62 Parks Travelerstarted with a simple goal: to visit every U.S. national park. Avid backpacker and public-lands nerdsaved up, built out a tiny van to travel and live in, and hit the road, practicing COVID-19 best safety protocols along the way. The parks as we know them are rapidly changing, and shewanted to see them before it’s too late.
“I wouldn’t leave my bike alone in the woods. Bears love bikes,” said an older woman in a navy windbreaker sitting next to me at the Teklanika bus stop in Denali National Park. “They do?” I croaked back, positive she was joking. “Oh, sure,” she continued cheekily. “They’re shiny, they’re different, they’re colorful, and they have really fun tires that bears can pop!”
It was my first day in Denali, and I was determined to take advantage of the good summer weather, striking out into grizzly country alone on a rented mountain bike. With a loaded bottle of bear spray in my saddlebag, I set off on the park’s 92-mile main road, feeling equal parts timid and ferocious as I zoomed down a steep hill and across the finely braided streams of the Teklanika River. Sun poked through intermittent clouds, illuminating rows upon rows of the green Alaska Range that seemed to go on forever. I felt like a girl out of time, both in the world and floating deliriously above it as I rode through the scenery on two wheels.
Accessibility-wise, Denali is a bit of a mixed bag. The main road cuts through the park’s center, but only the first 15 paved miles of it can be traversed by private vehicles. (The remainder of the road is gravel.) To venture deeper into the wilderness, visitors must purchase tickets for either a green that they can hop on and offor a white with a more fixed, narrated program that’s led by a trained naturalist. Travelers who feel particularly anarchic can ride a bike, as I did, and explore the main road for as long as they like.
Two miles before reaching the road’s 4,000-foot Sable Pass, which you can pedalto the top of, the web of clouds above broke openand a light rain began to fall. I turned around and raced back to my campsite on the Teklanika River, cruising along without a bear in sight.
Eager to experience more than one versionof Denali, I purchased a ticket and hopped aboard a transit bus the following morning, sliding my bike into ametal storage rack out front. Within minuteswe had devoured the seven mostly uphill miles I’d riddenthe previous day. Thenit happened.
A few hundred yards from yesterday’s turnaround point, a scraggly, blondgrizzly was scratching his rump on a concrete guardrail. He turned, looked at us, and cockily strolled right past my window, a mere ten feet from where I sat. Instantly giddy and awestruck, I spent the remainder of the three-hour bus ride scanning the horizon for animals.
The variety was tremendous. A caribou ran in front of our bus and jogged merrily along the roadside for several minutes. Nextwe watched as a young bull moose eagerly followed a cow through a thicket of willows. As we neared the Eielson Visitor Center, I was struck by the sheer size of a far-off brown bear chomping atblueberry bushes in a desperate attempt to gain weight before winter. Denali is paradise for wildlife lovers.
Once at Eielson, I had an hour to explore before the bus headed home. I pushed off on my bike and coasted down the road into the rugged vastness of the park. Denali, known as the High One, loomed large to my left as I sped closer and closer towardits glowing white glaciers.
The view of the Alaska Range, thejoyous feeling of wind on my cheeks, and a buoyant sensation of wild abandon are forever stitched in my memory as the perfect bookend to a perfect day in the park.
62 Parks Traveler Denali Info
Size: 6,045,153 acres (park and preserve)
Location: Central Alaska, between Anchorage and Fairbanks
Created In: 1917 (national park)
Best For: Wildlife viewing, hiking, bus tours, backpacking, cycling, mountaineering
When to Go: Summer (40 to 67 degrees) and September (30 to 50 degrees) are when the park has the best weather and the road is accessible. Duringa typical year, ranger-led activities, for those looking to visit early.
Where to Stay: As one of the few Alaska parks accessible viaa paved road, Denali is a perfect destination if you’ve rented acamper van and want to book a site in one of the park’s. I loved my experience renting a camper with, based in Anchorage. Itofferseverything from tiny-van build-outs to RamProMasters that feel like cozy cabins on wheels.
Mini ϳԹ: Go on a. Aramark runs a trio of full-day experiences, with knowledgeable guides designed to give travelers a glimpse into the park’s incredible history and wildlife. If you’re on a budget, the non-narrated transit buses also stop for wildlife and are an excellent way to explore Denali.
Mega ϳԹ: Bike the park road. is a one-stop shop that rents mountain-bike kits, complete with high-visibility panniers, bear spray, helmets, and more. Pedal around for a single day up Sable Pass or tacklethe entire 92-mile stretch with one of itsmulti-day packages. Cruisers are also available for visitors looking to enjoy the scenic bike paths near the main visitor center.