Parks Highway Part 3: Denali to Fairbanks
The Parks Highway Series concludes today with the last 125 miles of highway between Denali National Park and Fairbanks. I included a special section with insider information on Denali National Park based on our experiences over the years of visiting this very special place.
Denali National Park
Tons of information is out there about Denali National Park. Denali attracts a huge number of visitors every year. Over 600,000 people visit this national park every summer. It is the top destination for people visiting Alaska. Finding a balance between people and a wilderness experience is a constant concern both with park officials and people wanting to experience the park.
Commercial tourist attractions are concentrated at the entrance to the park stretched from Cantwell to Healy. Lodges, hotels, and activities cater to every budget. This is one place that will take some planning long before your arrival. Plan early or you will be disappointed when all the RV campsites are full and activities are booked.
Is it really worth your time to jostle with the tourist crowd? Over the years, we have asked ourselves this question. The answer was usually “no” because we tend to find less crowded parts of Alaska to enjoy. Lately, however, we have changed our minds for the following reasons:
- We love the wide open vistas that we experience in the park.
- If we time our visit, most of the tourists are not in the park.
- We enjoy the shuttle bus rides and visiting with the visitors.
Denali National park is absolutely huge. It is open year-round. Most of the commercial activities are only open during the summer from late May to September. Winter accessibility limited due to snow conditions. The best time to visit the park with the fewest visitors is either in late-May or September. You will miss out on viewing the lush summer foliage if you go too early. In August, the landscape changes to its breathtaking fall colors.
Denali National Park Road
You can drive into Denali National Park for only a few miles. the rest of the 92-mile road to Kantishna can only be accessed by a shuttle bus. These buses are not free. No private vehicles are allowed to drive beyond Savage River (first 14 miles) with a few exceptions. There is a lottery in September that allows a few lucky winners to drive the entire road. During May and September, people can drive to Teklanika (Mile 30).
Park Road Tips
- The shuttle to Wonder Lake is worth the cost! It is an all-day (14 hours) commitment and well worth the time. Take a full water bottle for each person. Pack a lunch with snacks.
- People can get on and off the shuttle anywhere on the road and catch the next bus. This is great if you want to do some hiking and backpacking.
- Prepare your camera gear the night before your trip with extra (charged) batteries, memory cards, and bring your lenses!
- Bring binoculars for each person. You will be viewing a lot of wildlife.
- The shuttle bus will stop for wildlife. It also makes frequent stops for people to get out to take pictures.
- Get up-to-date bus information before arriving at the park. Make advanced reservations. The bus fills up fast!
- Show up early to board the bus for the choicest seats (window of course).
- While bear spray is an important item in any back-country activity, do not bring it on board the bus. There are regulations about it when boarding, so check into it before going hiking and camping.
Timing your trip to into Denali Park to take advantage of the September lottery or the extra miles into the park is tricky. The road is not plowed. It may not be passable in early May. An early snowfall may keep the road closed in September. We suggest taking the bus to Wonder Lake in the summer months. Make those reservations early. Taking the bus frees you up to spend the day enjoying the scenery and wildlife.
RV Camping in Denali National Park
While there are six campgrounds within the park, only three are available for RV camping.
- Riley Creek Campground (at park entrance)
- Savage River Campground (mile 14)
- Teklanika River (mile 30) campers must have a minimum of a 3-night stay, and only one round-trip in a private vehicle allowed.
Only Riley Creek Campground is open during the winter. It also has a dump station. Water is available in the summer. There is no electricity at any of the park campgrounds.
Secret Tips for Camping at Denali National Park:
- The maximum stay at a campground is 14 days. You spent a ton of money and time to get to Alaska. Why rush around? Stay for a full week in the park. The rates are low compared to any private campground. Staying longer will ensure that you will have the time to view the wildlife. You will also have plenty of time for day hiking, back-country adventures, or taking in a tourist activity. A longer stay also allows you to participate in unplanned activities without feeling like you are cramped for time. Don’t forget to plan for some time to relax.
- If you want to really enjoy that wilderness experience, camp at Teklanika River. It takes a bit more planning and a commitment to stay put for three nights. The rewards are well worth the effort.
- Riley Campground is the only campground where you might be able to get a mobile signal or a WiFi hotspot. If you cannot go without being connected, this will be the campground for you.
- If you arrive at the park without a reservation, you will more than likely be turned away. Make your reservations in January-March so that you will know that you have space.
- No reservations? The best time to arrive is about 10 am and have a small rig. The large sites have been reserved long ago. Often there are cancelations, so you may be able to go elsewhere for a few days and then come back. If you have a small RV, the chances are great that you can get a campsite at Riley Campground early or late in the season.
