I hate to say it but our visit to Denali National Park wasn't as good as I was expecting. Denali…read moreNational Park is a gorgeous place and provides you with all the views that you would expect to see when you come to Alaska. But your visit is limited... now let me explain. If you have the American the Beautiful park pass, then your admission is free to the park. You can drive your car into the park, but only up to Riley Creek. If you don't have much time for a full day's worth of a visit then this is your best option if you want to visit this national park. But if you do have time, then you definitely want to check out one of the tours or transit buses. Please note that if you wish to take a tour or one of the transit buses, the American the Beautiful park pass does not cover that. You just have to head to the visitor center and purchase your tickets or you can purchase online. On NPS.gov, it warns you that tickets can be sold out if you do not purchase in advance but my husband and I were able to show up and purchase for the time that we wanted. We came on a Thursday morning though, in the month of August. Please note that if you visit Alaska in August, this is towards the end of the summer season and a lot of places already close for the season (Although this is now towards the off peak season and that prices are cheaper, just keep that in mind). Also want to mention that August is the 2nd rainiest month (September and August get the most rain of the year) so make sure to plan for that. There are also a lot of annoying mosquitos too so make sure to bring bug spray for that. Anyways, we took a transit bus. The bus driver is also your park guide to inform you of the sights and also will help you to spot some wildlife of the big 5 (bear, moose, caribou, Dall sheep, wolves). But you are not able to get in and off the bus whenever you want. There were only 2 stops on our visit. If you choose to stay (which you are allowed to), you will have to wait for the next transit bus. The problem with this is if there are no seats available, you will have to wait until the next bus comes by that does have enough seats for you and your party. Because of this, this really worried many of the people on the bus (including us), so we never stayed at one stop. We just got back on the bus when it was time. We did see this problem as our bus driver did stop for a group of 6 and told the group that there were only 4 empty seats on our bus and so they had to wait as our bus left them. Both of the stops on the bus do have restrooms. The first stop just has a porta potty but the second one has numerous of toilets (but the the cleanest and it may be in your best interest to bring some alcohol spray because there are no sinks). Your views for the rest of the park is just limited to what you see out of your window from the bus. I really wished that we could have driven our own car so that we could get in and out whenever we wanted. Although I will say that the bus driver was friendly and very informative. He also answered questions from the group that was on the bus. My husband and I visited this park over 2 days. Only part of the national park is dog friendly (not on the bus). So we were able to have our little girl join us (yep, our little girl dog travels with us and has been to 49 states so far and we have visited all 50 states). Dogs are also allowed to be on some campgrounds, in case you wish to camp (we ended up staying at an Airbnb not too far from the national park). I don't regret visiting this national park and still recommend that you do when you visit Alaska because Alaska truly is beautiful. You really get to see Mother Nature in all of her glory here. But just keep in mind how the visit may be.

Found this park to be incredible. Had a veteran tour guide,who knew the park inside & out…read more Spectacular views everywhere you look. Saw a fox up close & a rabbit quite cold when you arrive higher up

Signed my wife & myself up during our first visit to Alaska. Had a GREAT session with Jack who took…read moreus to several sites and then suggested a picture, then helped us improve our picture (we were the arbitor of what "improved" meant) and then encouraged us to take other pictures at that site. He was supportive & worked with our equipment -- this was not a merchandising event where equipment &/or services was being shoved, or even suggested, down our throats. Our guide worked with what we had and help us use it more effectively. I would come back to Denali just to have another session (not that there aren't other reasons to come back here). We were picked up at our accommodations, taken out to various locations and then mentored with our equipment - I cannot stress that enough - no pitches to dump what you have, this was all about using what I had better.

Todd, my photo guide is outstanding! Wish we had more time to spend with him. Stories where…read moreawesome. Locations for picture taking was like no other! THANK YOU TODD! YOUR THE BEST. I HAD A BLAST!

I think one of our favorite parks. There's not many trails. You definitely have to blaze your own!…read more The scenery is great (not as much wildlife as I expected). It's nice that the public can't go the whole distance thru, that way it keeps traffic minimal and doesn't disturb the wildlife.

Visiting Denali National Park was nothing short of breathtaking -- a true wilderness experience…read morethat takes your breath away in both scale and beauty. From the moment we arrived, the immense landscape of tundra, mountains, and glaciers stretched out before us, reminding us how small we really are in the natural world. The vast open spaces encourage slow exploration, whether you're on a bus tour, hiking along a riverside, or just stopping to watch wildlife. We saw moose, caribou, and even distant bears -- real wild animals in their natural habitat -- which was unforgettable. The shuttle system into the park (which limits private vehicles) makes sense given how pristine this place is kept, though it does mean planning ahead and sometimes long days on the bus. We learned that weather can be unpredictable -- Denali itself was hidden in clouds a good part of our visit -- but even without a clear view of the peak, the surroundings were spectacular. The hiking opportunities are more backcountry-oriented, so if you love getting off the beaten path and embracing rugged terrain, Denali delivers. If you're expecting paved trails and easy viewpoints like other national parks, you might find it a bit raw -- but that's exactly why we loved it. All told, Denali is a must-visit for anyone who wants to experience true Alaskan wilderness -- rich wildlife, dramatic landscapes, and a sense of isolation that few other parks offer. Just pack warm layers, be ready for limited services, and give yourself time to soak it all in.