Want to explore Denali while staying inside the park?
We spent this summer in Alaska visiting all eight national parks. Read about our visit to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.
Day 1
Denali was the second park we visited. We drove up from Anchorage the night before we entered the park and stayed in one of the elevated tents at Denali Grizzly Bear Resort. I wouldn’t recommend it. The tents were old and rickety, the decks were sloped enough to seem dangerous, and the steep walk down to our tent was treacherous, even for experienced hikers.
But it was what we had, so we threw down our sleeping bags, put on every warm layer we owned, and hunkered down. We figured it would make a great story. I can’t speak to the resort’s other accommodations, but I’d avoid these tents.
The next morning, we had breakfast at McKinley Creek Cafe and Bakery. It was FABULOUS, the best breakfast of our entire Alaska trip, and I highly recommend making time for it.
We stopped at the Visitor Center and for our park sign photos, then headed to the office for Camp Denali, the camp we were partnering with on this visit. We were about to begin a three-day adventure 90 miles into the park. Because the bridge on the park road has been out for the past five years, the only way in is by air. Buses are expected to bring people in on the park road again in 2027.
We packed our gear (25 pounds each, for the plane) and were taken across the highway to Denali Air. Everyone there was super, and we felt completely comfortable flying with them. I’ve always been a nervous flier on small planes (my fears would be realized on our last park visit), but this flight through Denali was a bonus to our three days at camp.
We saw wide rivers and a gorgeous rainbow along the way. The rivers are glacier-fed, which creates a lot of braiding, and they really do look braided. So fascinating.
We landed at a little airstrip near the camp, where a shuttle driver collected our luggage and offered us drinks and snacks before driving us up a steep hill with sweeping views. At the main meeting area, we were greeted warmly, and a guide showed us to our cabin.
Every cabin has a view of Denali (it was cloudy when we arrived) and just about everything you could need for three days. Ours had its own sink, with all the fixings for coffee, hot chocolate, or tea, and comfy beds with handmade quilts and mosquito netting. The wood-burning stove came with everything we needed to get a fire going, and yes, we needed it at night. Our cabin was set up for a family, so it also had a bunk bed.
On the porch, we could sit and watch the mountain and the other gorgeous sights. We had our own outhouse, the nicest I’ve ever seen, and a fresh water pump right outside the door. For showers, there’s a great facility near the main gathering area, attached to a gear room stocked with rain gear, hiking poles, backpacks, and more. That’s especially helpful given the weight limit on the plane.
After our tour, we headed to the dining room and community area to pick up the sack lunch waiting for us. Each day, breakfast and dinner are served in the dining room with the other guests, while lunches are sandwiches and plenty of fixings that you pack up for the trail. The meals were downright fancy: all fresh ingredients, locally sourced or even grown on the property. These chefs work hard, and their bakers are FABULOUS.
That afternoon, one of the camp guides, Rob, took us exploring with one other newly arrived guest. We drove a few miles to Wonder Lake, a well-known Denali destination and a beautiful one, and hiked up a hilly area overlooking the lake. We explored the local plants and even found blueberries. Rob was super knowledgeable and has been at the camp for years. It was the best afternoon, and we were more than ready for dinner by the time we got back.
All the other guests had arrived by then, and the mountain made its first appearance. The clouds had cleared, and we stood by the gorgeous pond in front of the dining room, taking it in. It was like a dream. Just stunning.
Each evening began with appetizers in the reading cabin, and they were awesome. A VERY loud bell announces mealtime, which was quite fun. Before we ate, we met the people involved in cooking our meal and learned where they were from, how long they had worked at the camp, and something fun about them. It was a great idea.
The dining room was set up beautifully, with all the touches of a nice restaurant. Each person had an assigned seat at every meal, and the seating rotated so you could meet different people each time. Dinner that night was salmon burgers, and everyone loved them.
