Denali's subarctic wilderness, rich with wildlife, surging glaciers and robust vegetation, lure more than a million visitors each year. Tourists, scientists, adventurers and mountaineers from all over the world visit the park. To go to Denali is to surrender to Denali. Denali's permafrost, mountainous terrain and brief summers make it a land of extremes, limiting most visitors to a hotel room in McKinley village, a small tourist town about 2 miles north of the park entrance. Tourists can be driven 86 miles into the park to Wonder Lake and the former mining camp of Kantishna to absorb its bountiful views and ever-present wildlife.
Frequent stops allow opportunities for pictures or a short hike.
A sow grizzly and her yearling cubs meandering across the tundra in search of their next meal or dall sheep gracefully negotiating a steep ridge high above are common sightings along the road. Overpowering in its size and emptiness, this wilderness demands self-reliance. A small ranger staff for seemingly unlimited terrain makes any immediate assistance unrealistic. One must trek completely out of sight from the road, however, before establishing any kind of camp. Often facing miles of trekking over tough terrain, this can be tougher than it sounds.