Denali National Park Activities

To hike in Denali National Park is to experience the Park in a way that brings you closer to the awesome force of nature.You’ll witness the serene, unspoiled beauty of mountains in the Alaskan Range and the national treasure we have in the grand state of Alaska. The diversity of trails in Denali National Park is surprising to many, as you can choose from leisurely, flat day hikes along lowland river basins, to tackling the “high one” itself: Denali. Choose from well-marked, Park-run trails near the entrance of the park, to bushwhacking it on your own…but you’d better know what you’re doing before you choose the second option. Denali is one of the largest, unspoiled wilderness areas in region, and some parts may never have seen human intrusion before. Whether you choose to cover lowland ground, foothills mini-hikes, or peak-striving challenges, your hiker’s sense of adventure will surely be awakened, no matter what you hike.

Park visitors are welcome in almost all areas of Denali National Park, and you can even choose to hike with a Park Ranger, who can guide you and instruct you on the terrain, flora and fauna. For hikers newbies, or those who want to save their energy for other activities, Park Rangers also lead informative nature walks, which typically require minimal physical effort. You don’t have to cross the tundra to experience Denali National Park. There’s something for all ages, abilities, and interests!

The nature walks are presented out of 4 of the main campgrounds in Denali, and generally last half an hour to 45 minutes. You can find out the subject of each walk by consulting bulletin boards in the Park. You can also witness sled dog demonstrations, something you’ll probably not want to miss. The Park has its own kennels, which you can tour, and keeps its own Alaskan Huskies. It’s easy to get to the kennels: just take the free bus from the campgrounds, which leave half an hour before each demonstraton. Not to be missed, as it’s a uniquely traditional Alaskan spectacle!

For the ultimate backcountry experience, backpackers will be happy to find mile after mile of trailless wilderness and some of the most challenging yet beautiful backpacking terrain in the world. What you won’t find is tons of developed trails, campsites, or any kind of man-made hiker’s resource. Your main resource is…yourself. For a die-hard, experienced backpacker, that sounds like heaven. To the occasional weekend hiker, that could mean too much of a challenge. For those considering backpacking the great Denali National Park Wilderness, a required first step is to visit the National Park Service’s website and read the section pertaining to Denali National Park backpacking. There, you’ll find tips and guidelines designed to protect both you the hiker, and the natural resources of Denali.

Of course you don’t have to venture so far to get back to nature in Denali: there are five major campgrounds in the Park, one of which is open all year, in case you want to really brave the full effect of winter in this region of Alaska. The year-round campground, Riley Creek Campground, is actually located at the entrance of the Park, which is at lower elevation, meaning milder weather in winter. The would be the type of region where the Athabascan tribes spent their winters.

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This entry was posted on Saturday, August 30th, 2008 at 8:17 pm and is filed under Denali National Park. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.