Contact: Kris Fister, 907-683-9583
The rapidly increasing amount of daylight, nighttime temperatures remaining above freezing, the return of migrant bird species, and the arrival of seasonal employees are all signs that the facilities and services that enhance and enrich the park experience for Denali National Park and Preserve visitors will be opening soon for the summer visitor season! The Denali Visitor Center, located at Mile 1.2 on the Park Road, opens on Tuesday, May 15 at 1:00 p.m. Its regular hours of operation will be 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. beginning on Wednesday, May 16. Along with its stunning, specially designed exhibits and displays on Denali’s natural history and cultural heritage, the visitor center offers daily screenings of the award-winning, high definition feature film, “Heartbeats of Denali”. Rangers are on hand to provide general park information, guided hikes, and other interpretive programs. The 2:00 p.m. sled dog demonstration begins on Tuesday, May 15. Free buses to the park kennels will leave from the Denali Visitor Center shuttle stop at 1:30 p.m. The Denali Bookstore, with books, educational materials, and other sales items, opens on Friday, May 11. The neighboring Morino Grill will open with a limited menu of coffee and pastries on Saturday, May 19. The full menu will be available on Saturday, May 26. These facilities are conveniently located near the Denali Visitor Center and the Alaska Railroad Depot. The Wilderness Access Center, the park’s transportation and campground reservation center, opens for the season on Tuesday, May 15. The Denali Natural History Tour begins on Sunday, May 13 and the Tundra Wilderness Tour (TWT) shoulder season trips to Teklanika (Mile 30) start on Tuesday, May 15.The TWT will begin its regular schedule on Saturday, May 19. Backcountry permits are available at the Backcountry Information Center, adjacent to the Wilderness Access Center. The daily hours of operation are 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. The Denali Park Road is open for travel by private vehicles to the Teklanika Rest Stop at Mile 30 through Friday, May 18. Beginning Saturday, May 19 the shuttle bus system will begin its seasonal operations to provide access beyond the Savage River to destinations further west on the park road. The first fifteen miles of the park road will continue to be open for travel by park visitors in private vehicles throughout the summer season. The Riley Creek Campground at Mile 0.2 is open for camping year-round, but water and sewer services will not be available until May 15, weather permitting. A vault toilet is provided for campers in the “Bear” loop, and water can be obtained at the Murie Science and Learning Center. Staff will begin collecting fees for camping when the other two loops open on May 15. The Savage River Campground opens on Friday, May 18 and the Teklanika River and Sanctuary River Campgrounds open on Saturday, May 19. Additional park information is available on the web at www.nps.gov/dena or by calling (907) 683-2294 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. -NPS- |
Last updated: April 14, 2015