Getting started

Planning a backcountry trip in Denali is unlike most other national parks. Denali is about the size of Vermont, with only a handful of trails - most of which are near the entrance of the park for day-hiking, rather than overnight backpacking.

Permits are issued only in person, no more than a day before you begin your backcountry adventure - so use the information on this site as a guide, to familiarize yourself with the permit process and the landscape of Denali, but be ready to hash out the details of your itinerary only once you're in the park, speaking to one of our backcountry rangers. You may also enjoy checking out our landscape panoramas, to get a sense of the scenery and terrain in the park.

A brochure of our online backpacking information is available, though the format is not home-printer friendly. Contact us if you want to receive a printed copy via regular mail. 

Summer Backcountry Desk Hours: 9 am - 6 pm

A few key webpages:

• 5 steps to getting a permit
• NEW: A backpacking and hiking guide, featuring unit descriptions  
• FAQ's
• Winter camping

Common backcountry considerations:

• Bear Resistant Food Containers (BRFC's)
• Bear & other wildlife safety
• Bicycle camping
• Cacheing
• Camping, cooking, drinking water & backcountry sanitation
• Camping in Southern Denali
• Closures
• Traveling in the trail-less wilderness: Terrain types, rivers, glaciers, and more
• Mountaineering & winter camping
• Parking

Additional Resources:

• Gear checklist
• Helpful publications & contact information
• Wonder Lake visibility webcam
• Descriptions of each backcountry unit