Going to Denali National Park & Preserve

What to do in Denali National Park & Preserve

by Dana Sullivan Kilroy

Denali National Park is a 6-million-acre outdoor science lab masquarading as a playground for outdoors lovers. It’s among the largest intact sub-Arctic ecosystems in the world, making it a prime destination for researchers who study everything from climate change and glaciers to geologic processes and fire ecology. Of course, even visitors who don’t travel with field guides and spotting scopes will find plenty of natural beauty to study within the boundaries of Denali. Most of the marked trails in the park are close to the Denali Visitor Center, but this is one of the few national parks where visitors are welcome to, and encouraged to, hike off-trail and explore on their own with a camera or sketchpad in hand. Of course, for safety’s sake, always go with a companion.

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