Current Conditions

 

Learn and Explore

Visiting Denali during a pandemic is going to be a little bit confusing!

Most park operations (e.g., when visitor centers, campgrounds, and other facilities are open) will be changed from normal years. Certain facilities will be closed to the public, while other facilities will have adjusted hours and seasons.

On This Page:

• List of Operations Altered Due to COVID-19
• Driving the Denali Park Road
• Current Conditions in the Park

 

Park Operations Altered Due to COVID-19

Below is a list of information pertinent to trip planners in fall 2020. If you encounter discrepancies between other parts of our website and this information, go with what you see below. This supercedes all other trip planning information during this pandemic.

Visitor Centers & Other Facilities

• As of September 29, the summer-time Denali Visitor Center is closed. The Indoor Picnic Area is open 9:30 am to 5 pm, and is a place to use restrooms, refill water bottles, access park information, and warm up indoors during chilly weather. No food service is provided, but tables are available for visitors who bring their own food and drink to use. The Indoor Picnic Area is across the road from the Denali Visitor Center, and is adjacent to the Murie Science & Learning Center. The Murie Science and Learning Center will not open this fall or winter.
• The sled dog kennels are closed to visitors this fall and winter.
• The Backcountry Information Center (adjacent to the Denali Bus Depot) is closed. Please note that you must still reserve your backcountry permit in advance, Learn more about backpacking from October 1, 2020 to April 14, 2021. Backpackers planning for summer 2021 are welcome to refer to the information, but keep in mind that some changes might be necessary to how permits are acquired, depending on the pandemic.

Entrance Fees & Passes

Entrance fees to Denali are required. Visitors can learn about fees & passes in Denali and pay their park entrance fees online in advance, or upon arrival to the entrance area of the park. The Denali Annual Pass is also available for purchase online. Please note that after September 28th, the only option to pay your park entrance fee is by doing so online.

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Campgrounds

One of the three loops in Riley Creek Campground is open year-round, and it is free to camp in Riley Creek outside the summer season (from September 23, 2020 til mid-May, 2021). There is no electricity or running water in the campground.

All other campgrounds in Denali are closed for the winter.

Campers are asked to do their part in maintaining social distancing. Bring all supplies for adequate sanitation. It is the responsibility of each camper to understand current Alaska State Health Mandates and their applicability to visitors' camping experience.

 

Private Vehicle Access on the Denali Park Road in 2020

Starting September 23, 2020, any visitor may drive as far as Teklanika River (Mile 29) in their own private, non-commercial vehicle; no reservation or permit is necessary. Visitors may drive to Teklanika any time of the day or night, although camping (other than backpacking) is only permitted in Riley Creek Campground during fall and winter.

The road remains open to Teklanika until wintry weather cause the closure of the road. This could occur any time from late September through October. In some years, the road remains open to Savage River (Mile 15) if the conditions are only wintry between there and Teklanika River. We only plow from the entrance to Park Headquarters (Mile 3), however, so eventually the road will only be open for 3 miles, once snow falls between Headquarters and Savage River.

 

Conditions on the Denali Park Road

The map below illustrates which parts of the park road are open to private vehicles (thick green line) and, in summer, to bus traffic (thin black line). Red indicates sections of road closed. Icons also indicate which park campgrounds are open.