 ft (7-20 m).
Fast and Expensive
Deciduous trees and shrubs, like aspen, birch
and willow, put their energy into producing new
leaves annually. Their large leaves photosynthesize
throughout the long daylight hours, fueling rapid
growth. Aspen also produce chlorophyll in their
bark, allowing the tree to begin photosynthesizing
before leaves have emerged.
Slow and Frugal
Conifers such as black and white spruce put their
energy into producing needles that will stay on
the tree for multiple seasons. This requires a larger
investment upfront and slows overall growth,
but allows the tree to photosynthesize whenever
temperatures allow.
Alaska Paper Birch
Betula papyrifera neoalaskana
Deciduous
Leafs: Egg to diamond shaped, sharp pointed, edges finely
double-toothed. 4 -8.5 cm long.
Bark: White to yellowish copper brown, peels in papery strips.
Average Height: Up to 49 ft (50 m).
Photosynthesis
Almost all life on Earth depends on
food produced by organisms that
photosynthesize. Photosynthesis
is the process by which plants
harness the sun’s energy to create
carbohydrates that fuel growth. The
green pigment, chlorophyll, visible
in leaves and in the bark of aspen,
absorbs the energy from sunlight.
This triggers the chemical reaction
that produces sugars and starches
used by the plant to grow. Oxygen
is released into the atmosphere as
a by-product of this reaction.
SHORT DAY
Long Winter
When the northern hemisphere noticeably tilts
away from the sun days are short. The sun barely
crests the horizon, and winter temperatures can
stay well below zero for sustained periods.
Warm Above, Cold Below
Along the trail, you will find open boggy areas
with a few, spindly trees. This could be evidence of
permafrost, which prevents rain and runoff from
penetrating into the soil. During the summer an
insulating layer of moss keeps the permafrost cool.
Cold Above, Warm Below
Low-growing herbaceous plants, such as low-bush
cranberries, lingonberries and crowberries, benefit
from being covered by snow in the wintertime. While
the temperature above the snow can be -40° F, the
temperature beneath the snow can be much warmer,
even close to the freezing point at 32° F, because the
layer of snow acts like an insulating blanket.
Cold Hardening
Trees of the boreal forest undergo a unique
change in order to survive winter. In the fall, a
series of chemical signals, triggered by shortening
day lengths, stops the growth process. At this
time, water inside the cells is transported outside
of the cells, leaving behind a sticky fluid of
concentrated carbohydrates that has a lower
freezing temperature than water. This “hardening”
process allows plants to tolerate cold temperatures
without their cells rupturing due to the water inside
expanding when it freezes.
Quaking Aspen
Heavy Load
Spruce trees are structurally different from
deciduous trees. Spruce branches grow downward
instead of upward like deciduous trees. Snow
pushes spruce branches down until the snow
sloughs off, allowing the branches to spring up to
their former position. An entire hillside on the trail
features bent-over aspen and birch, reminders of a
snowstorm in September 1993. Still with leaves, the
trees caught the falling snow, which accumulated
until they bent over due to the weight.
Populus tremuloides
Deciduous
Leafs: Edges are finely round-toothed.
Leaf stalks flattened. 3 – 7.5 cm long.
Bark: Greenish white, becomes blackish
and roughened on lower trunk and near
base of branches.
Average Height: Up to 65 ft (20 m).
Denali Trails | Roadside Trail
Moderately strenuous
1.8 miles/2.9 km, 1 hr one way
Please stay on trails.
Black Spuce
Picea mariana
Evergreen
Leafs: Short. 1-2 cm long, 4 sided
Bark: Scaly, dark brown to reddish.
Average Height: 20 – 30 ft (7- 10 m).
This trail guide was produced in
partnership by the National Park Service
and the Alaska Geographic Association.
NPS Photo/Tim
Denali Trails
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska
Rock Creek
TRAIL
An Environment of Competition
The boreal forest of Denali is a subarctic ecosystem consisting of a patchwork of
coniferous and deciduous trees stands interspersed with lakes, wetlands, and tundra.
Boreal forests support relatively few plant species, mainly white and black spruce and
a small number of deciduous trees and shrubs. Boreal forests in Denali are underlain
by discontinuous permafrost, inorganic soils that are frozen for all or most of the year.
