Entering the grand Denali National Park means stepping into a time machine, where you’ll go back before there ever existed highways, malls, or cities. Instead, you’ll be amidst totally unspoiled terrain, gazing at massive icy mountain peaks, rivers teeming with fish, and maybe you’ll get a glimpse of caribou or moose, who roam freely over the six million acres of Denali National Park. This is what travelers seek when they venture to Alaska. Untouched tundra, amazing glaciers, hundreds of miles of mountains, and of course the highest mountain in North America, Denali itself.

Denali is the name given the highest peak in the Alaskan Range of mountains, by the Athabascan people of the southcentral region of Alaska. Their name for this massive peak actually means “high one”. Rising 20,320 feet above sea level, Denali is the highest mountain in North America, and is also known as Mt. McKinley. It sits amidst a 600-mile stretch of mountains (the Alaskan Range), 100 miles north of Anchorage as the crow flies. The Alaska Range is both stunning to see, and awesome in its size and unspoiled wilderness. Denali’s national landmark summit pulls a thousand hikers a year to its rugged trails, hoping to reach the top but ecstatic just to be on this famous peak, surrounded by an area of tundra, forests, and glaicers that covers more land than the state of Massachusetts. You’ll want to see as much of it as you possibly can, so bring binoculars for up-close viewing of this venerable landscape and its wildlife.

Denali also gives its name to both a State Park and a National Park in Alaska, both of which are both stunning to visit. The National Park covers six million acres (larger than the state of Massachusetts), and was first established as a wildlife refuge in 1917, with the name Mount McKinley National Park. William McKinley was a former senator and president. Part of Denali National Park is designated as National Wilderness area, meaning strict usage guidelines and limitations are put into place to preserve the unspoiled quality of the area. Denali is truly one of the U.S.’s greatest natural resources, a superbly preserved, unspoiled region containing spectacular tracts of wilderness, teeming with wildlife. The Park has been named an “International Biosphere Reserve”, signifying its importance and uniqueness for scientific research. The area of untouched wilderness is so vast, that scientists may observe species relationships here, which may no longer exist anywhere else on earth because of human contact.

The Athabascans, who gave Denali its grand name, were nomadic, taking advantage of milder weather in lower elevations near the river valleys during wintertime, when snow begins to fall around October. In warmer weather, starting around the month of May, they ventured uphill to hunt wildlife and gather plants and preserve them for winter. Bueberries were and, fortunately for us, still are everywhere at certain times of the year (autumn), as are cranberries and crowberries. Nowadays, keep an eye out for bears foraging for these tasty delights.

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There are many stories to come out of Denali National Park Alaska. It’s an ancient, wild, vast state whose remoteness from the “lower 48″ does not undermine its historical importance or its peoples’ interconnection with our modern-day national community.

Alaska’s Native cultures date back ten thousand years on Alaska soil, well beyond the short history of Denali National Park Alaska. The traditional ways of life persist in various forms today, evolving over the years around newcomers like the British, American and Russian traders of the early nineteenth century, then the waves of prospectors of the late 1800′s gold rush, and more recently in the 20th century, industries that wish to profit from Alaska’s natural resources…mining, timber, and fishing.

Even tourism changes Alaska and its inhabitants, with cruises to Alaska increasing dramatically since September 11, 2001, after which US tourists tended to choose domestic destinations rather than go abroad. Increased tourist traffic has had an impact on at least the mental state of local Alaskans, with three-quarters of a millions cruise passengers alone arrive each year in Alaska, of course there will be an impact. There are a great many debates on how many cruise ships can safely enter the inlets of Alaska without negatively impacting the environment…especially in Glacier Bay, where ships can disturb marine life such as whales.

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A quick run-down of Denali National Park facts will get you excited for this beautiful part of the world. This is Alaska’s most popular park, with upwards of a million people a year coming to see the wildlife and the mountains. Perhaps it’s also that Mount McKinley is situated inside the park, drawing tourists to the highest peak in North America. But don’t come to Denali just to see McKinley…its two peaks are not always visible because of the fog that often obscures the snowy tops. Just take a look at our summary of Denali National Park facts and discover why this world-reknowned park is top of the list for travelers around the world.

What you are guaranteed to see is awe-inspiring majestic ranges of gigantic mountains that you will remember for the rest of your life. And it’s a pretty safe bet you’ll get a glimpse of at least one of Denali’s 37 species of animal, 161 species of birds, and between 400 and 500 species of plants foudn within park borders. Yes, come for the biodiversity and the views…it doesn’t get any better than this. Denali National Park facts make it plain to see that this park is beyond beautiful and just about magical.

The Alaska Railroad runs daily between two major cities in Alaska: Anchorage and Fairbanks. Some cruise lines have an arrangement with the railroad, so that the private rail cars owned by cruise lines are towed into the park, carrying cruise passengers. The Alaska Railroad cars are more bare-bones and cheaper than those operated by the cruise lines.

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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 demonstration. 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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