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Date: April 17, 2017
Contact: Katherine Belcher, (907) 683-9586
Due to longer days and warming temperatures, Denali National Park and Preserve Management has determined that there is no longer adequate snow cover for the use of snowmobiles for traditional activities in the 1980 additions to Denali National Park and Preserve that are south of the Alaska Range from the West Fork of the Chulitna River to the Southwest Preserve.
Those park lands that were open for snowmobile use are now closed for the season. Snow cover in the area is broken up with large areas of exposed vegetation, and the remaining areas of snow are shallow.
The snow cover North of the Alaska Range and from the West Fork of the Chulitna River north to Windy Creek near Cantwell is still adequate for the use of snowmobiles for traditional activities in the 1980 additions to Denali National Park and Preserve, but riders should anticipate a closure in this area soon. River corridors have open water and the snowpack is diminishing quickly.
Riders are reminded that all lands within the former Mount McKinley National Park on both the north and the south sides of the crest of the Alaska Range are closed to all snowmobile use by federal regulation. Check out maps and GPS coordinates for the park and preserve boundary.
The Denali Park Road is currently open for travel by private vehicles to the Teklanika Rest Area at Mile 30. The Murie Science and Learning Center at Mile 1.3 on the park road is open daily from 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. for visitor information and backcountry permits.
