Thus, most transit buses heading to Wonder Lake or Kantishna begin early in the morning. Including stops to view wildlife and scenery, it's an 11.5 to 12 hour round-trip adventure. This is for people on a day-trip to the area, with plans to return to the park entrance at the end of the day. The Denali Chamber of Commerce is a good starting point to research lodges in Kantishna and in areas closer to the park entrance. Most lodges book well in advance, so you should plan many months, or even a year, in advance if you wish to stay in the Kantishna area. In that region are numerous in-holdings of private land, with several lodges available for guests. Learn more about backpacking in DenaliĪbout seven miles farther northwest from Wonder Lake is the terminus of the Denali Park Road, in Kantishna. Backpackers must acquire a free camping permit before traveling into the park. Learn more about Wonder Lake CampgroundĪlthough backpackers cannot camp immediately adjacent to the lake, there are several backcountry units in the area that offer great views of the Alaska Range. Fall comes early in Denali, with peak colors in Wonder Lake usually occurring between the second and third week of August (though yearly conditions can cause some variance to that rule). It is often full, especially in the fall when the landscape turns vibrant shades of red and orange. Reservations can be made as early as December of the year before you intend to visit. It is a short distance north of where the Wonder Lake Campground spur departs from the main Denali Park Road.Ī tent-only campground. The pond is located at approximately Mile 85.5 of the park road. Take a classic picture of Denali, reflected in a pond called, fittingly, Reflection Pond. There are no livery services in the area, however. If you have a packable raft (or kayak, etc), you can bring it with you to use on the lake. Hikers in Kantishna should be aware that there is private property in the area, so keep an eye out for signs warning away trespassers. The main trail in the area is the McKinley Bar Trail, which leads from near Wonder Lake Campground to the gravel-lined shores of the McKinley River. You can hike on-trail or off-trail in most of this area. Passengers on the Kantishna Experience Tour (see below) will visit the cabin, but anyone is welcome to use a transit bus (or walk the Denali Park Road) to visit it. Her restored cabin helps a visitor understand what it meant to live year-round in Kantishna. An early pioneer and miner in the area, Fannie's life history is particularly colorful. Near the very end of the Denali Park Road, in Kantishna, is a historic cabin that belonged to Fannie Quigley. Learn more about ranger programs in Denali. Wonder Lake is remote area, but there are many activities in the region.Įvening ranger programs in Wonder Lake CampgroundĪ ranger-naturalist program occurs nightly at Wonder Lake Campground in summer. The campground is about a mile away from the park road, and buses reach the campground by turning down a spur road that leaves the Denali Park Road at an intersection often called "the Y" (since the two roads form a Y-shaped intersection). Wonder Lake Campground sits near the south end of the eponymous lake. This region is much wetter than other parts of the park through which the road passes, providing opportunities for seeing waterfowl. The area can be cloudy, and mosquitoes can be a major nuisance most of the summer, but the beautiful landscape still drawns many visitors each year. Views of the Alaska Range, and Denali in particular, are fantastic when skies are clear. For example, Wonder Lake Campground is at Mile 85 of the road, meaning it is 85 miles away from the entrance. Locations on the park road are described by their mile marker, which indicates how far from the park entrance the location is. It is 92 miles long, and travels from the park entrance (eastern terminus) to Kantishna (western terminus). Denali has just one road, running east to west.
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