Denali National Park, USA

The Denali National Park and Preserve is located in Interior Alaska and contains Mount McKinley, the highest mountain in North America. The word “Denali” means “the high one” in the native Athabaskan language and refers to Mount McKinley. In addition, the park protects an incredible wilderness area that contains grizzly bears, caribou, moose, wolves, and numerous other creatures.

Denali National Park and Preserve is a wild, wonderful place. Located in central Alaska, Denali is a protected area about the same size of the state of Massachusetts. Its more than 4.7 million acres is served by a single, 92-mile road that is mostly made of gravel a rustic but vital artery that brings travelers deep into the heart of the wilderness via bus and bike.

Here, the opportunities for spectacular scenery, solitude and adventure are second to none. Visitors can climb Mount McKinley, the highest peak on the North American continent, go mushing with a team of sled dogs, hike the extensive, wide-open backcountry or just sit back and take in the glimmering celestial beauty of the northern lights.

Today the park accommodates a wide variety of visitor use including wildlife viewing, mountaineering, and backpacking. It continues to provide a laboratory for research in the natural sciences.

Mt. McKinley

Denali means "The High One" in language of the Athabascan tribe. Denali was the original name of this 20,320-foot-tall mountain. The very first successful scaling of the North Peak Denali National Park's most outstanding feature was accomplished in 1910 by group of local residents. When they reached the summit, they celebrated with hot chocolate and donuts.

Features of the Park

Mt. McKinley is the most famous attraction in the park, but you may not be experienced enough to climb to the peak. Sable Pass is a park attraction where you may have the best chance of spotting some grizzly bears feasting on roots. From Polychrome Pass you can see the Alaska Range. Sony Hill Overpass offers the opportunity to spot caribou. Wonder Lake provides an unobstructed view of Mt. McKinley.

Wood Frog

Denali National Park is home to an abundance of wildlife, but the most striking inhabitant is probably the wood frog-- the only amphibian to call the park home. Denali's wood frog is different from the others of its species by virtue of it evolutionary adaptation that causes it to actually freeze solid during the winter. The frog's heart stops beating and its lung do not breathe again until the spring thaw.

Wolves

Much contemporary knowledge about the behavior of wolves came from studying the animals in Denali National Park. A biologist named Adolf Murie got the job of studying Denali's wolf population. The bulk of his study took place in the Polychrome area and the result was book, "The Wolves of Mt. McKinley." Murie's study into the relationship between predator and prey was instrumental in helping scientists to realize that wolves are an essential part of the ecosystems because their tendency to capture the weak helped to keep the population of prey strong and healthy.

Hiking Opportunities

Hiking trails abound in Denali, but the only trails maintained by the park are the short looping ones located near the hotel. The easy 1.3-mile Taiga Loop Trail, one of the loop trails, begins at the Denali Park Hotel. Horseshoe Lake Trail is a more moderate three-quarter-mile trail that leads to the lake and often provides the chance to spot some moose around dawn and dusk. Those looking for more strenuous exercise should hit the Mount Healy Overlook trail. This 2.5-mile trek provides a picture-perfect view of Mt. McKinley off in the distance.