Explore the boreal forest and discover the competitive strategies that plants use to
survive the short subarctic summer.
walk along the trail, pay attention to the
OPEN Asforestyoucanopy—the
layer of forest formed by
Closed
the tops of trees. Note if the canopy is open,
where sunlight streams through to hit the forest
floor; or closed, where the branches of the trees block the sunlight
casting the forest floor into shadow. The presence or absence of
sunlight determines what trees and plants can survive.
Fire
Fire in the boreal forest plays an integral role in the reproduction of black
spruce. The tree needs fire to open its
cones. The seeds then fall to the forest
floor. A wildfire occurred in this area
in 1924, and many of the black spruce
today are attributed to that event.
FAST
Compared to evergreen needles, the leaves of
deciduous plants have a large surface area to
gather energy from the sun. This creates an advantage of speed for growth during the warm,
sun-rich summer months or when a hole develops in the forest
canopy. However, the autumn light triggers these leaves to fall
to the forest floor where they are broken down by insects
and bacteria and their nutrients recycled into soil for the
next growing season. The advantage then goes to the
evergreen trees, which continue photosynthesizing
when temps allow.
Slow
Black Spuce
Picea mariana
Evergreen
Leafs: Short. 1-2 cm long, 4 sided
Bark: Scaly, dark brown to reddish.
Average Height: 20 -30 ft (7- 10 m).
Alder
Alnus glutinosa
Deciduous
Leafs: Oval to broad. Finely double toothed.
4-8 cm long.
Bark: Smooth reddish brown.
Average Height: 3.2 - 10 ft (1-3 m).
distinctive classes of organisms
YOURS Two
have adapted to low-light conditions in
Mine
the boreal forest understory by obtaining
their energy without directly harvesting
it from the sun—parasitic plants and saprophytic fungi. For
example, unlike green plants that photosynthesize groundcones obtain most of their nutrients from the roots of living
alder shrubs.
of the plants in the boreal
DEFENSE Many
forest produce alleleochemicals,
Offense
toxins that adversely affect
potential browsers. Willow
produces a chemical that snowshoe hare cannot process,
aspen leaves produce a chemical that deters porcupines, and
spruce bark and needles contain terpene, which is difficult for
most wildlife to digest.
DISPERSAL
Plants use a large amount of
energy to reproduce. An
effective seed dispersal agent can provide that extra advantage
to survival. Plants such as fireweed use wind to carry their
seeds, while other plants produce edible berries. Blueberries,
crowberries, soapberries and low-bush cranberries mature
when wildlife like bears are fattening up for winter and when
birds are migrating south. For these plants, this means widespread dispersal combined with a nutrient-rich scat that will
fertilize the seed as it grows.
Crowberry
Empetrum nigrum
Leafs: Needle-like, 3-8mm long.
Bark: Juicy berry-like drupes, edible.
Average Height: Up to 15cm tall.
Witches Broom
Spruce broom rust, a fungus, alternates
between two hosts to complete its life
cycle beginning on the leaves of
common bearberry. Once the spores
of the rust are released, they infect
developing spruce needles. A hormonal
response to the parasite causes the
formation of witch’s broom, a dense
mass of shoots with discolored needles
growing from a single point in the
branches of the spruce. Occasionally
witch’s broom causes reduced growth
or top-kill.
Denali Trails | Rock Creek Trail
Moderately strenuous
2.4 miles/3.8 km, 2 hrs one way
Please stay on trails.
Bebb Willow
Salix bebbiana
Deciduous
Leafs: Elliptic to narrowly egg shaped.
Smooth edged. 2-5 cm long.
Bark: Dull grayish to reddish brown.
Average Height: Up to 32 ft (10 m).
This trail guide was produced in
partnership by the National Park Service
and the Alaska Geographic Association.
NPS Photo/Tim Rains
Denali Trails
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska
Triple Lakes
TRAIL
The Value of WILDERNESS
Denali’s six million acres includes North America’s highest mountain, an international
biosphere reserve, and two million acres of legally designated Wilderness. In 1964, the
Wilderness Act created a national preservation system with the idea that we could preserve
this natural state of wildness and create a place where humans have no lasting impression.
