Park Ranger Programs and Field Seminars

On This Page Navigation

 

Note: Ranger programs in Denali are mainly offered only in the summer, from May 20 through the middle of September.

Whether you seek a short interaction or plan to fill multiple days attending these programs, park rangers are here to help you understand, appreciate and take care of your park.

With the exception of Discovery Hikes and the Kantishna Experience Tour, all ranger hikes, sled dog demonstrations, campground programs and other talks in Denali are free and do not require you to sign up in advance. Discovery Hikes are technically free, but will likely require you to purchase a bus ticket and you must sign up for them in advance.

 

Types of Ranger Programs in Denali

• 

  Sled Dog Demonstrations

  Watch a ranger ride around a track and talk about the historic and modern uses of Alaskan huskies in Denali.

• 

  Ranger-Led Trail Hikes

  Join a ranger to hike a trail from either the Denali Visitor Center or Eielson Visitor Center.

• 

  Ranger Talks

  Join a ranger at a campground or elsewhere for short, informative talks on all kinds of Denali-related topics.

• 

  Off-Trail Discovery Hikes

  If you will be here for several days, consider signing up at the visitor center for an off-trail ranger hike.

• 

  Kantishna Experience Tour

  This is the only type of bus trip in Denali that features a park ranger, who will join you around the mid-way point of your adventure.

 

American Sign Language

Our goal is to provide American Sign Language interpretation, when requested, for all ranger programs. Denali is very remote, however, so please request ASL interpretation as early as you can to ensure that we can accommodate your request!

---

Other Naturalist and Education Programs

Our partner non-profit association, Alaska Geographic, also offers a variety of programs for visitors. Other than field courses, these programs occur at the Murie Science and Learning Center.

• Evening speaker series

  7 pm science presentations on Friday evenings throughout the summer. Some weeks feature a second evening talk as well.
• Field courses
  Multi-day, hands-on field courses instructed by park scientists and talented educators, June through September

---

 

Program Start and End Dates

Use the calendar above to see what's occurring on a specific date. The table below gives you a general overview of when ranger programs are available in Denali.

2018 Ranger Programs

Duration and other details about each of these programs can be found on the relevant webpage for each program type, as linked below.

Time	Program Name	Frequency	Location
8 am	Discovery Hike	Daily, June 8—September 3	Varies
10 am	Nature Walk	Daily, May 27—September 19	Denali Visitor Center
10 am	Sled Dog Demonstration	Daily, May 20—Sep 13	Park Kennels*
10 am	Ranger Talk	Mondays only, May 22—September 18	McKinley Chalet Resort***
1 pm	Eielson Stroll	Daily, Jun 1—Sep 14	Eielson Visitor Center**
2 pm	Sled Dog Demonstration	Daily, May 15—Sep 18	Park Kennels*
3:30 pm	Ranger Talk	Daily, Jun - Sep 19	McKinley Chalet Resort***
4 pm	Sled Dog Demonstration	Daily, Jun 1—Sep 3	Park Kennels*
7:30 pm	Evening Campground Program	May 20—Sep 17	Riley Creek Campground, Savage River, Teklanika River and Wonder Lake Campgrounds. Please look for flyers in each campground for program frequency.

Notes: Programs entail being at the proper location at the times indicated.

* Getting to the kennels for a ranger program involves arriving at the Denali Visitor Center 45 minutes before a sled dog demo begins. There is no parking available at the kennels, so park at the visitor center (if you have a car) and ride a free bus to the demonstration.

** Programs at Eielson Visitor Center require a shuttle bus trip of roughly four hours, so choose a departure that gets you to the facility before a given program is set to begin.

*** The Chalet Amphitheater is located outside of the park. To get there you can take a free shuttle from the Denali Visitor Center or drive a private vehicle to the McKinley Chalet Resort, about 1.5 miles north of the park entrance on Highway 3.