Private vehicles will gain greater access to Denali Park Road this summer/NPS, Kent Miller file
Denali National Park staff, trying to minimize the spread of coronavirus, has come up with a plan to let private vehicles travel sections of the Denali Park Road this summer.
The plan, necessitated by reductions in tour and transit bus system capacities due to Covid-19, is being rolled out in stages. Unless you have one of the annual or lifetime park passes, each vehicle permit reservation is $55 total, which includes a vehicle park entrance fee ($30, valid for seven days) and a vehicle permit fee ($25 valid for one day).
If you have an annual or lifetime pass, select the type of pass during the reservation process and it will be accepted as your entrance fee. Be prepared to show your identification, annual or lifetime pass and your vehicle permit reservation when you check-in.
How many passes are issued for each day depends on several factors, including resource protection and crowding conditions as monitored by park staff and guided by the park’s Vehicle Management Plan.
STAGE ONE: June 1 – 30; Teklanika Road Permit
Starting Monday, June 1, and continuing each day through Tuesday, June 30, the public will have access to the Park Road beyond the Savage River Check Station (mile marker 15) to the Teklanika Rest Stop via a permit called the Teklanika Road Permit. The Teklanika Road Permit is available through www.recreation.gov. This system allows the public to reserve one of a limited number of daily scheduled entries to the Park Road by private vehicle.
Park Road access for private vehicles without a Teklanika Road Permit will be restricted to the Savage River Check Station, similar to typical summer operations, starting Monday, June 1.
STAGE TWO: Select Dates, July 1 – September 18; Eielson Road Permit
Tour, transit, and camper bus service begins July 1. Starting at this time, the public will also be able to access the Park Road to the Eielson Visitor Center with an Eielson Road Permit. The Eielson Road Permit will be available through www.recreation.gov. Access dates will be limited to Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays on 5 select weekends during the summer season. These select weekends are: July 10-12, July 24-26, August 7-9, August 21-23, and September 4-7.
“This plan allows unique access to the park during this summer season,” said Denice Swanke, the park's acting superintendent. “The park is committed to safely providing the awe-inspiring experiences the public has come to expect from Denali, while doing our best to help support local communities.”
Learn more how the timed-entry system works, and read through a list of frequently asked questions about this new opportunity for public access during the 2020 season on the park’s website.
Comments
I have tried unsucessfuloy to obtain an Eilson road permit for the past 6 days they were to be made available. Every time I am logged in, go to the calendar to find the date, the date is not ever open. It does not show how many tlimes are open, it wnever opened August 8th today., 2 weeks in advance. I was in at precisely 1000. and had sined in, and requested 1 senior tilcket. But nothing came up in the calendar. What's up? I think lit is pretty disgusting, in a year with hardly any tourists, that an Alaskan resident cannot visit a 4 million sq miles park on only 6 days a month, for only 3 months. THat's only 420 permits /month, and only 1200 people allowed to drive into the park the entire season!!. We are not harming wildlife by driving our cars in. And why not all the way to Wonder Lake. I have camped at Wonder Lake several times for 3-4 days and enjoyed hiking in all directions form there. If we have $ we can pay to go to one of the lodges near Kantishna, but that is not what a National Park is for. It should be open to all Amerilcans. Surely a park this large should be able to accommodate more people, especially Alaskans, who live here year round. Corona virus is NO EXCUSE for closing National Parks. Surely we are social distancing in our own cars. Why not open it up EVERY DAY?