Denali Park Road to Open to Mile 30

Date: April 15, 2011
Contact: Kris Fister, [phone]

Favorable spring weather has helped the efforts of the National Park Service to open the park road further west for access by park visitors. The portion of the Denali Park Road between the Savage River (Mile 15) and the Teklanika River Rest Area at Mile 30 will open for travel by private vehicles at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 16, weather permitting. Weather can change rapidly, and visitors are encouraged to call for updated road status before traveling to the park.

Snow conditions have deteriorated, but there is still good snow for skiing in shaded areas and on north-facing slopes. Visitors have reported sightings of lynx, caribou, and moose along the first 15 miles of the park road. There have been no bear sightings yet this season.

Motorists should expect to encounter snow, ice, and mud on some portions of the road, particularly shaded areas. Please be alert for heavy equipment used on road opening operations and park personnel working on the edges of the road. There are vault toilets for visitor use at the Mountain Vista Trailhead east of the Savage River Campground, the parking areas on both sides of the Savage River, and the Teklanika Rest Area.
 
Visitor information and backcountry permits are available at the Murie Science and Learning Center (Mile 1.3) from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily. The Riley Creek Campground is open for free camping until May 15, but water and sewer services are currently not available. A vault toilet is provided for campers in the open loop, and water can be obtained at the Murie Science and Learning Center. Additional park facilities, including the Denali Visitor Center and other campgrounds, are scheduled to open in mid-May.

Denali National Park and Preserve collects an entrance fee year-round. The entrance fee of $10 per person or $20 per vehicle is valid for seven days. The majority of the money collected remains in the park, and is used for projects to improve visitor services and facilities. Interagency Federal Recreation Passes such as the Annual, Senior, and Access Pass, and the Denali Annual Pass are also valid for entry into the park. Visitors can pay entrance fees and purchase passes at the Murie Science and Learning Center. 

Additional park information is available on the web at www.nps.gov/dena or by calling [phone] from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily. Stay connected with "DenaliNPS" on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, and iTunes – links to these social media sites are available at www.nps.gov/dena.