Discover Mckinley Park

When looking for a hotel in Mckinley Park, it helps to first organize your trip around the activities that interest you. Denali Park is next to the entrance to Denali National Park, one of Alaska’s most visited parks. Visitor centers, ranger-led walks, hiking trails, and day trips offer different ways to plan your days; you can also take travel by road or rail into account.

Ranger Programs and Visitor Centers

At the Denali Visitor Center, visitors can talk with park rangers, watch the film “Heartbeats of Denali,” and explore an exhibit area. The conversation, film, and exhibit offer different ways to learn about the park. Programs may vary, so it’s worth checking current offerings before your visit.

Ranger-led walks are offered in Denali every year from June through mid-September. One ranger-led walk starts at the Denali Visitor Center, is rated easy to moderate, and can cover up to 1.5 miles round trip. No registration is required for the walk that starts at the visitor center. If you’d like to include this activity in your travel plans, check the dates during the seasonal period in advance.

The Murie Science and Learning Center also offers several ways to enrich a visit: visitors can watch park films, explore a small exhibit area, borrow snowshoes for the trails, and pick up a Junior Ranger activity booklet. Seasonal visitor offerings may vary.

The Denali National Park Sled Dog Kennels offer a glimpse into a distinctive aspect of park operations. Visitors can meet the team there. Denali National Park has the only sled dog team in the United States used for patrols in a national park. A visit with the dogs can therefore be combined with an introduction to a distinctive form of park operations.

Hiking Trails and Excursions

Most hiking trails in Denali are accessible from the Denali Visitor Center. Trail access may change due to weather, maintenance, or seasonal closures. Two trails near the park entrance differ mainly in their route and destination.

The Horseshoe Lake Trail is a 2.8-mile loop through boreal forest that leads to a scenic lake. The Mt. Healy Overlook Trail, by contrast, is a 2.7-mile out-and-back trail that climbs partway up Mt. Healy.

Trail conditions and access for both trails may change seasonally.

Tour operators based in Denali Park offer a variety of day trips, including fishing trips. Tour offerings may vary by season. So if you’d like to include an excursion in your plans, check the seasonal offerings from the relevant tour operators.

Getting There and Planning Your Trip

Denali Park is accessible via the George Parks Highway and is also served by the Alaska Railroad. Train schedules vary seasonally, so check the timetable for your travel dates before deciding how to get there. This lets you coordinate your choice of road or rail travel with the seasonal activities that interest you during your stay.

Once you’ve set your priorities, you can consider the best way to get there and when to travel, then check the hotel options for Mckinley Park.

Explore more destinations: Cantwell, Healy.

Return to the main travel overview: Denali.