Planning to visit Denali National Park and Preserve next year? Then get ready to make your reservations for a seat on the park's shuttle buses.

Beginning Thursday you'll be able to reserve both a seat on one of the shuttles as well as a site in one of the park's four largest campgrounds.

ARAMARK, the transportation concessioner for Denali, will begin accepting advance reservations for the 2012 visitor season for shuttle buses and the park’s four largest campgrounds. Reservations can be made by phone, on-line, fax, and mail.

Approximately 65 percent of the shuttle bus seats and 100 percent of the campsites in the Riley Creek, Savage River, Teklanika River, and Wonder Lake campgrounds can be reserved in advance. The remaining tickets are made available for advance or walk-in reservations two days before the travel date. The Riley Creek, Savage River, and Teklanika River campgrounds are open for tents and RVs, but the Wonder Lake Campground is tents only. Hookups are not available in any of the park’s campgrounds.

The shuttle bus system is designed to provide transportation into the heart of Denali National Park and Preserve for visitors who wish to view the park’s scenery and wildlife, access campgrounds, go hiking for the day, or take an overnight trip into the park’s backcountry. Drivers will answer questions and help visitors spot wildlife. The shuttle bus system will operate from Sunday, May 20, through Thursday, September 13, 2012, weather permitting.

2012 shuttle bus prices for an Adult Single Trip Fare:

Toklat: $26.50

Eielson Visitor Center: $34

Wonder Lake: $46

Kantishna: $50

The camper bus fare (for campers in park campgrounds or with backcountry permits) is $34.  On all buses, children 14 and under ride free and young adults age 15-17 ride for half price.

A maximum of eight shuttle bus seats can be requested with each reservation, and ages are required as age discounts may apply. Please provide alternate dates and times when possible.

Phone reservations can be made by calling (800) 622-7275 nationwide or (907) 272-7275 for international callers between 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Arizona time). The web address for on-line reservations is www.reservedenali.com

Forms for fax reservations are also posted at  www.reservedenali.com The completed forms should be faxed to (602) 331-5258. Mail-in reservation requests should be sent to:

ARAMARK /Joint Venture Reservations
2445 West Dunlap Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85021

Additional park information is available at www.nps.gov/dena or by calling (907) 683-9532 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. daily.