Denali National Park and Preserve

Categories: Alaska landmarks | National parks of the United States | U.S. National Preserves

Denali National Park and Preserve is located in Interior Alaska and contains Mount McKinley, the tallest mountain in North America. The park covers 9,492 mi² (24,585 km²). The word "Denali" means "the High One" in the native Athabaskan language and refers to the mountain itself. The mountain was named after presidential candidate William McKinley of Ohio in 1897 by local prospector William A. Dickey, even though McKinley had no connection with the region.

Charles Sheldon took an interest in the Dall sheep native to the region, and became concerned that human encroachment may threaten the species. After his 1907-1908 visit, he petitioned the people of Alaska and Congress to create a preserve for the sheep. (His account of the visit was published posthumously as The Wilderness of Denali, ISBN 1568331525). The park was established as Mount McKinley National Park on February 26, 1917 and was designated a wilderness area. Ironically, only a portion of Mount McKinley, not even including the summit, was within the original park boundary.

The status of the original park, whose name had been subject to local criticism from the onset, was changed when it was incorporated into the larger Denali National Park and Preserve by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980. At this time the Alaska Board of Geographic Names changed the name of the mountain back to "Denali," though the U.S. Board of Geographic Names maintains "McKinley". Alaskans tend to use "Denali" and rely on context to distinguish between the park and the mountain. The park was designated an international biosphere reserve in 1976. Today, the park hosts more than 400,000 visitors who enjoy wildlife viewing, mountaineering, and backpacking.

Denali habitat is a mix of forest at the lowest elevations, tundra at middle elevations, and glaciers, rock, and snow at the highest elevations. Wildlife viewing is a popular summertime recreational activity at Denali, with grizzly bears, moose, Dall sheep, caribou, and occasionally wolves being seen. Wintertime recreation includes dog-sledding, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling where allowed.

The national park is located near a state park of the same name.

Vehicle access

The park is serviced by a single access road around 90 miles in length. Only a small fraction of the road is paved because permafrost and the freeze-thaw cycle create an enormous cost for maintaining the road. Private vehicles are not allowed on unpaved portions; however, visitors may access the interior of the park through buses operated by concession. Also available are 6-8 hour "Tundra Wilderness Tours" that include narration of various points of interest in the park by the drivers. The tours travel from the initial boreal forests through tundra to Polychrome Pass, an overlook from which Mt. McKinley can be viewed on clear days (although the weather is clear only 20% of the time). The road near the pass is dangerous, with sheer cliffs dropping hundreds of feet at the edges, and the extreme conditions prevent construction of guardrails. As a result of the danger involved, and because most of the gravel road is only one lane wide, drivers are trained extensively in procedures for navigating the sharp mountain curves, and yielding the right-of-way to opposing buses and park vehicles.

McKinley is not accessible by motor vehicle; the road ends 37 miles (59 km) to its east.

External links

• Official site:Denali National Park & Preserve
• Travel guide to Denali National Park and Preserve from Wikitravel

• Brief description by Milepost Magazine
• Photos of Denali National Park
• Denali National Park and Preserve - National Parks Gallery

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