Summer travel to Alaska's Denali National Park and Preserve is winding down, ending the season that sees thousands of visitors travelling to this wild place. The park is home to Mountain McKinley, the tallest mountain in North America. The park is an adventurer's paradise that has an area of more than 6 million acres - about the size of Vermont. As you explore the park, you will experience wildlife sightings that include grizzly bears, ptarmigan (birds), some caribou, Dall sheep on ridge lines, moose and even an elusive lynx.
According to Fox News, buses are a primary means of transportation to Denali during summer season. Bus riders can hop off to hike and flag down a returning bus later if they want a ride back. Most of the tour and shuttle buses will stop running for the year Wednesday, Sept. 16, which clears the way for winners of the annual road lottery to drive in. The event allows members who've won a lottery held in spring time to drive the entire park road on one of four designated days - Sept. 17, 18, 20 and 21. Winners of the lottery pay a $25 fee to drive the road on their own.
National Park Service said Alaska's Denali national Park and Preserve can be explored by bus. The 92 miles long Denali Park Road parallels the Alaska Range and travels through low valleys and High Mountain passes. As you travel to this only road in the park, along the route, beautiful landscapes can be seen at every turn, and there are many opportunities to see picturesque views in Denali, if normal skies permit.
During summer season, roughly late May through early September, private vehicles will only drive up to the first 15 miles of the road, to a place called Savage River as the paved road is only up to this point. Beyond the 15 miles, only buses are allowed to continue to reach the Denali Park.