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

Absolutely a great hike and not that strenuous at all! Although the entire hike is about 9 miles,…read moreour hike guide took us through about 4-5 miles of it. The hike was pretty straightforward and there were a few uphill climbs here and there, but there was nothing anyone in OK shape can't complete. We started our hike at about 8am in the morning and spent 3 hours on our hike. It rained a bit throughout the hike so we didn't encounter other hikers until later in the morning. The views of the 3 lakes were gorgeous though and it was so peaceful out there! The mountains surrounding the lakes weren't that high so it was easy to see their peaks as well. Along the way we saw some interesting trees and vegetation. It helped that our guide was giving us information as we hiked along. We were also warned that there were moose sightings on the trail and we did encounter some fresh moose tracks, but unfortunately we didn't see any. Other than that, there wasn't much danger. The great thing is that this hike is it is free, if you go at it on your own, and can be completed by just about anyone!

Access trailhead via the visitor center (we needed a map at the beginning to find the trailhead,…read morebut once you reach the trailhead it is well marked the rest of the way). You can also start on the other side, near Denali Park Village Lodge. This is a beautiful 9-mile hike. It's listed as a "very strenuous" 6-8 hour hike in our book. We are in decent shape but not the best, and we finished in just under 5 hours, including stops for lots of photos ;) parts of the hike definitely got us breathing hard-- it starts fairly flat but there are stretches that are fairly steep as you ascend a mountain. Beautiful scenery along the way, with rivers, mountains, and several lakes. If you finish the hike after main shuttle, call SALMON BAKE! (907) 683-2733. They arrange shuttles til 3am-ish for just $3 per person!!

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.

Flying over the Alaska Range, getting to see Denali, and landing on the glacier! Honestly one of…read morethe best things you can do in Alaska!

Breathtaking views and a unique opportunity to see Denali Park from above. I had such a great time!…read moreOur pilot, Brandy, made sure that e felt comfortable, she was funny and knowledgeable. I really appreciated all the information and fun facts about the park she shared with us during the flight.

If you are craving a bite to eat after arriving at Princess Lodges (from Anchorage) and want…read moresomething warm, come here to get some yummy soup! My husband ordered the following to-go items: (1) Salmon corn chowder soup, bowl at $6.99 - this was yummy especially if you like salmon; wasn't too heavy either, just the right hint of corn and some mid-size chunks of salmon thrown in there (2) Chicken noodle soup, cup at $4.99 - tastes like any ordinary chicken soup; nothing too special A convenient stop for food if you are staying at the Princess Lodges.

If I could give zero stars I would. Waited over an hour for food. People that came in after us were…read moreleaving long before our burger and salad arrived. When it finally came my portobello burger that was supposed to be fire grilled, came floating in pool of oil. Literally it was dripping and pooling on my plate. I didn't eat it. The manager comped our food for the wait time, thank goodness because I really didn't want to pay for that gross thing. Eeeew.

We absolutely LOVED our stay at the Denali Cabins! We took the train up from Anchorage, and they…read morewere waiting at the station to pick all the guests up. So convenient. The rooms were super nice, clean, and spacious. Heater worked great, kept us nice and warm. Only downside was that the shower door didn't seal properly, so matter what we did, our floors were soaked. I was a little worried about getting around since the hotel is a bit further away from main Denali, but their shuttle service is fantastic. We didn't have any problems navigating Denali without a car. And Bradley was great - he gave us all kinds of advice for our trip. They also have a restaurant (Prey) and a coffee shop (Mount Hunter). Coffee shop was great! We came here for breakfast and coffee each morning. Their restaurant, on the other hand, was lacking. Food was expensive and was just adequate - our cornbread was so hard we couldn't hit it against the table. Bonus tip: You can check out bear spray for free at the front desk when you plan to go out hiking. Overall, we had a great stay and would stay here again.

I would not recommend this place at all. The people who work here are only out for making money…read moreand don't care about the customer or the customer experience. The property is currently a mess and is the noise at night is awful. They have a 45 day refund policy which is ridiculous. If you try to get a refund NO one ever responds to you. They just don't care.

Nice place a good distance away from Denali national park. Rooms were comfortable. Have to admit…read morethat the heat was on very high the first two nights that we stayed, and it really dried the skin out extremely. Otherwise, accommodation was great, bathrooms and water pressure in the shower was also wonderful. Food was good. Seating and views were amazing. Would recommend.

The great wilderness views everywhere, great breakfast, very well organized. Comfortable seats and…read moreample amount of seating both upstairs and downstairs. Overall, a nice experience.

Just got off the bus driven by Jason. Great tour of Denali for our first visit to Alaska. We were…read moreon the 11 am tour but still managed to see caribou, a bull moose, a wolverine, ptarmigans, and a ground squirrel that nosed for the bus! We did not see Mt McKinley, we weren't one of the lucky 30% unfortunately. Jason was a great narrator and guide and a very safe and accommodating driver.

We went on the early 4:50am tour yesterday with our guide, Jennifer. She was very knowledgeable and…read morewove a wonderful presentation of the history of the park, the flora and fauna, sustainability, and her personal journey. We saw grizzly bears, dall sheep, golden eagles, ptarmigans, red fox, snowshoe hares, ground squirrels, etc. We also had a nice clear view of Denali (Mt McKinley). It was an experience of a lifetime! Highly recommended. Check out my YouTube video of the grizzly mother and her two 2 year old cubs. Grizzly Bears Sighted at Denali! https://youtube.com/shorts/OUEIbzwdupw?feature=share

Had a wonderful experience. The staff, including the front desk manager (she was incredible) made…read moreit such an enjoyable stay. Upon arrival, we received advice on how to make the most of our trip with local activities. We ended up doing a heli-hike (based on their recommendation) which was a life changing experience. The grounds were nice, clean, and maintained. The room was comfortable, clean, and quiet. Parking was easy, and the staff at the on-site bar/restaurant we're also great. We actually went to the "nice restaurant" at the Princess Cruises Hotel in our first evening, thinking we wanted fine dining. That was disappointing (cheap pour on drinks and food was mediocre). I guess my advice is stick with the local, non corporate businesses when in this area. This is a local business that has value really wanting to celebrate the community.

Don't leave medicine in your cabin . Our's walked away . So…read moresad . The walkway is always blocked with the potable water truck . I know they have to have it ,but the walkway is blocked a lot .

This is basically a high priced Motel. The rooms are clean but small. Our bathtub didn't drain…read morewell while showering. (J146) Also, bring your own steamer or iron since the facility doesn't offer this as a basic service. Staff was rude when we pulled up to unload our luggage, the lady with the beak jumped out and demanded we move. Not a great start. Fortunately we were only there for one night.

Everything was terrible. Dining options limited and menu…read morewasn't stocked for service. You got what they wanted you to have. Not many other local choices. Employees are seasonal and don't give a shit what you think about their lack or professionalism. Stay on the bus and keep going to Fairbanks.