Access to the Park and Preserve for Subsistence Uses

 

Permits, harvest tickets and tags are important tools used by wildlife managers to monitor and protect wildlife populations. Subsistence users are required to follow harvest reporting rules.

Federal Registration Permit

ANILCA, Title VIII, Section 8 11 , authorized the use, for subsistence purposes, of snowmachines, motor boats, and other means of surface transportation that were traditionally employed. These uses are only authorized on Denali National Park and Preserve lands added, in 1980, to the former Mt. McKinley National Park.

• Motorboats and dog teams may be used to access the ANILCA park and preserve additions for any purpose, including subsistence.
• Snowmachines may also be used for subsistence and traditional activities, in the ANILCA park and preserve additions providing there is sufficient snow cover.
• Subsistence use of off-road vehicles: Operating a motor vehicle off road is prohibited except by authorized residents as defined in this section when engaged in subsistence uses. "Authorized residents" means residents of the Cantwell resident zone community or those residents of Alaska Game Management Unit 13E holding a 13.440 Subsistence Use permit. Operating a motor vehicle off road for subsistence purposes outside any trail or area designated by this section is prohibited. A map and GPS coordinates of designated trails and areas are available with our other hunting information.

Authorized residents may operate vehicles off road only in the following designated areas and trails:

• The Windy Creek Trail
• The Cantwell Airstrip Trail
• The Pyramid Trail
• The Cantwell Creek Floodplain

Periodic closures of off road vehicle trails may be announced in the event weather conditions indicate a high likelihood of damage to vegetation and underlying soils.

Access to the Kantishna Area

Aircraft may be used to access the preserve lands for the federal subsistence taking of fish and wildlife. They may also be used to access the preserve for the taking of fish and wildlife under State regulations.

Airplanes are not permitted for providing access to the ANILCA park additions for subsistence taking of fish and wildlife. Subsistence users may not land outside the ANILCA park additions, in the preserve or on private land, and walk into the ANILCA park additions to engage in subsistence hunting and trapping.

A qualified subsistence user for Denali may use an aircraft in the park or preserve to carry supplies to a base camp or cabin but may not utilize an aircraft to work a trapline in the park.

Denali Park Road

A park road travel permit is required for subsistence users accessing the Kantishna area during the primary visitor season. The primary visitor season is the time when the shuttle buses begin operation, on approximately June 1, and continues until about September 15. To obtain a road permit for subsistence use, contact the park at [phone].

Firearms in the Kantishna Area

Discharging of firearms near the Denali Park Road in the Kantishna Area is prohibited September 1–15 each year. This developed area has a large number of summer visitors using the facilities and surrounding area to engage in outdoor activities that could put them at risk of a firearm related injury.

The restriction on the discharge of firearms applies on federal public lands within one mile of the Kantishna road right-of-way from the former Mt. McKinley National Park boundary at mile 87.9, to the north end of the Kantishna air strip. The firearm restriction is in effect from September 1 through September 15 each year.

During the period of the firearms discharge restriction, subsistence harvests utilizing other methods and means according to federal subsistence management regulations, may still take place. Consult the regulations booklet for information on hunts in the Kantishna area and methods of harvest.