A few steps into the trail and you enter the legally designated Wilderness of Denali. As you
hike, contemplate the different ways to value wilderness and find what this special place
means to you.
Wild LANDS
Wildlands offer an opportunity for Alaska Natives to continue their subsistence way of
life, central to their heritage for many millenia. For others it provides an opportunity to
experience the unaltered landscape of a wilderness and imagine what it was like to come
into the country during the pioneering days of Alaska. Today, wildlands offer a chance to
test our spirit and define who we are. By hiking a trail in bear country, rafting a river or
climbing Mount McKinley, we discover what we are capable of—our strengths and our
weaknesses. We can be forever changed by our experiences and revelations.
Wild RESOURCES
We have long valued wild resources for possible
economic gain, such as the value of a tree made
into lumber or a wolf pelt made into a winter
parka. Aspirin was first discovered in willow
before being synthesized in a laboratory.
Maintaining a diversity of plant life in wild places
preserves opportunities to prospect for new
natural compounds. Ecologically sensitive
tourism provides a strong economic incentive
to preserve wild places intact to be enjoyed for
generations with minimal disruption to the
landscape and its inhabitants.
Aesthetic Value
Geology
The appealing views along the trail are
due in part to the Nenana Glacier that
flowed through the Triple Lakes Valley,
9 to 25 million years ago, sculpting these
deep, wide, u-shaped valleys. The glacier
left behind exceptionally large boulders,
including the two that stand out on a
distant hill west of the trail, visible from
various points along the ridge.
Wild SCIENCE
Rock Creek Trail
Whether viewing the drama of the Alaska
Range, the rich volcanic colors of exposed
rock at Polychrome or listening to the lofty
trill of the white-crowned sparrow, often we
are drawn to the natural aesthetic qualities of
wildlands and continue to surround ourselves
with these pleasing patterns of nature. For
some, wildlands are an escape from a bustling
world and take advantage of the therapeutic
qualities that wilderness can offer, like quiet
and solitude. There is an enriched quality to
this wilderness that draws people here to
find that spiritual connection to natural
space. Denali’s wilderness is a setting that
can provide solitude, space, and time for
reflection. It is a place to immerse oneself in a
landscape of extremes that remains as wild as
our primitive roots.
Railroad Depot
McKinley Station Trail
Roadside Trail
Nenana River
ail
s Tr
ake
le L
Trip
Wild SPIRIT
Denali Visitor Center
k
Riley Cree
Intact ecosystems are becoming rare on the planet. Wild places like
Denali provide the opportunity to study natural functions, such as the
ebb of glaciers, the influence of fire on the landscape, and the migration
patterns of caribou. Such scientific studies can provide a baseline from
which we can look at disturbed ecosystems and better understand how
we interact with the land and its inhabitants. In their ecological function,
wildlands make life on Earth possible: plant photosynthesis produces
oxygen; water pools underground to create chemical-free aquifers for
our water sources; undisturbed permafrost prevents vegetation from
decaying and releasing carbon into the atmosphere. The continuation of
life on Earth requires countless natural cycles to remain intact.
Park Road
Ge
org
eP
ark
sH
igh
wa
y
MP 230
McKinley
Village
Recreational Value
World War II
During World War II, the U.S. War Department
found value in taking advantage of the
recreational opportunities the park provided.
From 1942-1953, some of the first hikers on this
trail (then called the Yanert Lakes Trail) were
servicemen on a weeklong rest and relaxation trip
in the park after a tour in Alaska.
Spiritual Value
White-crowned sparrow,
Zonotrichia leucophyrs
Triple Lakes Trail
Strenuous
9.3 miles/14.9 km, 5 hrs one way
Please stay on trails.
Athabascan Balance
Athabascans believe that natural entities are
endowed with spirits that affect human behavior.
They follow a set of guidelines out of respect
for these spirits and value these lands as an
opportunity to find that spiritual balance. For
example, the gray jay is associated with cold
weather. Because they nest in early spring,
children are warned away from gray jay
nests as disturbing them will bring on another
bout of fr
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Denali National Park and Preserve
Backcountry Camping Guide
Michael Larson Photo
Getting a Permit
Getting Started
This brochure contains information vital to the success of your
backcountry trip in Denali National Park and Preserve. The following
paragraphs will outline the Denali backcountry permit system, the
steps required to obtain your permit, and some important tips for a
safe and memorable wilderness experience.
