This realistic Denali National Park Wildlife Guide helps you plan your next adventure in this park.

Denali National Park & Preserve protects the area around the highest peak in North America. It is a prime destination for wildlife viewing.

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Denali National Park Wildlife

There are several options to view wildlife in Denali. You can hike, drive your car, or take a bus. You are more likely to see animals if you go to the wilderness.

Big Five

Most visitors hope to see wildlife when they visit Denali. But there are five animals that everyone aspires to spot.

Here are the Big Five:

• Dall Sheep
• Caribou
• Moose
• Grizzly Bear
• Wolf

This section of our Denali National Park Wildlife Guide will describe most common animals you can view in the park.

Snowshoe Hare

A snowshoe hare would likely be the first animal you see in Denali. This is natural since the park has a lot of them.

You can count on seeing a hare in most sections of the park. Here is one next to the Visitor Center.

Hares do a great job blending into the landscape. It is difficult to spot them when they are still.

The key is to watch for movement. Buses and cars will scare them into running. And when hares start jumping, they become visible.

Gopher

Gophers are a less common sight in Denali. These rodents hide in holes as soon as they feel danger. You need a knowledgable driver to spot one. If the bus stops for a minute gophers will come back out.

Gophers look very similar to prairie dogs. You can see these animals across the Badlands.

Porcupine

Porcupines are the other rodents you can spot in Denali. They are bigger than both gophers and hares. It is quite easy to spot them. Just look for a large ball of black fur.

Dall Sheep

Chances are that dall sheep would be the first animal of the Big Five you see in Denali. There is a simple explanation.

These wild sheep have white wool. So unless dall sheep walk on snow, you can spot them from miles away. Just see how easy it is to see dall sheep in the Sable Pass.

Caribou

Caribou is the next common animal of the Denali Big Five. Reindeer often travel in small herds. If you spot one, watch it for a few minutes. Several others could be nearby.

Moose

Moose is a bit more difficult to spot. But the animal’s size and fur color have little to do with it. In fact, moose is the largest animal in the park. It is even larger than a bear!

But moose stay away from roads. They are also fast runners.

There are a few park areas where you are more likely to see a moose. But sometimes you just need to get lucky to spot one.

If you see a moose up-close, give it space. These animals are not aggressive in normal situations. But a moose can attack if it feels danger.

Grizzly Bear

A bear is an animal every Denali visitor hopes to see. Denali National Park is home to both grizzly and black bears. Grizzly bears are larger. And they are more common in Denali.

Grizzlies prefer to hunt near rivers. Whenever you pass a river in the wilderness part of Denali, be on the lookout.

If you visit the park early in the season, you could even see cubs. Keep in mind that bears are very protective of their cubs. Watch them from a safe distance.

The bus drivers will give you time to watch the grizzlies. The stop will be longer if it is the first bear encounter for the day. You could have up to ten minutes to observe the bear and its cub.

Willow Ptarmigan

When wildlife viewing in Denali National Park, do not forget about birding. There are over 160 bird species in the park. Some of them are common. Others are very rare.

You are certain to see a willow ptarmigan on your Denali safari. This bird is so common that it carries a title of the state bird.

Willow ptarmigans blend well into the surroundings. As their name suggests, willow scrub is a great place to spot ptarmigans. Look for white feathers.

Bald Eagle

Bald and golden eagles are common predators in the park. They hunt snowshoe hares and ptarmigans. If you see any of these animals, you might soon spot an eagle.

Where to View Wildlife in Denali National Park

Wildlife viewing is unpredictable. And Denali is no different. But there are some places that attract certain animals more frequently.

Continue with this section of our Denali National Park Wildlife Guide to learn more.

Savage Alpine Trails

The area between the Visitor Center and Savage River is in the moose country. You have the best chance of seeing the largest park animal there.

It is also one of the few areas when you can hike an existing trail. Get off the bus or out of the car to view wildlife while hiking. Many of the smaller animals live in this part of the park.

Savage River

The Savage River is the first spot to look for bears. But this area is also the last stop open to private vehicles.

So it gets crowded from Alaskan standards. You might want to hike the Savage Canyon to the bridge. This could increase your chances for wildlife viewing.

Teklanika River

The Teklanika River Rest Stop is another area to watch out for bears. The stop is next to the river and a campground. Both have food and attract bears.

Even if you do not see any bears at this stop, take a chance to stretch your legs. Enjoy beautiful views of the Teklanika River Valley.

The Teklanika River is a quarter point of the journey if you travel to the Toklat River. Or a 1/6th of the way if you travel all the way to Kantishna.

Sable Pass

There is no one-size-fits-all place for wildlife spotting in Denali. But Sable Pass comes very close to this definition. It is a great spot to see grizzly bears, caribou, dall sheep, and Alaskan birds.

Sable Pass is off-limits for hikers. That leaves a bus as the only way to see wildlife in this area.

Polychrome Overlook

The Polychrome Overlook is not the best wildlife spot. You can only hope to see dall sheep there. But this overlook offers fantastic views of the Alaska Range.

