Park Service mulls winter plowing of Denali Park Road

Denali National Park is fielding four options for plowing the park road in winter to allow visitor access beyond Park Headquarters at Mile three. The four options were arrived at when the park filed an Environmental Assessment, which will remain open for public comment until March 16th.
Among the options presented, one was to make no change in the current road plowing, leaving winter snows until road clearing operations begin in late march. A second option would be o plow the road starting in Mid-January to the Mountain Vista Rest Area at mile 12. A third option would be to keep the road open to the Mountain Vista overlook year-round. The option the Park favors is to begin a 3 to 5 year trial-period of plowing the road beginning in February.

Keeping the road plowed would also mean the park would enhance the trail alongside the road to allow for non-vehicular traffic such as dogsled, skiing and showshoes.

Comments on the proposals can be made on the website at park planning dot nps dot go