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Frequently Asked Questions
Road Lottery Photo Gallery
Why switch from pay.gov to rec.gov?

2012 Lottery Information

The application period for the 2012 lottery is June 1 - 30, 2012. Winners of the lottery will be announced in July, 2012. The dates of the lottery will be September 14 - 17, 2012.

What is the Road Lottery?

Each September the park hosts a four-day event called "Road Lottery." During these four days, winners of a lottery drawing are given a chance to purchase a single, day-long permit, allowing them to drive as much of the Denali Park Road as weather allows. In years with early snow, the Park Road might open no farther than Savage River (mile 15); in milder years, lottery winners are able to enjoy a trip out to Wonder Lake (mile 85).

The lottery dates each year are the second Friday-Monday weekend after Labor Day.

Why switch to rec.gov from pay.gov?

In 2011, we decided to change online vendors for lottery applications from www.pay.gov to www.recreation.gov. The reasons for doing so were:

• Quicker notification for winners, as www.recreation.gov offers an automatic email confirmation feature
• Cost savings for the park in terms of staff time, postage and printing costs - making rec.gov a greener option
• Rec.gov will automatically charge lottery winners for their $25 road travel permit, which meets US Treasury directives to increase electronic payment collections and decrease cash collections in the field
• Provides the option to extend the application period without impact to operations (i.e., application period may in future years run from sometime in the fall of each year through June 30 of the following, rather than just June 1 - June 30)
• Rec.gov offers an automated random drawing. This mitigates the problem of our previous lottery database becoming inoperable, as the primary database manager left Denali for another park in late 2011
  

Road Lottery Photo Gallery

Images from past lotteries will be placed here, to help demonstrate what kinds of experiences - and weather conditions - can be possible during this annual event.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the road travel permit work?
If you are drawn in the lottery, you'll be charged $25 for a one-day road travel permit. The day will be assigned to you in the drawing - that is why you should specify the dates in your order of preference when applying (see the application guidelines above).

On the day for which you were drawn, the road travel permit will let you drive the entire park road, weather permitting, between 6:00 am and midnight. The road between the entrance and Savage River has no hour restriction - you simply must be east of Savage River by midnight. If staying at Tek Campground, you may begin driving west, into the park, at 7:00 am and must be in your campground by 11:00 pm.

Are there vehicle size restrictions?
The Park Road beyond Teklanika Campground narrows significantly. Therefore, vehicles traveling the Park Road during Road Lottery must be within the following maximum dimensions: 22' long x 8' wide x 12' high. This is inclusive of side mirrors and bumpers, and is strictly enforced at the Savage River Checkstation (mile 15) - oversize traffic (i.e., RVs larger than those dimensions) must be bound for Teklanika Campground, and have their campground permit in hand, to travel beyond Savage River.

Where can I camp?
Riley Creek, Savage River and Teklanika River Campgrounds are all open during Road Lottery. You may camp with both an RV and a smaller vehicle to use during Road Lottery - but to fit in a single campsite, the combined vehicle length should not exceed 40'. If your two vehicles exceed 40', consider paying for two sites or look into campgrounds outside the park.

Being drawn in the lottery does not guarantee you a campsite in the park - you should consider booking ahead through our reservation concessioner.

Can I trade or transfer my winning permit?
If you are drawn in the lottery, you will be automatically charged for your road travel permit, a $25 fee. You may trade or transfer that road permit to another person. Provide the new person with your original notification of being a winner with a short note attached specifying that you are giving that person your road travel permit.

When is the actual drawing?
The drawing is held by July 15, with winners' names posted on this webpage as soon as possible thereafter. All applicants will be notified of whether or not they were drawn, by email.

Can I bring my pet dog, cat, goat, etc?
Pets (that fit inside your vehicle) are welcome. However, please note that a pet that impacts wildlife behavior - like a dog barking at a moose as you pause to view it from the road - is unacceptable. If your pet disturbs wildlife when you pause to view said animal(s), you must continue driving to prevent your pet from harassing wildlife. More pet info

Can I hike or backpack during Road Lottery?
Dayhiking in conjunction with a trip down the Park Road is possible - just be sure to leave your vehicle in an actual parking lot or pull-off along the road. More dayhiking info

Backpacking during Road Lottery is a somewhat more logistically complicated than in the summer. Hitch-hiking is not permitted along the Denali Park Road, so most backpacking itineraries must begin and end somewhere along the first 15 miles of the road, which is still serviced by the free Savage River Shuttle through lottery weekend. More backpacking info

What if the weather is bad?
The possibility of inclement weather in September is always a factor. Some years the road has only been partially opened because of snow. Lottery participants are encouraged to contact the park or follow our forecast for the latest weather info.

Is there a minimum-length stay at Teklanika?
Unlike the main summer season, there is no minimum-length stay at Teklanika Campground during Road Lottery. Also, you may camp at Tek with an RV and a tow vehicle, only during the four days of Road Lottery, so long as the combined length of RV and tow vehicle is less than 40'. This allows folks to camp with a large RV and still bring a smaller vehicle out with which to drive the road (note vehicle size limits above).

Where do I check in for Road Lottery?
Check-in is at the Wilderness Access Center, near the park entrance. You may check in upon arriving in the park, as early as the day before Road Lottery begins. This is a particularly good idea if you stay at Savage or Tek Campgrounds. Lottery winners should remember that they'll need to pay the park entrance fee ($20/vehicle, unless in possession of a park pass already).

How many people may travel with me?
If you are drawn in the lottery, you may bring as many people with you as will (legally) fit in your non-commercial vehicle (note vehicle size limits above).

May I drive a motorcycle during the lottery?
Absolutely, if you're drawn in the lottery you can drive any non-commercial, street-legal vehicle which is smaller than the aforementioned maximum size dimensions.