The Denali Backcountry Lodge Bus departs from Denali Cabins at 1:00 p.m. and from the Alaska Railroad Depot (Denali National Park Entrance) promptly at 1:30 p.m. A staff person of Denali Backcountry Lodge meets the guests at the depot. You will board the private bus for your journey through the park. Be prepared for 5-6 hour bus ride to the lodge. At the end of your stay, you will take another bus departing the lodge at approximately 6:00 a.m. and arrives back to the park entrance train depot around 11:30 a.m. for convenient transfer to Anchorage by Alaska Railroad, that leaves at 12:30 p.m. or Denali Motorcoach that leaves at 2:30 p.m. These buses going in and out of the lodge are narrated trips, an excellent opportunity to see wildlife and to learn about the natural history of the park.
There are variety of transportation options between Anchorage or Fairbanks and the Park Entrance: Railroad, Motor coaches, or Automobile. Rental cars are available in Anchorage or Fairbanks, but no car rental agencies are located at Denali National Park. If you are self-driving using rental cars, you can park your car at Denali Cabins and board the bus for the lodge at Denali Cabins. Denali Cabins is located at mile 229 on George Parks Highway, about 8 miles south of the park entrance. Also, there are no scheduled air flights between the Park and Anchorage or Fairbanks; however, a small plane can be chartered through several air services.
If you are traveling from Fairbanks to Denali National Park, the Alaska Railroad departs Fairbanks at 8:15 a.m. and arrives at noon. This is in perfect timing to catch our lodge bus. However, if you plan to take train from Anchorage, it departs Anchorage at 8:15 a.m. and arrives in Denali at 3:45 p.m. In this case, we recommend staying overnight at Denali Cabins. An alternative that works well for guests traveling round trip between Anchorage and Denali National Park is to take Denali Motorcoach Northbound to the Park, then return to Anchorage on Alaska Railroad.
Some Notes about the Denali Backcountry Lodge
- Meals: Our meals are hearty, home-cooked and prepared by our staff. Healthy foods are emphasized. The lodge can accommodate special needs, with advance notice.
- Bar Service: The lodge features an informal bar, which serves beer and wine.
- Smoking: All cabins, lodge facilities, and vehicles are smoke-free.
- Laundry Facilities: No laundry facilities are available however, a boot and outdoor gear drying room is available for guest use at Denali Backcountry Lodge.
- Bears and Bugs: Both in fair supply, so we have to co-exist using our knowledge of their habits. The lodge provides mosquito head nets for guests and recommend wearing tight-woven, light colored clothing for maximum comfort.