Summer access to facilities and services in Denali remains altered due to the Pretty Rocks Landslide and the associated closure of the Park Road at Mile 43. Check here for more information on what to expect. More
Whether you seek information, inspiration, or just need to buy a bus ticket, you'll want to stop at one or more of the visitor centers in Denali.
Denali Visitor Center
Open in summer only, this is the main visitor center near the park entrance. During the summer, you can explore exhibits, watch the park film, pay the park entrance fee, and talk with a ranger.
In fall, winter, and spring, the Murie Science and Learning Center (MSLC) acts as the park's Winter Visitor Center.
Physical Address
Mile 1.5 Denali Park Road Denali Park, AK99755
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 9 Denali Park, AK99755
Upon arriving in Denali, travel 1.5 miles down the road until you see signs for the Denali Visitor Center.
Closed today
Current Hours (Closed in Winter)
September 24–May 11
Every Day:Closed
The Denali Visitor Center is open in summer only. In winter, visitors can stop by the Winter Visitor Center to speak with a park ranger.
Standard Hours
Every Day:8:00 AM–6:00 PM
Open in summer only: early May through late September.
Closures & Seasonal Exceptions
Closed in Winter
September 24–May 11
Every Day:Closed
The Denali Visitor Center is open in summer only. In winter, visitors can stop by the Winter Visitor Center to speak with a park ranger.
The Denali Visitor Center is open in summer only, and welcomes several hundred thousand visitors to Denali. NPS Photo / Kent Miler
Stop by the Denali Visitor Center's information desk to answer questions about your visit. NPS Photo
One of the features of the Denali Visitor Center is a relief map that illustrates the Alaska Range and its highest peak, Mount McKinley. NPS Photo
The lower level of the Denali Visitor Center features a variety of tactile exhibits NPS Photo / Emily Mesner
Murie Science and Learning Center
The Murie Science and Learning Center (MSLC) is located at Mile 1.3 of the Denali Park Road at the entrance of Denali National Park and Preserve.
In winter, the MSLC is Denali’s Winter Visitor Center. The MSLC is closed to the public in summer, when it serves as an operations base for registration-based educational programs.
A 24-hour Automated Fee Machine is located outside the building. You can purchase the park entrance fee and Denali Annual Pass here by credit card only.
Physical Address
Mile 1.4 Denali Park Rd. Denali Park, AK99755
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 9 Denali Park, AK99755
After entering the park, travel 1.4 miles and look for signs to the Murie Science and Learning Center.
Every Day:9:30 AM–5:00 PM
The Murie Science & Learning Center (MSLC) is open daily from 9:30 am to 5 pm during the winter season (September 24 through May 14), except on major holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year's Day). A heated building, called the Indoor Picnic Area, is located next door to the MSLC. The Indoor Picnic Area is open mid October through April 14, with the same hours as the MSLC. The Murie Science and Learning Center is closed to the public in summer.
Closures & Seasonal Exceptions
Closed for the Summer
May 12–September 23
Every Day:Closed
The Murie Science and Learning Center is closed to the public in summer. It serves as an operations base for registration-based educational programs.
The Murie Science and Learning Center also serves as Denali's winter-time visitor center. NPS Photo
A park ranger greeting winter visitors at the Murie Science & Learning Center NPS Photo / Mary Lewandowski
Learn about Denali's dinosaurs and touch a real dinosaur track inside the MSLC. NPS Photo / KH
The MSLC on a dark winter night. NPS Photo / Katie Karnes
Walter Harper Talkeetna Ranger Station
Located in the town of Talkeetna, about 100 miles south of the entrance to Denali National Park and Preserve, this ranger station serves as the center of mountaineering operations. Climbers wishing to attempt Mount McKinley or other peaks in the Alaska Range stop here first, for an orientation to the mountain and to acquire their climbing permit.
This ranger station also offers some visitor services, particularly in summer. It is open year-round.
Physical Address
22241 S. B Street Talkeetna, AK99676
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 588 Talkeetna, AK99676
The Talkeetna Spur Road is at Mile 100 on Highway 3. Drive down the Talkeetna Spur Road its full 15 mile length to the town of Talkeetna and look for the visitor center on B street.
Current Hours (Late Winter Hours)
January 3–April 15
Sunday:Closed
Monday-Friday:10:00 AM–4:00 PM
Saturday:Closed
Standard Hours
Every Day:8:00 AM–4:30 PM
Throughout the main summer season (April 16 to mid-September), the ranger station is open daily from 8 am to 4:30 pm. Hours are limited and vary in fall, winter, and spring. Call to speak with a ranger about visiting during winter months.
