Denali National Park and Preserve Off The Beaten Path Tips by mrclay2000 Top 5 Page for this destination

Hurricane Gulch

At Milemarker 179 of the George Parks Highway (i.e. 60 miles south of the park), Hurricane Gulch is reckoned one of the most beautiful in the state, but the drive along this highway passes several that are similar. For those who have seen advertisements for tourism in our 49th state, wonderful shots depicting the Alaska Railway trains going over a breathtaking valley are often shot at Hurricane Gulch. While photographing the ravine from the trains is permitted and encouraged, commuters will find prohibitions against standing on the bridge for the same shots off the highway.

Far Out Talkeetna Nearby towns Review

Talkeetna is a small, out-of-the-way village on the Parks Highway about 130 miles south of Denali's entrance. Nonetheless, its primary business (besides local tourism) is deeply associated with the great park far to the north (Denali itself can be seen from town on clear days). Flightseeing, whitewater river rafting, air taxis, glacier travel and other Denali-related activities are all available from this sleepy, quiet out-of-the-way hub.

Website: http://www.talkeetnanews.com

Southern Underbelly

Denali is not strictly confined to the Alaska Range and parts northward. A great portion of the park's 4.7 million acres lies south of the Alaska Range, but accessing these areas is not particularly easy. Those sections which lie along the Parks Highway sometimes involve a formal permission from private landowners to reach the forested slopes beyond, while those farther away demand a far greater commitment of time. Expect spruce and alder to be constant companions, and as always, make plenty of noise when leafy tangles prevent a far-reaching vision.

Attendant on Gas

In the largest American state, keeping gas in the tank is a high priority, because gasoline stations are not as frequent as they are in the lower 48. Around Denali, there are two obvious stations heading north to the park (one at Milemarker 189, the Igloo -- the other at Cantwell at the junction of AK-8 and AK-3, 27 miles south of the park). On the other hand, there is a small enclave with stations a mile north of the park entrance called "Canyon," and Healy has stations 11 miles north of the park. There are no stations within the park boundaries.