Ian Shive
Landing strip at the Kahiltna Glacier.
The majority of flightseeing companies, including both fixed wing and helicopter operations, are based in the communities immediately surrounding the park such as Talkeetna, Denali Park, Healy, and Kantishna. Some flight tours also originate in Anchorage and Fairbanks. A variety of routes and itineraries are available, weather permitting. Some operators offer flight tours year-round.
For an enhanced flightseeing experience, visitors can opt to land on one of the park glaciers aboard a ski-equipped airplane. Enjoy a unique opportunity for a mid-summer snowball fight, or for the more experienced, an overnight glacier adventure. Due to variable snow conditions, glacier landings are primarily offered during the spring and summer months.
The following four flightseeing concessionaires are permitted to land aircraft on glaciers in Denali National Park:
Fly Denali, with offices in Talkeetna and Healy, AK; 866-733-7768,
Sheldon Air Service, Talkeetna, AK; 800-478-2321, www.sheldonair.com
K2 Aviation, Talkeetna, AK; 800-764-2291,
Talkeetna Air Taxi, Talkeetna, AK; 800-533-2219,
Kantishna Air Taxi (Kantishna, AK and Denali area; (303) 449-1146 (Oct - May) and (907) 683-1223 (June - Sept), http://katair.com/index.html) provides air taxi services between the McKinley Park Airstrip, at the park entrance, and the Kantishna Airstrip, as well as flightseeing services from Kantishna.
A host of other air taxi companies are also permitted to operate within parts of Denali.