Denali National Park to re-open part of park road

A portion of the road into Denali National Park and Preserve is being re-opened.

According to an announcement made on Tuesday, the Park Road will be open to public traffic up to the Mile 12 Mountain Vista Rest Area.  The park was previously closed to the public, and the reopening comes shortly after the easing of statewide health mandates.

Trails beginning along the first twelve miles of the Park Road are being made available to the public, and National Park Service staff will be opening restrooms for public use as well.

For the time being, campgrounds and visitor facilities remain closed, citing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Park officials are also looking ahead to the summer.  With significantly reduced traffic from cruise line motorcoaches, Acting National Park Service Regional Director Don Striker says considerations are underway for opening further sections of the park road to a lottery system.  Additionally, lodges in Kantishna are planning to open this summer, and repairs made to the Park Road after landslides in the area of Pretty Rocks continue.