Shuttles
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This page contains all the information you need to know about shuttle buses in Denali. The links immediately below will "jump" you lower on this page to read specific information; each section also contains a "jump" back to the top of this page. What do shuttle buses do? What happens on a shuttle bus? Bring food and beverages with you. No food or drink is available once you depart the Wilderness Access Center. Rest stops occur around every ninety minutes throughout the trip. All shuttle buses are green. Tour buses are tan-colored, and will not stop to pick up hikers. Tickets are priced based on destination. There are over twenty shuttle buses each day in mid-summer, all of which go to a pre-specified place on the road, where they turn around and travel back to the entrance of the park.There are four such destinations from which to choose: Toklat River, Eielson Visitor Center, Wonder Lake and Kantishna. These stops are detailed lower on this page. return to top of page What are "camper buses?"
Dedicated and specially configured (the rear seats have been removed to accommodate backpacks and bicycles), camper buses are used to transport visitors to campgrounds and/or backcountry units within the park. People biking the road can also place up to two bikes on any camper bus. Check at the Wilderness Access Center (WAC) to reserve space for bikes. Camper buses may only be reserved in advance for those visitors with campground reservations or a backcountry permit. Service: June 1 - September 12, 2012 (weather permitting). Prior to June 1 each year, campground and backcountry users will use regular shuttle buses. 
A shuttle pauses to view sheep near the Park Road
nps photo / nathan kostegian
Choose your own adventure Toklat River Located at Mile 53 on the Park Road, Toklat is a popular destination because it is a shorter bus trip than the other shuttle options. Interpretive displays and an array of Alaska Geographic Association publications are available in the large tent located here. Turnaround: Toklat River rest stop, Mile 53 * weather dependent Eielson Visitor Center This recently renovated, platinum LEED certified visitor center is worthy of the 8-hour bus trip. National Park Service rangers and interactive displays provide insight and information about the park and its myriad of resources. Trip duration: 8 hours, round-trip Service: June 1 - September 12, 2013 Wonder Lake The journey to Wonder Lake offers extraordinary views of the Alaska Range and Mt. McKinley on a clear days. The road crosses mountain passes and wetland tundra on the way to beautiful Wonder Lake. Visitors wishing to upgrade their Eielson bus tickets to Wonder Lake tickets may do so at the Eielson Visitor Center bus dispatch office on a space-available basis. (Please note: only cash is accepted for the upgrade). One of the most iconic and often-photographed images of the mountain is from Reflection Pond, just beyond mile 85. The Kantishna shuttle and Kantishna Experience tour will take you past Reflection Pond. If you are on a Wonder Lake-bound shuttle, be prepared to walk over two miles from the Wonder Lake bus stop to reach Reflection Pond. Turnaround: Wonder Lake Campground, Mile 85 (south end of the lake) Trip duration: 11 hours, round-trip Service: June 8 - September 12, 2013 Kantishna Once a gold mining town, few remnants remain of its early history. A stop at the restored Fannie Quiqley house with informative wayside exhibits reminds visitors of the rugged nature of the early settlers. An air strip and four privately-owned businesses are the primary sights at the "end of the road." Since much of the Kantishna area is private property, visitors are discouraged from hiking in the area without obtaining permission and guidance ahead of time. Turnaround: Kantishna Air Strip, Mile 92 Trip duration: 13 hours, round-trip Service: June 8 - September 12, 2013 return to top of page 
Two bears walk down the Denali Park Road
nps photo / kent miller
Schedules Shuttle schedules for 2013 are not yet available. Tour buses do not have fixed, daily schedules. The schedule may change form day to day, allowing the bus concessioner to maximize the number of visitors on each bus. You can learn more specifics about tour bus schedules from the concessioner's website or by calling them at 1-800-622-7275. Reservations and ticket prices return to top of page |
Did You Know?
Did you know that Mount McKinley, located within Denali National Park and Preserve, is the highest mountain on the North American continent? Measured from the 2,000 foot lowlands to its snowy summit at 20,320 feet, the mountain’s vertical relief of 18,000 feet is greater than that of Mount Everest.