After dinner each evening, there was a presentation in the reading cabin, where camp guides shared their local knowledge. We really enjoyed them. The cabin had a fire going, and in addition to the presentation, you could spend hours reading the books and browsing the items for sale. It was so cozy that, when the fire was going, you could almost fall asleep there after a busy day!
Day 2
We slept great in our cozy cabin with our warm stove! We were up early so we wouldn’t miss breakfast, and the bell rang as we walked up the hill to meet everyone. After a hearty breakfast to fuel us for the day (and some amazing homemade cinnamon rolls), we had a meeting about the day’s plans.
Each morning, the camp staff offers three options for exploring, one for every energy level: a strenuous hike, a moderate hike, or a foray. On this day, the moderate hike and the foray took a camp bus to sightsee a little on the way to their trailheads. We chose the strenuous option, which left from camp. Before we set out, we went through the lunch line, found the sandwich we had ordered the night before, and added all the other goodies to our lunch bags.
Our group had five participants, not including our guide, Nakul, and we headed up from camp. And by up, I mean straight up. It was about a mile, and my watch said we climbed roughly 2,000 feet.
At the top of the ridge, we stopped for a snack and to soak in the views of Denali before heading out on the ridge trail. The day started off pretty clear, and wow, was the mountain something from up high.
We hiked several miles along the ridge until we reached the Pika Hut, which was built years ago for camp staff and guests. We ate lunch there while Nakul made coffee and hot chocolate for everyone. Even though it was July, it was quite windy and cold at that elevation. After an hour of relaxing, we took a different path back to camp.
On the way down, Nakul led us in what he called a tundra nap: we shed our backpacks and lay on the cushy tundra in the sun. It was lovely. In all, we hiked about ten miles. A stunning day.
The day had warmed up, and everyone was definitely sweaty as we came down the mountain. Back at camp, the men in our group stripped down to their underwear or shorts and jumped into the pond, but only for about five seconds. That water was COLD!
After another great dinner, we took turns playing charades, acting out what we had done and seen that day. It was a lot of fun, and a fabulous way to end the day.
Day 3
After another yummy breakfast, we skipped the organized hike because my husband wasn’t feeling well. We went back to our cabin, and he napped. By noon he was feeling much better, so we set off on our own, hiking down the hill from camp to Wonder Lake, about 2.5 miles each way. We had explored the lake on Day 1.
We ate our lunches on the dock, watched beavers in a pond, and simply enjoyed having Denali National Park all to ourselves. On the road back, we came upon the largest pile of bear scat we had ever seen. We took a photo and showed the staff, who said it was one BIG bear.
On the hike back, we also explored Camp Denali’s greenhouse, which was impressive. We were told it would be moved closer to the camp facility and expanded later in 2026, and if you check their social media, you can watch it being carried by helicopter. It was neat to see where some of our food came from. After a big climb up the hill, we got back, showered, and had another great dinner.
Day 4
Leaving day was sad. We had such a great time that we weren’t ready to go. We packed up our cabin and left our gear on the porch to be picked up.
After breakfast, we were given bag lunches for the trip home, along with our flight times. While we waited, the camp offered behind-the-scenes tours. My husband went to see their incredible solar panel setup, and I toured the kitchen, the food storage areas, the staff areas, and more.
It was amazing to see how they prepare such fabulous meals way out in the middle of Denali. Since the bridge went out, everything the camp needs has come by plane, so the staff has to plan carefully to keep costs down. It was definitely a well-oiled machine.
Our flight back to Denali Air’s office took a different route, so we saw even more of the park. I know the camp is happy that the park road is reopening, and that drive will have great views, but wow, was the flight gorgeous.
I can’t recommend this camp enough. It’s a fabulous way to see Denali in a small group and to stay inside the park. We would definitely go back, and we think our kids and grandkids would love it too. There really is something for everyone.
I’d love for you to like, share, and comment on this post. I especially want to hear about your visits to Denali National Park.
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Happy Travels,
Stephanie