Denali National Park

Denali National Park is certainly one of the main attractions for those visiting Alaska. It is six million acres of wilderness which has only one road that is just over 90 miles long.  Only the first 15 miles can be driven by private vehicles and the rest only by approved buses or special permits.  Exploring from the road you will be able to experience the forest at the lowest elevations and the  tundra at the middle elevations.  Too truly explore the rest of the park including the glaciers and mountains a great deal of extra effort is involved. This park and preserve was not created specifically for the enjoyment of nature by humans, but rather to preserve and protect the animals.  The guide indicated that originally, the park was developed to protect just one animal- the mountain goat.  It, of course, provides a habitat for many other animals that roam free as they would have for centuries before humans started to develop the land.

We took a guided bus tour with an experienced driver and guide who provided a running commentary for the course of the trip.  Like 98% of all of Alaska, it is a wild, beautiful, and dangerous place, if you do not know what you are doing and perhaps even if you do.  I freely admit that I am way past the time I would ever think about hiking into that six million acres to explore on my own. We saw some of the local inhabitants and the great expanses of mother nature.  It is certainly a place that should be seen at least once in person.