Ah, the Denali Hwy!
If you're new to Alaska, you probably think this is the road the busses take into Denali Nation Park.
You are thinking wrong!
The Denali Hwy is a 135 mile, mostly gravel, road that goes from the ghost town of Paxson in the east to Cantwell in the west. (Mile 0 starts on the Paxson side)
The main reasons people find themselves on this hwy:
- Hunting
- Being a tourist
- Bored (hey, I haven't driven that one yet...)
- Fishing
- Camping
- Solitude
This area is WAY less busy than the areas around Denali National Park. The bad reputation that this road has (it's not that bad, if you ask me. My non-high-clearence, 2WD car was able to handle it fine) deters most. The views are gorgeous in spots, you can see large mountains (Mt Deborah, Mt Hayes) from spots on the highway that are hard/impossible to see anywhere else!
You probably won't see a ton of wildlife here though. Despite the seclusion this road is hunted pretty heavily.
Protip: visit in fall for vibrant tundra colors! read more