So if you’re not clearly seeing the tallest mountain in North America in that picture, I can identify with how you feel. And we’re not alone. Roughly 60-70% of visitors to Denali National Park do not see the eponymous mountain. At a height of 20,310 ft (including an incredible 18,000 ft rise from the surrounding terrain, which is more than Mt. Everest), Denali creates its own weather patterns, including clouds.
Green Bus
We took the longer bus ride into the park. Several passengers on the bus had camouflaged zoom lens stacks the length of my arm. I was curious what their game plan was.
The scenery was gorgeous, as the fall colors were in full swing, especially in the lower altitude areas. But after seeing only a spruce grouse yesterday, we were hoping for other wildlife. Denali did not disappoint.
We saw our second moose of the trip.
And the third moose of the trip. And the fourth— wait a minute. That’s not a moose!
Apologies about video quality but it’s the best I could get through a dirty bus window with an iPhone. I was jealous of the people with zoom lenses at that point. Indeed, that is a caribou.
And this guy, who decided to keep his bear butt to the camera the whole time.
Little Koi wasn’t very happy about the bears. We tried to reassure her, but it didn’t help when the driver pointed out the bear-proof sign by the rode. They have wire spikes to prevent damage. Apparently the bears enjoy playing with them…
Yet again, if I’d had a zoom lense. The people with binoculars said these were mountain goats, but Dall sheep could also be possible. We also saw a golden eagle overhead for a while on the drive, as well as another cow moose, a mother bear and cubs, and another lone bear.
A group of four passengers got off somewhere around mile 30 with their packs and zoom lenses. Last we saw they were walking into the bush, in an area without a trail. I’d love to know their story (or at least see their pictures)!
We arrived at the end of the bus route into Denali, around mile 43. The road is closed past this due to a mudslide (although it’s scheduled to be reopened in 2027 due to completion of the Pretty Rocks bridge).
After everyone got off the bus, I walked down the trail from the parking lot to the river and some distance upstream. Standing next to the running water with a fine mist drifting into my face while I gazed down the valley away from the parking lot, there was a part of me that wanted to keep going upriver. Away from civilization, away from people, into the wilderness. Maybe I shouldn’t admit that. But this was the edge. It was the closest I’ve ever felt to what it must have been like to be alive in the world before humans were the undisputed dominant force, remaking the Earth into a version more comfortable for us. Civilization was behind me; wilderness was in front. But I did not relish the likelihood of becoming bleached bones scattered on the tundra, and I had a family that I loved who were shivering back at the bus. I decided to turn around.
The NPS has plans to extend the bus route to the full 92 miles of the Denali Road once the bridge reopens in 2027. Maybe we’ll have to come back.
The next day, we had time for the shorter bus ride (where we saw another moose) before getting on the train to head to Fairbanks.
If you can reserve tickets in advance for the narrated bus trip, it’s probably great. But the non-narrated trip was great for us. And if you only have time for the shorter trip it’s still worth doing. It’s a special place I won’t soon forget.
We boarded another train that afternoon and set out for Fairbanks.
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