Kennels

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Visiting in Winter 2021-22

The kennels are open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays only, 1 pm to 4 pm. Spring and summer hours in 2022 are to be determined.

Learn about what other facilities and services are available or closed during the pandemic.

 

Duration:

21 minutes, 31 seconds

Denali's canine rangers connect the past to the present. Sled dogs and rangers continue to work together to protect the wilderness of the park as they have since the 1920s.

 

Why Mush?

The Denali National Park Kennels harnesses the spirit of sled dogs to forge lasting bonds between people and wild places.

In a modern world filled with high tech solutions for "everything", it can be hard to comprehend why we would still actively choose to use traditional dog team travel rather than any of the modern alternatives. In fact, there are many reasons to choose sled dogs.

Tradition

Denali National Park has had sled dogs since 1922. Read more about the kennels centennial celebrations this year. While 100 years is a long time, in Alaska, sled dogs have been a part of the landscape for many more hundreds of years. Prior to the introduction of mechanized transport, almost every family had a few sled dogs that served as transportation for trapping, trading, and traveling to neighboring villages. Native Alaskans hold generations of knowledge and stories that have contributed to the National Park Service's use of safely and effectively managing sled dogs in Denali's Wilderness.

Our first Superintendent, Harry Karstens, purchased the park's first seven sled dogs for patrolling the newly established park boundaries. The park has maintained working dog teams ever since. Their job has evolved over time and while they are no longer patrolling for poachers, they are still performing essential and inspiring work in protecting and preserving the unique character of Denali.

The dogs, and the kennels where they live, represent important pieces of the American story. These are the only sled dogs in the United States that help protect a national park and the wildlife, scenery, and wilderness therein, and it has been this way since the birth of our Park.

Reliability

Sled dogs have hearts and brains that machines such as snowmobiles and airplanes do not. Every kennels ranger has a story of wise lead dogs helping them navigate to a patrol cabin in a white out or to avoid dangerous ice obscured under snow. The dogs know this landscape well and they can provide invaluable wisdom that machines cannot. While a team of sled dogs is obviously far slower than an airplane or a snowmobile, they are arguably more reliable to operate in the extreme conditions of a sub-arctic winter.

At 40 below zero, it can be near impossible to try to start a motor, whereas a dog team simply needs a good breakfast and they are ready and willing to run. Overflow is a common challenge on rivers and trails in Denali. Snowmobiles can get bogged down and sink in this slushy mess whereas a dog team can run right through it and roll in the snow to dry off on the other side. If a machine breaks down in the middle of remote wilderness like Denali, you had better hope you are carrying the right spare parts and tools to fix it! However, if a sled dog gets sick or injured on the trail, you can always rely on the rest of the team to pull the sled while the injured dog can run loose or ride in the sled until they have recovered.

 

Access

Similar to summer’s backcountry rangers, kennels rangers on dogsleds contact winter recreationists and provide information on trail conditions, offer assistance, and monitor use in a low-impact style that preserves the wilderness spirit essential to Denali. The sled-dog trails made during winter field operations are used by winter recreationists who want to explore Denali on skis, snowshoes, or with their own dog team. In winter (November–April), you can use the map at the bottom of this page to track the travels of the NPS sled dogs and get updates on current conditions throughout the park.

Federally Designated Wilderness

There are over 2 million acres of designated Wilderness in Denali. This is the highest level of federal protection for public lands and the sled dogs of Denali play a huge role in protecting and preserving the unique wilderness character of this park. Learn more about the connection between our sled dogs and designated Wilderness.

 

All About Denali's Dogs

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  Meet the Sled Dogs

  Browse images and bios of each dog in Denali

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  Sled Dog Demonstrations

  Attend a summer sled dog demonstration. Programs are free and offered from May 15 - mid-September.

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  Kennels Centennial

  Set aside as a park in 1917, Denali National Park has had a team of canine rangers nearly its entirely history.

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  Alaskan Elders: Tales From the Trail

  In winter, rangers and dogs travel throughout the wilderness.

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  Video Series: "The Puppy Paws"

  Take a pause in your day for the Puppy Paws! This video series explores why we breed huskies, and how we rear pups to be great at their jobs

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  Sled Dogs and Wilderness

  Discover the important role of sled dogs in wilderness

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  Adopt a Retiree

  After their working life in the kennels, Denali's dogs retire to adoptive homes.

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  Sled Dog Blog

  Keep up with the work (and fun times) in the kennels by following our sled dog blog!

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  A Dog's Life

  Learn about the typical life of a Denali sled dog

 

Where Are They Now?

In winter, you can use the map below to follow the progress of the dogs as they mush through the park. On occasion, they may not be using their SPOT device, and the map will be blank. It will also be blank in summer, when the teams are not out in the park.

The map also shows conditions on various trails. Click on a trail segment to see if we have any important additional info to offer for that section.

• Yellow: Indicates a route our teams have traveled recently (in the past two weeks). Only minor hazards or difficulties should be expected.
• Orange: Also a route our teams traveled recently, but with more significant hazards or challenges
• Red: Either a route we have not traveled recently, or a route with extremely difficult hazards or challenges.
• Blue: Illustrate common routes used each year, but do not indicate recent conditions.
• Download the trail routes: KML trail routes (for use in programs like Google Earth) | GPX trail routes (for use in a GPS device)
  (Note: These files are general routes; there is no current status information associated with them, and the actual trail you find in the park may deviate slightly in course and location).