Driving the Denali Highway (WOW, just WOW)

The Denali Highway should not be confused with Denali National Park.  The Denali Highway does not run directly through Denali National Park, nor directly to the entrance of the park, but on a clear day you can get incredible views of the Denali Mountain (aka Mt. McKinley), the highest mountain in North America from the Highway

What is the Denali Highway?

The Denali Highway, Alaska Highway 8, stretches 136 miles west to east from Cantwell, AK to Paxson, AK.  While the two ends are paved, the majority of the road is gravel.  This is the historical route to Denali National Park, opened in 1957 but the main entrance to the park is now from the paved Parks Highway that runs from Anchorage to Fairbanks.   The Denali Highway is a seasonal highway only open from late Spring to early Fall – the snow is not cleared from around October to May each year. 

Denali Highway was not on my initial itinerary to Alaska, as I had originally planned to go from Kenai and Anchorage to Denali National Park, to Fairbanks, then back down along the Alaska Highway to the Top of the World Highway to Dawson City.  The Denali Highway was out of the way.  And it was gravel (and I had plenty of other gravel highways to traverse, like the road to Salmon Glacier in Hyder, Road to McCarthy (Kennecott), the Top of the World Highway, and the Dempster Highway).   But as I made my way around Alaska, I had so many locals ask me if I was going and highly suggest this drive.  So, when my plans changed to first visit Fairbanks before Denali National Park (planned that way to visit Denali on a day with nice weather), it now meant that driving this highway would not be so far out of the way.  And I am so glad I did it – the weather was perfect and the views were priceless.  As I was sitting by the lake enjoying the sunset, I heard a big splash.  Usually such a large splash was the sound of a moose, but in this case, it was a colony (group) of beavers swimming in a line.  They looked like they were up to no good – I’ve researched but don’t know why they might have been swimming like that. 

What to See and do on the Denali Highway

The Denali Highway is all about taking your time, enjoying the views, picking wild blueberries (if you visit in August), and enjoying the fresh air.  Some of the highlights of the Denali Highway from west to east:

From the westernmost part of the highway, there are great views of Mt. McKinley/Denali.

You will not miss the views of the Alaska Range and it’s glaciers as you make your way along the highway.  In this area, look for eskers (a glacier caused ridge of silt), where you may be able to pick wild blueberries in August.  There are some fantastic wild camping areas with views of the Alaska Range.

My favorite part of the road was around the 50-Mile Lake.  Wildlife abounds and there are some great camping spots.  Look for Pingos – mounds of ice covered by earth that exist in permafrost conditions.  I spotted some of these around 50-mile Lake. 

Tangle Lakes Archaeological District has hundreds of archaeological sites dating from around 10,000 years ago.  There are some great hikes in this area. 

At the eastern part of the Denali Highway, you have views of the Wrangell Mountains.

Bring a canoe or an inflatable kayak and take a float on one of the many lakes along the highway. Next time I go to Alaska, I definitely want to take a boat.

Enjoy a sunset – pick your favorite spot along the highway and have a BBQ and/or drinks as you watch the sunset and only have the sound of the wind and wildlife.

Denali Highway Driving Tips

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Take the Milepost Guidebook.  This book has maps and a mile by mile description of the Denali Highway, as well as the other highways and detours to and around Alaska.

The highway is 136 miles and takes 4 hours to drive without stopping, but leave lots of extra time to stop, and plan to spend a night either in Cantwell or along the highway.

There is no cell phone reception and wi-fi only at a few locations, so plan to be disconnected – and ENJOY being disconnected!

Fill up with gas!  First of all, make sure you are completely full when leaving the Anchorage or Fairbanks area, as they have the cheapest gas in Alaska.  I topped off in Cantwell, which was surprisingly the most expensive gas in Alaska (more expensive than remote areas like Chicken and Haines).  There is no gas station in Paxson, but there are two lodges along the highway where you may be able to get gas – the Tangle River Inn and the Clearwater Mountain Lodge.

Bring any automotive essentials you might take on a remote gravel road (spare tire, repair kit, etc).

Bring spare water and food just in case you break down or decide to spend another night.  There are no towns along the highway and only a few restaurants located in the lodges.

Where to Stay on the Denali Highway

If you’re not camping, consider staying at the Backwoods Lodge in Cantwell, on the western end of the Denali Highway.  This place is super clean, has a great staff, and a great BBQ area.  (Check Rates and Availability).  There are several lodges along the Denali Highway (some specializing in hunting – Caribou hunting is big business on the highway).  There are a couple establish, paid government campgrounds along the road, but countless “Boondooking” sites (campgrounds without facilities, but amazing VIEWS)!  I camped next to 50-Mile lake and had views of eagles, swans, pingos, mountains, glaciers, beavers, a caribou, and a beautiful sunset.

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