The Polychrome Mountain consists of several multicolored layers. They gave the mountain its name.

Toklat River

The Toklat River is another spot for bear viewing. The river is similar to most Alaskan rivers. It consists of multiple streams that come together.

The Toklat River Rest Stop was also the further point on the road during our visit. The shuttle makes longer stops at the turnaround stations. You will have about 30 minutes to enjoy the river and spot wildlife. You can board the same bus back or wait for the next one.

Denali State Park

Denali State Park is another option for wildlife viewing in the area. The park is along the Glenn Highway. You can get to its overlooks and trailheads in your car.

Mount Denali

Denali State Park is southeast of the National Park. It provides much better views of the Alaska Range. You might even see Denali on a clear sunny day.

It is the highest peak on the continent at 20,310 ft (6,190 m).

Chulitna River

Chulitna River is another good wildlife viewing spot. Look for bears, moose, and caribou. The easiest spot is near Denali Viewpoint South.

Continue with our Denali National Park Wildlife Guide. You will learn more about ways to get to the sights, entrance requirements, and places to stay.

Getting to Denali National Park

Denali National Park and State Park are in Interior Alaska. The parks are about halfway between the state’s largest cities.

• It takes 4 hours and over 230 miles (370 km) to reach Denali from Anchorage.
• A trip from Fairbanks takes 2 hours and 120 miles (193 km).

Both Anchorage and Fairbanks are gateways to Alaska. Most visitors fly to one of these cities.

You have two options to get to Denali once you are on the ground:

• Denali Star Train: it brings you to Denali from Fairbanks in 4 hrs for $65+ each way. A trip from Anchorage takes 7.5 hrs and $140+ each way. The train only runs once a day in the summer.
• Rental Car: a faster way to visit Denali. And a necessity when exploring other Alaskan sights.

Denali Star Train is an experience. But it is impossible to take the train, explore the park, and return on the same day. You would have to stay in the park or the nearby towns.

Where to Stay near Denali

Alaska is a remote place. So it is difficult to find lodging near Denali National Park.

There are a few places to stay in Denali Park, Healy, and Cantwell. Most of these properties are within a 30-minute drive from the park. They charge a location premium.

To find better deals you would need to drive further north or south. Fairbanks is the only place with many options in the north. Talkeetna, Wasilla, Palmer, and Anchorage have plenty of choice in the south.

Entrance Requirements & Passes

Denali charges admission fees of $15 per person. You can almost break even on America the Beautiful annual pass if you travel in a group of 4.

Denali National Park is open year round. But you can explore most of the park only in the summer. On the plus side, summer has longer daytime and less snow. Both help with wildlife viewing.

Wildlife Viewing Options in Denali National Park

You have several opportunities to viewing wildlife in Denali:

• Hiking: the park has very few marked trails. But you can hike off-trail in Denali. This way, you can venture into the wilderness and protect fragile tundra.
• Private vehicle: you can drive the first 15 miles of the Park Road. The pavement ends at Savage River Trailhead. The road is open from mid April to mid September.
• Free Bus: these buses are an alternative to a private vehicle. They run only on the paved section of the Park Road.
• Transit Bus (Green): a bus with narration for part of the ride. You can hop off the shuttle and hop on the next one. The transit bus costs $30+ per adult.
• Tour Bus (Tan): a bus with narration for the entire tour. Tours run from mid May to mid September. The cost is $110+ per adult. Some tours proceed the entire duration of the Park Road.

The Tour Bus includes park entrance fees. If you have the annual pass, you can request a refund at the Denali Bus Depot.

The Park Road proceeds 89 miles into the wilderness. There is an ongoing landslide at Pretty Rocks. As a result, the buses only cover part of the distance this year.

What Option is Best?

A transit bus is the best option when it comes to wildlife viewing. The bus easily wins over a private vehicle.

• The bus brings you much further into the park.
• You have a driver who knows wildlife spots.
• You do not have to worry about potholes and can focus on viewing.
• Most passengers look for wildlife.
• Buses are higher than most vehicles.

A transit bus also has multiple advantages over a tour bus:

• The transit bus is about $70 per person cheaper.
• It makes wildlife viewing stops, like the tour bus.
• It brings you to the destination faster.
• The transit bus give you more flexibility.

Duration of the tour narration is the only difference. Unless you need a guide bombarding you with new information all the time, the transit bus is the best option.

Takeaways: Denali National Park Wildlife

Denali National Park offers an affordable way for wildlife viewing. Get a transit bus ticket, buy an annual pass, pack your camera, and get ready to enjoy this Northern safari.

You are certain to see plenty of wildlife, from hares, gophers, and porcupines, to dall sheep, caribou, and moose. You might even see grizzly bears and wolves if you are lucky.

Take a look at our Denali National Park Wildlife Video Guide. And visit our YouTube channel for the latest videos.

Frequently Asked Questions

Safe realist travels!