- Plan Early! As soon as you commit to your Alaska adventure, think about when you would like to be at Denali. You may be planning your entire Alaska adventure around your Denali Park reservations. It is worth the effort. Make your reservations in January so that you can be sure that you have a camping spot for your RV, especially if you have a large rig or need a pull-through.
Private Campgrounds are available outside of the park. Do some research and make your reservations early. These campgrounds are known for some breathtaking fees. If you failed to plan your Denali Adventures earlier or need full hook-ups, they are your only options. During the peak of the season, the private RV campgrounds are usually booked.
Activities:
Winter:
Denali National Park is open in the winter. The visitor’s center and all campgrounds except Riley Campground are closed between mid-September to mid-May. Winter is a great time to visit the park for:
- Skiing
- Snowshoeing
- Dog Mushing
- Snow machines (some restrictions so plan carefully)
- Viewing the northern lights
Plan your winter visit around Alaska winter weather. It gets cold, really cold, in the interior. Temperatures dip into the -60s during the coldest months. Wind chill will drop those temperatures way lower. Do not take the climate lightly. Do some winter camping in milder places first, so that your learning curve does not end your life.
Summer:
- Wildlife viewing
- Interpretive nature walks
- Dog mushing (summer alternatives)
- Hiking and backpacking
- Mountaineering (know your limits and plan carefully)
- Photography
- backcountry hiking and camping.
- Rafting, ATV
A person can pile up the activities and adventures at Denali National Park, filling every moment with some sort of activity. I have one important suggestion – take a break from it all. Find a day to just relax and take in the quiet, the view, the experience of the moment. You won’t regret this quiet time.
Go to National Park Service, Denali National Park for more information on the latest details to plan your visit.
Warning about Alaska outdoor adventures
People enjoy the natural environment and wildlife viewing. They are the most thrilling experiences about Alaska. A wilderness experience is awesome. People have a great time and for some, it is a life-changing event. This is all wonderful, but those same adventures can go bad in a hurry. They can get you killed.
Even in the summer months, a simple adventure can quickly descend into an awful ordeal. People die every year in Alaska while out in the backcountry. While there may be the name “park” attached to the national and state parks, these places are wild. Many times help is not close by.
Here are a few tips for you to think about before traipsing off into the Alaska Wilderness:
- Plan your adventures around your skill-set.
- Always tell a responsible person where you are going and exactly when you will be back.
- Take some classes.
- Join some outdoor groups.
- Get some experience before you think about trekking into the Alaska wilderness.
- Do not go solo. Take an experienced person with you.
Here are some resources to get you started:
Be Bear Aware
Moose safety
7 Signs You’re Going to be Attacked by a Moose
Alaska Moose: Safety Tips
Winter Survival Tips with UAF
Alaska Wilderness League
Once you have stilled the soul with your wilderness experiences at Denali National Park, it is time to fire up the RV and go north to Fairbanks.
Healy
Healy is just north of Denali National Park. Its claim to fame is the Usibelli Coal Mine. The mine claims to have coal with one of the lowest sulfur levels in the world. It has been mining coal since 1943. Healy has a population of just over 1000 people. There are some nice pullouts and places to boondock for those that want to step out on their own. Healy is a pleasant alternative if the campgrounds in the park are full.
Nenana
Located on the Tanana River, Nenana is an important area for the Athabaskan people for river transportation. Nenana was also used as a construction camp for the Alaska Railroad back in the 1920’s. It continues to be an important hub for transporting goods to outlying places on the Tanana and Nenana Rivers.
Nenana’s real claim to fame is the Nenana Ice Classic. There were always bets place throughout Alaska’s colorful history about when spring break-up would take place, and more specifically when the river ice would go out. The Nenana Ice classic started back in 1917. People purchase tickets and guess the exact time when the ice goes out on the Tanana River. A tripod is placed out on the ice with a timer. You too can get in on the fun. Tickets are sold from February 1 to April 5. They can be purchased by contacting Nenana Ice Classic at www.nenanaakiceclassic.com.
Things to do in Nenana
- The Visitor’s Center has a small art gallery featuring photos of the Aurora Borealis.
- Check out the Alaska Railroad Depot building, built in 1939.
- View the Ice Classic tripod
- Picnic on the River, and enjoy life in the slow lane before going to Fairbanks.
Fairbanks
Fairbanks is the second largest city in Alaska. It has it all. Fairbanks is a great place to stop for a while to catch up on chores and stock the pantry. Plan some smaller road trips using Fairbanks as a base camp to places like Chena Hot Springs, Manley Hotsprings or Minto. Fairbanks is also where you will finalize a road trip to the North Slope on the Dalton Highway. I will be posting a blog post about Fairbanks and its gateway to outlying places in the coming weeks.
Here ends our journey on the George Parks Highway. We hope you enjoy the interior of Alaska. Take the time to slow down and enjoy the scenery. Breathe that fresh air, and don’t get carried off by the unofficial state bird – the mosquito.