Denali Tundra

We have had the opportunity to visit many of America’s treasured national parks. It’s always a joy to see wildlife and amazing geography. Some of our favorites include Yellowstone (the best by far), Acadia, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon, Rocky Mountain, and Olympic. We know many of you have had the opportunity to visit these as well. So, where does Denali National Park rate? Interesting question, and a bit hard to answer.

Off the top of our head, we would both say that we would not make a trip to Alaska just to see Denali. We wouldn’t say it is in our top five. In saying so, we don’t intend to offend Alaskans, because without question, Denali is amazing. It is also very special. To appreciate Denali, one must appreciate its purpose. It’s not a question of simple rankings or ticking off a list; it’s about understanding the soul of Denali. While it may not compel us to traverse all the way to Alaska solely to enter the park, Denali’s allure lies deeper than the surface.

Denali is not just a park; it’s a narrative of the wild tundra and a testament to the expanse of Alaska. It’s not about whether it makes our top five list of national parks, but about the indelible mark it leaves on our memory.

The Alaskan Range.

It’s a Preserve

The name “Denali National Park and Preserve” indeed carries with it a profound significance. The words “and Preserve” are not merely a suffix but a declaration of the park’s unique status. Among the nation’s parks, only a select few bear this designation, and Alaska is home to the majority of them, underscoring the state’s vast frontier.

Vehicle traffic is limited in Denali. Private vehicle traffic is generally (we need not spell  out the exceptions) restricted at Mile 15 on the Park Road. Beyond this point, we needed to embark on one of the park buses. There is only one road into Denali. Six-million-acres of wilderness. That’s it. The road is 92 miles long, but currently only ventures to mile 43 because of a landslide blocking traffic. Let’s put that in perspective. Denali is comparable in size to the state of New Hampshire. Imagine a road going into New Hampshire that only goes 43 miles and expecting to experience the state. In the same way, it’s impossible to fully experience Denali compared to other parks which have extensive road access. In Denali, the journey is as much about the landscape you traverse as it is about the untamed expanses that lie beyond the reach of the road.

Mile 43 - the end of the access road and our bus in the background.

The Great One

While we are on the subject, let’s talk a little bit about the gem of the park, the mountain. Denali. As you may know, the mountain was previously known as Mount McKinley, but the name was officially changed to Denali in 2015. It is the name given by the native Koyukon Athabaskan people. Denali translates to “The High One” or “The Great One.” We also learned the name is used without “Mountain” or “Mount” as a prefix. It is simply, Denali.

We were able to catch glimpses of the peak of Denali as it rose above the clouds. If we were able to take the road the entire length (92 miles), we would still be around 70-80 miles from the summit of Denali (the mountain).

Witnessing Denali is often considered a rare and special experience for visitors. Due to the mountain’s elusive nature, shrouded often in clouds, laying eyes on it is almost like a cherished reward. It’s a common conversation among visitors, sharing the excitement of whether they’ve had the opportunity to see Denali. When someone says, “Yup, we did,” it’s a highlight that feels like an exclusive privilege.

Denali is an amazing mountain for several reasons. Most people know that at 20,310 feet above sea level makes it the tallest peak in North America. With a topographic prominence of 20,194 feet, Denali is the third most prominent peak on Earth (Everest and Aconcagua are higher). Get this, it rises about 18,000 feet from its base, which is a greater vertical rise than Mount Everest’s rise from its base camp. Because of its northern latitude of 63 degrees, it has lower barometric pressure than the world’s other high mountains, which can make it more challenging to climb. It’s very impressive!

Denali, around 100 miles away, is the triangular peak in the far distance.

Denali Park is a Tundra

The tundra, a landscape of extremes, is a realm where the cold reigns supreme. Here, winter temperatures hover in the single digits, sculpting a world where the ground itself is locked in an eternal embrace with the ice. This permafrost, a defining feature of the tundra, lies beneath an active layer of soil that varies from mere inches to several feet, shaping the life that clings to its frigid base. The brief summer offers a fleeting respite, with a growing season that spans a mere six to ten weeks. The term “tundra” itself is derived from the Finnish “tunturia,” meaning a barren or treeless hill, echoing the stark beauty of this treeless expanse.

