Denali Fast Facts
How big is Denali National Park?
Denali covers a total area of 6,075,106 acres or 9,492 square miles.
How many people visit Denali National Park?
229,521 people visited Denali in 2021. A table showing all years can be found at Denali Visitation Stats.
When was Denali National Park created?
Denali was made a national park on February 26, 1917.
What are the highest and lowest elevations in Denali National Park?
Denali’s lowest point is 240 feet at the Yentna River. The highest point in Denali is 20,320 feet at the summit of Denali itself.
What time zone is Denali National Park located in?
Denali is in the Alaska Time Zone.
How much does it cost to enter Denali National Park?
$15 per person per week.
Five Random Facts About Denali
Denali (formerly known as Mount McKinley) is the highest point on the North American continent, with its peak rising to 20,320 feet.
Unlike the other national parks in Alaska, Denali existed in a smaller form before the Alaska Native Interests Land Conservation Act in 1980 created the 8 Alaskan national parks. On February 26, 1917, Mount McKinley National Park was created, a relatively small area set aside primarily for Dall sheep protection.
During the summer tourist season the Denali Park Road is only open to private vehicles for the first 15 miles. The remaining 75 miles are unpaved, mostly one lane, and accessible only by shuttle buses (there is an exception for those camping at Teklanika, at mile 30).
Despite their sometimes sluggish appearance, brown bears are quite fast, reaching speeds of 35 miles per hour. You cannot outrun a bear – don’t try.
Denali means “the high one” in the native Athabaskan language. While the park took the Denali name in 1980, the mountain was not renamed officially until 2015.
Where is Denali National Park?
Denali National Park is located in south-central Alaska, between the state’s two major cities Anchorage and Fairbanks. While not close to either one, Fairbanks is closer. There is an area of lodging and other services right outside of the park entrance, and more about 10 miles north in the town of Healy. Further directions and maps can be found at Getting to Denali.