Last updated: January 28, 2021
Place
Resting Grizzly
NPS Photo / Kent Miller
Quick Facts
Location:
Denali National Park & Preserve, Alaska
Significance:
“Resting Grizzly” by William Berry may well be the most hugged and photographed work of art in all of Alaska.
Amenities
5 listed
Cellular Signal, Internet/WiFi Available, Restroom - Seasonal, Trailhead, Trash/Litter Receptacles
The life-size bear sculpture outside the entrance to the Denali Visitor Center is an enlargement of an original eight-inch bronze entitled “Resting Grizzly” (1974) by William D. “Bill” Berry (1926-1979), an Alaskan wildlife artist who worked extensively in Denali from 1954 to 1979. Though the visitor center is open only in summer, visitors may walk up to the scupture any time of year.
The original sculpture is a limited edition of 20 bronze reproductions. This eight-foot replica consists of 31 separate castings and became a reality with the help of Alaskan sculptor Skip Wallen. The project, made possible by a gift from Bill’s wife Elizabeth and supported by the Berry family, was installed in September 2012. Learn more about the artist and statue, and watch the Resting Grizzly live webcam.
The original sculpture is a limited edition of 20 bronze reproductions. This eight-foot replica consists of 31 separate castings and became a reality with the help of Alaskan sculptor Skip Wallen. The project, made possible by a gift from Bill’s wife Elizabeth and supported by the Berry family, was installed in September 2012. Learn more about the artist and statue, and watch the Resting Grizzly live webcam.
“Fox cubs or caribou, his animals are what you’d see — if you could see as clearly, if you had his patience or powers of observation.”
— Carla Helfferich, former managing editor for University of Alaska Press