We can see tundra in Colorado, Wyoming, or Montana, but only at elevations above 11,000 feet. Denali tundra occurs at 3000 feet elevation, a surprising contrast to Denver’s loftier elevations. When going through Denali, it looks like being at a very high elevation, but it’s 2000 feet lower than Denver!

We look forward to possibly visiting the park in late August and early September because of the vivid colors and active wildlife. Much like the trees in New England, the vegetation shifts from green to a tapestry of deep amber, red, and orange hues blanketing the ground. t’s a time of abundance and urgency, as the wildlife, particularly the bears, embarks on a frenzied foraging for sustenance, gorging themselves in preparation for the long slumber of winter hibernation.

Reaching the end of the tree line at around 3000' feet elevation.

Park Wildlife                                                                            

Allen revels in the grandeur of Denali’s landscapes, which entice the desire to pull out a palette to capture the contrasts and hues. Terri’s heart races at the sight of the wildlife, and how they bring life to the still scenery. Denali offers the best of both. Far reaching landscapes dotted with wildlife moving about gracefully.

In our travels from the forests of New Hampshire to the rugged peaks of Colorado, we’ve encountered moose, yet none compared to Denali’s giants. The moose in Denali look like they are on steroids. Wow are they big. We saw two wandering through the parking lot, but alas, the moment eluded our camera’s capture, but not our awe.

We also saw caribou. Caribou are also known as reindeer in some parts of the world. They undertake one of the largest migrations of any land mammal, traveling over 600 miles to reach their summer grazing grounds. During this journey, they can travel up to 23 miles in a single day. Caribou have a four-chambered stomach that helps them extract nutrients from a diet primarily composed of vegetation, such as lichens (reindeer moss). They can live in tundra whereas deer cannot. Their fur protects them against extreme cold temperatures. Remarkably, they are the only member of the deer family where both sexes grow antlers.

A lone caribou making its way across the tundra.

High upon the alpine slopes, elusive Dall sheep can be seen edging their way along the rocky slopes. We saw about a dozen sheep, but they were very high on the hillside and difficult to spot when there was snow. They are bright white, so when it looks like a pile of snow is moving, it’s a Dall sheep. The males, rams, have massive, curled horns.

Can you spot the Dall sheep?

What we didn’t see, but hope to next time we visit Denali, are grizzly bears. We’ve seen a few bears, two on the way here, but we’ve never seen grizzlies and hope to see these beautiful creatures. The bus driver said many people think they see a bear, but they don’t. She said the bus drivers like to comment, “they saw bear rock.”

On the lookout for grizzlies.

Sheldon’s Sheep

It’s interesting to consider just how Denali National Park and Preserve got its start. The railroad was built, and the iron horse gave access to interior Alaska and its vast tundra. Hunters flocked to the area when word of plentiful prized Dall sheep quickly spread. The tundra became a popular destination. It didn’t take long for significant over-hunting of Dall sheep to raise alarm.

Charles Sheldon, a conservationist and hunter, became concerned about the declining population of Dall sheep. In 1906, his observations and efforts to protect these majestic creatures were pivotal in advocating for the creation of a conservation area. Sheldon’s work, alongside Harry Karstens, who later became the first superintendent of Mount McKinley National Park, was instrumental in the establishment of the park, which aimed to preserve the natural habitat and prevent the potential extinction of the Dall sheep.

Visit Denali if you can

Today, around a half million visitors enter the Denali preserve. Like us, they come to tread where few have trodden. It’s a great place to experience a unique landscape with wildlife that can only be seen in Alaska.

Our time in Denali was not just enjoyable; it was an immersion into a world where the raw beauty of Alaska unfolds in panoramic views and wildlife sighting. It’s for these reasons — the quiet majesty of the park, the ruggedness of the tundra, the glimpses of its unique flora, fauna, and wildlife — that we will return during our Alaskan adventure. Denali is not merely a destination; it’s an experience of the Last Frontier.