Denali’s Trailless Wilderness
Traveling and camping in this expansive terrain is special. The lack
of developed trails, bridges, or campsites means that you are free
to determine your own route and discover Denali for yourself. How
ever, with this freedom comes responsibility – responsibility for your
self and for the wilderness. Self-reliance is paramount. You must
be prepared to travel cross-country through remote terrain in harsh
weather, and rescue yourself in the event of problems. It is also your
responsibility to help protect the special resources and opportuni
ties that are present at Denali by carefully following the principles of
Leave No Trace so that your travels do not diminish the experience
of those who follow you.
Backcountry Unit System
The 6 million acres of Denali National Park and Preserve is divided
into 87 separate backcountry units (see map on reverse side). Fortytwo units within the Denali Wilderness have a limit on the number of
individual people that can camp in each unit per night. During peak
summer visitation many of these units are heavily used, so please
come to the Backcountry Information Center with several alternative
trip itineraries. Don’t become discouraged if your first choice is not
available. Remember, there are 6 million acres to choose from, and
all of the units offer excellent wilderness trips!
Pay attention to the following requirements when planning a trek
through Denali’s backcountry:
Leave No Trace and Safety
Permits are available at the Backcountry Information Center
(BIC) located adjacent to the Wilderness Access Center (WAC).
Allow approximately one hour for the permit process, which
consists of five basic steps:
Step 1: Plan Your Itinerary
recognition that you understand all backcountry rules and regu
lations. Violations of the conditions of the permit may result in
adverse impacts to park resources and legal consequences.
Visit www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/backcountry, and use
this guide, maps, as well as other available references to pre
plan several alternative itineraries prior to your arrival in the
park. Building flexibility into your plans is very important because
certain units may be unavailable at the time you wish to obtain
your permit. Remember to be conservative when predicting your
daily mileage. There are no trails, and travel can be slow and
difficult in brushy areas or when fording glacier rivers. Upon your
arrival at the Backcountry Information Center, several additional
resources such as unit description guides, local maps, and
knowledgeable staff will be available to assist you in planning
your trip.
Step 2: Watch Backcountry Video
This informative 30-minute video is presented at the BIC and
before and after BIC hours at the WAC and answers many ques
tions you might have about negotiating the Denali backcountry.
It covers topics such as campsite selection, bear and wildlife
encounters, river crossings, Leave No Trace principles, Bear
Resistant Food Containers (BRFCs), and much more. All mem
bers of your party must view this program.
Step 3: Attend Safety Talk
Following the video, all party members must be present for a
brief safety talk to receive the backcountry permit and BRFC
required for proper food storage. You must sign your permit in
•
Forty-two backcountry units within the Denali Wilderness
have a specific quota.
•
Unit availability determines where you may camp each night
and you must camp in the unit for which you have a permit.
•
Maximum 7 consecutive nights in a single unit.
•
Maximum 30 nights in the backcountry (various units).
•
Permits are issued only in person (no telephone reserva
tions), and no more than 24 hours in advance of the first day
of your trip.
• Gravel River Bars: these flat, rocky surfaces characterize
most major rivers in the park and provide good travel routes.
•
All party members must be present to receive a permit.
•
•
Permits are not required for day hiking in the backcountry.
Wet Tundra: this terrain is marshy and interspersed with
hummocks. Travel can be slow and tiring.
•
Dry Tundra: dry tundra generally exists at higher elevations
and affords good, solid footing and limited brush.
•
Brushy Tundra: typically occurs in bands or thickets between
2500-3500 ft, and often limits visibility and travel speed.
•
Glacial Moraine: located at the base of glaciers and often
denoted on maps by stippled areas, a moraine consists of
ice covered with dirt and debris. Travel is rough and timeconsu
Denali
for
Families
A Visitor’s Guide to
Denali National Park and Preserve
The current park lands of Denali National Park and Preserve include the traditional
homelands of the Dene, also known as the Athabascan People. They are the Ahtna,
Benhti Kenaga’ (Tanana), Dinak’I (Upper Kuskokwim), and Denaakk’e (Koyukon), and
in the southeast park, the Dena’ina. For thousands of years, these peoples have
interacted with the land to make homes, hunt and gather foods, create art, and trade.