The ranger station in Talkeetna is named for Walter Harper, an Athabascan man who was the first person to summit Mount McKinley in 1913. NPS Photo / Emily Mesner
A small memorial for climbers who lost their lives on Mount McKinley. NPS Photo
A short walk from the ranger station is the Talkeetna River, from which a great view of Mount McKinley can be found on clear days. NPS Photo / Emily Mesner
The Walter Harper Talkeetna Ranger Station is the starting point for all mountaineers wishing to attempt Mount McKinley. NPS Photo
Visitors speak to Ranger Pam while in Talkeetna NPS Photo / Emily Mesner
Visitors to Talkeetna are welcome to let other travelers know where they came from. NPS Photo / Emily Mesner
Denali Bus Depot
This summer facility is operated by our concessionaire rather than by the National Park Service. It is the primary place to buy bus tickets, arrange for stays in park campgrounds, or to check in for an existing reservation. Coffee and grab-and-go food is also available for purchase. Only credit cards are accepted here.
Closed today
Current Hours (Closed in Winter)
September 13–May 19
Every Day:Closed
Standard Hours
Every Day:5:30 AM–7:00 PM
Open: May 20 through mid-September each year (closing date varies). Daily hours: 5 am–7 pm for coffee service, bus loading, ticket sales, and pre-booked bus and campground reservation check-ins.
The Denali Bus Depot is the starting point for most bus trips into Denali. NPS Photo
Begin your day in the park at the Denali Bus Depot. NPS Photo / Emily Mesner
Run by Denali's concessionaire, the Denali Bus Depot is where visitors can book campgrounds, buy bus tickets, and board most buses heading into the park. NPS Photo / Kent Miller
Indoor Picnic Area
A heated building, called the Indoor Picnic Area, is located next door to the Murie Science and Learning Center. Open in winter only, mid-October to mid-April. Restrooms and a water bottle filling station are available. Food service is not provided, so bring your own food to eat.
Physical Address
Mile 1.4 Denali Park Road Denali Park, AK99755
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 9 Denali Park, AK99755
Turn off Highway 3 onto the Denali Park Road and drive 1.4 miles til you see signs for the Murie Science & Learning Center. Park at the Murie Center, and walk past it to the Indoor Picnic Area.
Every Day:9:30 AM–5:00 PM
The Indoor Picnic Area is open to visitors in the winter, from 9:30 am to 5 pm daily. NPS staff are not present.
Closures & Seasonal Exceptions
Closed in Summer
April 15–September 30
Every Day:Closed
The Indoor Picnic Area is available to visitors in winter, only. In the summer, it serves as the employee dining hall for the park's bus concessionaire.
The Indoor Picnic Area is a warm space where you can warm up during a winter visit. NPS Photo / Katie Karnes
Bring your own food to eat and watch a park film while relaxing inside the Indoor Picnic Area. NPS Photo / Katie Karnes
Eielson Visitor Center
The Eielson Visitor Center is located at Mile 66 of the Denali Park Road. Due to the ongoing Pretty Rocks landslide and the closure of the park road at Mile 42, Eielson is currently closed.
Physical Address
Mile 66, Denali Park Road Denali Park, AK99755
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 9 Denali Park, AK99755
Eielson is located at Mile 66 of the Denali Park Road, and as such can only be accessed by visitors on certain buses, or visitors who are hiking / biking the road.
Closed today
Every Day:Closed
Currently closed through 2024 due to the Pretty Rocks Landslide.
Eielson Visitor Center has a low profile, to avoid being an eyesore on an otherwise undeveloped landscape. NPS Photo / Kent Miller
Eielson is intentionally built into the mountainside, to reduce its profile on the viewscape. NPS Photo
Inside the Eielson Visitor Center, you can explore a large relief map and many exhibits. NPS Photo / Jacob W. Frank
The Eielson Visitor Center features fabulous views of the Alaska Range, when skies are clear. NPS Photo
From Eielson, visitors can hike a short, easy loop trail, or the more strenuous Thorofare Ridge Trail. NPS Photo / Emily Mesner
Toklat River Contact Station
Located at Mile 53 of the Denali Park Road. Due to the Pretty Rocks landslide and the closure of the park road at Mile 43, the Toklat River Contact Station is currently closed.
When it is open, features include rest rooms, visitor information, and a small bookstore. The station is staffed by both the National Park Service and sales associates working for Alaska Geographic, a non-profit partner of the park service.
907 683-9532
A ranger is available 9 am to 4 pm daily (except on major holidays). If you reach the voicemail, please leave a message and we'll call you back as soon as we finish with the previous caller.