Alaska Natives have been stewards of the land since long before it was managed by
the National Park Service, and they continute to practice traditional values and utilize
park resources today.
Credits
Author: Kris Capps
Editors: Jill Bruebaker, Ellen Grover, Sierra Mclane,
Sarah Hayes, and Laura Vachula.
Layout and Design: Ellen Grover, Elizabeth Menezes,
Laura Vachula, and Debbie Whitecar
Inspiration and Oversight: Christie Denzel Anastasia,
Kristen Friesen, Philip Hooge, Shelli Huls, Sierra McLane,
Ingrid Nixon, and Lisa Oakley
Many thanks to the families who provided photographs,
quotes, and inspiration for sharing Denali with others.
May families everywhere get to experience special
outdoor places.
Front Cover: Emily Mesner
This guide was produced by the National Park Service
and Alaska Geographic working in partnership through
the Murie Science and Learning Center.
Denali Families
for
A Visitor’s Guide to
Denali National Park and Preserve
Produced in 2015
NPS Photo
Updated in 2020
Contents
How To Use This Book
Park Road, Entrance Area, and Trails
Planning Your Trip
Local Amenities
Visitor Centers
Safety First
Leave No Trace
Experience Denali: Hiking
Hiking Checklist
Off-Trail Hiking
Experience Denali: Camping
Backcountry Camping
Experience Denali: Biking
Biking Checklist
Experience Denali: By Bus
Bus Checklist
Which Bus?
Bus Etiquette
Car Seat
Experience Denali: In Fall, Winter, Spring
1
3
5
7
10
13
17
20
20
21
24
26
28
28
30
30
31
32
33
35
Family Fun in the Entrance Area
Denali Visitor Center
Murie Science and Learning Center
Denali Sled Dog Kennels
Camping in the Entrance Area
Hiking in the Entrance Area
Biking in the Entrance Area
Family Fun in the Savage River Area
Camping in the Savage River Area
Hiking in the Savage River Area
Biking in the Savage River Area
Family Fun Beyond Mile 15
Camping Beyond Mile 15
Hiking Beyond Mile 15
Biking Beyond Mile 15
Family Fun at Eielson
Eielson Visitor Center
Hiking at Eielson
Family Fun at Wonder Lake
Camping at Wonder Lake
Hiking at Wonder Lake
Extending Your Visit
Visiting Talkeetna
Staying Connected
38
38
41
43
45
47
52
53
53
55
57
60
60
61
62
64
64
65
68
68
69
72
74
75
Welcome to Denali
From Our Family to Yours
Denali National Park and Preserve is a
vast wilderness in Interior Alaska. Here,
visitors are encouraged to forge their own
paths and make their own discoveries.
The memories of these extraordinary
experiences can last a lifetime.
People dream of visiting Denali for many
reasons. Like the wilderness here, the
opportunities are vast. Whether you’re
hoping to see a large mammal, like a
moose or grizzly bear, looking forward
to the thrill and independence of hiking,
or excited to experience an ecosystem
that is different from your home, there’s
something for everyone. We know that it
is not always easy to coordinate a group
traveling together, so we wrote this book
oto
Ph
S
P
N
for families and independent travelers
who want to prepare for and make the
most of a self-guided visit to Denali. With
a dash of planning, you can enjoy a trip
that is fun for the whole family.
Denali for Families is the result of park
efforts to make Denali a welcoming and
accessible place for families and lifelong
learners. Inside this book, you will find
details on how to plan your trip to Denali,
what to bring, and what amenities are
available once you get here. We explain
how to stay safe around wildlife, how to
keep warm and dry, and how to help your
family to leave no trace during your time
here. We unpack Denali’s transportation
systems and recommend good places
for learning, hiking, biking, camping, and
adventuring with family members of all
ages.
Local Denali families made the
recommendations that you will find in
this book, and photographs of these
families are featured on its pages. We love
this park, and this book represents our
welcome, from our family to yours, so that
you can love it, too.
NPS Photo / Kent Miller
How To Use This Book
Whether you’ve already reached the park or you’re dreaming about a trip, we’ve compiled
some important tips to consider as you prepare to explore Denali with your family.
The first few pages of this book are filled
with Information to help with trip planning
and park orientation and answers many of
the most frequently asked questions. Be
sure to review the wildlife safety information
before you begin your travels through bear
country.
The Experience Denali section provides
an overview of what to expect if you plan to
camp, hike, bike
National Parks in Alaska
Alaska National Parks
Alaska
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Upper Noatak Valley, Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve
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Fairbanks
Alaska Public Lands
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Eagle River
Anchorage
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GULF OF ALASKA
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Petersburg
Hoonah
Kodiak
Sitka
Stra
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Port Heiden
Skagway
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NORTON SOUND
Alaska’s immense size can make travel to and through the
state challenging. Some planning is necessary. Just getting to
Alaska can be an adventure involving travel by air, highway, and
sea. Commercial airlines serve Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau,
and other towns, while cruise ships ply Alaska’s southeastern
waters through the Inside Passage. The Alaska Marine Highway
transports people and vehicles on ferries from the Lower 48 to
towns in Southeast Alaska and between points in Southcentral
Alaska. The Alaska Highway, paved in Alaska and most of Canada,
is open and maintained year-round. It extends 1500 miles from
Dawson Creek, British Columbia, to Fairbanks, Alaska, and
provides a land link with roads to the south.
Subsistence hunting, fshing and gathering by rural
Alaskans continues on many park lands here. These
customary and traditional uses of wild renewable
resources are for direct personal or family
consumption. Local residency and customary reliance
on these uses determines eligibility for continued
subsistence uses on national park lands.
6
2
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Uses of Park Lands: Many national park lands in
Alaska are designated as national preserves.This
designation allows for uses not typical in national
parks or national monuments in the continental
United States. Within these preserves, sport hunting
and trapping are permitted subject to state fsh and
game laws, seasons, and bag limits; and to federal
laws and regulations.
Gates of the Arctic
11
Kotzebue
Private Lands: Privately owned lands are located
within and next to park boundaries throughout Alaska.
These private lands are not open to public use or travel
without permission from the owners. Check with park
staff to determine the location of private lands and
public easements. Unauthorized use or travel across
private lands could be deemed criminal trespass.
6
9
KOTZEBUE
SOUND
SEA
Anaktuvuk
Pass
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Travel Tips
Once in Alaska, you may have several options for travel to the
park lands. Unlike most National Park Service areas in the Lower
48, most in Alaska are not accessible by road. Scheduled air service
to towns and villages will put you within air-taxi distance of most
of these hard-to-reach parks. Experiencing Alaska’s more remote
treasures can require signifcant time, effort, and money and may
involve air or boat charters, rafts, kayaks, and hiking. See the back
of this brochure for access information for individual parks.
Inupiat Heritage Center
EA
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For information about individual parks, contact them directly
(see back of this brochure) or visit the National Park Service
website at www.nps.gov/akso/index.cfm. For information
about national parks or other public lands in Alaska, visit or
contact the Alaska Public Lands Information Centers in
Anchorage, Fairbanks, Ketchikan, and Tok, or visit their
homepage at www.AlaskaCenters.gov.
• Anchorage: 605 West Fourth Avenue, Anchorage, AK 995012248, 907-644-3661 or 866-869-6887
• Fairbanks: Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center,
101 Dunkel Street, Suite 110, Fairbanks, AK 99701-4848,
907-459-3730 or 866-869-6887
• Ketchikan: Southeast Alaska Discovery Center,
50 Main Street, Ketchikan, AK 99901-6659, 907-228-6220
• Tok: P.O. Box 359, Tok, AK 99780-0359, 907-883-5667
or 888-256-6784.
Tourist information is available from the Department of
Commerce, Community and Economic Development,
P.O. Box 110804, Juneau, AK 99811-0804,
www.travelalaska.com. For information about ferry or railroad
travel in Alaska, contact:
• Alaska Marine Highw
National Parks in Alaska Map
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior