Denali State Park
Fast facts
- Established: 1970, expanded in 1976
- Size: about 325,000 acres (1,316 km²)
- Signature route: K’esugi Ridge, a 35-mile (56 km) alpine ridge along the park’s eastern side
- Neighbour: Denali National Park and Preserve along its western boundary
- Gateway: Talkeetna and Cantwell, on the Parks Highway
- Managed by: Alaska State Parks
The landscape
Denali State Park straddles the Parks Highway between the Talkeetna Mountains and the Alaska Range. The Curry and K’esugi ridges form an open alpine backbone with tundra, tarns and wide views west across the Chulitna River to Denali and its glaciers. Below the ridges, spruce and birch forest surrounds Byers Lake and the valleys. Brown and black bears, moose and caribou live here.
Best time to go
June to mid-September is the season. July is warmest and buggiest; late August brings red and gold tundra and fewer mosquitoes. Clouds hide Denali much of the time, so allow a few days for a clear view. Snow can fall on the ridge in any month.
Getting there and around
The Parks Highway runs through the park, about three hours north of Anchorage. Campgrounds and trailheads sit along it, including Byers Lake, K’esugi Ken, and Little Coal Creek and Troublesome Creek at either end of the ridge. Most visitors hike from the highway; there are no interior roads.
Things to do
The K’esugi Ridge trail is a classic multi-day alpine hike, often done from Little Coal Creek to Byers Lake, with a steep climb of more than 2,000 feet (610 m) in the first few miles. Byers Lake has a loop trail, canoe and kayak rentals and public-use cabins. The Denali viewpoints along the highway offer some of the best road-side views of the mountain.
Staying safe
The ridge is exposed, and fog can make navigation difficult, so carry a map, compass or GPS and be ready to descend by one of the side trails. Bears are common: carry bear spray and use bear-resistant food containers. Rivers are cold and fast. Water is scarce in places on the ridge, so plan refills. Carry a satellite messenger and leave a trip plan.
Know before you go
Cabins and campsites book up in summer. This page is a general overview, not a live conditions report, so confirm current conditions and reservations with Alaska State Parks before you go.
- Coordinates
- 62.7552, -150.2229
- Magnetic declination
- 13.9° E (2026)
Set this declination on your compass, then align it to the map's north lines; it is the angle between true north and magnetic north, refreshed each year.
How declination works, and how to navigate with a map and compass
A spread of the park’s main places shows straight away, and the rest appear as you zoom in. You can also search above, or pick any place from the lists below, and the map will go to it. Places in bold, marked , have a short description.
Getting there 5
Park entrances
Airstrips
On the trail 11
Trailheads
Route
Campgrounds
Huts and shelters
Sights 24
Viewpoints
Lakes
Heritage site
Peaks
Map data comes from third-party sources and may be incomplete or out of date, so carry a current official map (terms).
Looking for one of these closer to home?Destinations near me by trip type →
- Best seasons
- Summer (June to September)
- Difficulty
- Easy to strenuous
- Access / trailheads
- The George Parks Highway runs through the park between Anchorage and Fairbanks. Byers Lake campground is at about milepost 147, with trailheads at Little Coal Creek, Upper and Lower Troublesome Creek and K'esugi Ken.
- Water
- Streams and lakes; treat all water. Water is scarce on parts of the ridge.
- Cell / satellite coverage
- Patchy along the highway, little to none on the ridge. Carry a satellite messenger.
- Nearest ranger / SAR / emergency
- Emergencies: 911 (Alaska State Troopers coordinate search and rescue). Mat-Su area office: 907-745-8950.
- Permits & regulations
- Camping and public-use cabins are reserved through Alaska State Parks. Parking and camping fees apply.
- Leave No Trace
- Camp on durable surfaces, use bear-resistant food containers, pack out all waste, and stay on the trail through fragile alpine tundra.
January
- Below freezing all day
February
- Below freezing all day
March
- Below freezing all day
April
- Below-freezing nights
May
- Below-freezing nights
June
- Day-to-night swing of 30°F (17°C)Day-to-night swing of 17°C (30°F)
July
August
September
- Below-freezing nights
October This month
- Below-freezing nights
November
- Below freezing all day
December
- Below freezing all day
What to bring depends on your trip: how long you’re out, where you sleep, and how far you go from the road. The planner builds the list for yours.
Plan a trip here →Averages for 1991–2020 from NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, measured at the Chulitna Rvr station, 11 miles (18 km)18 km (11 miles) away at 1,354 feet (413 m)413 m (1,354 feet). Higher trails run colder, by about 3.5°F for every 1,000 ft (2°C per 300 m)2°C for every 300 m (3.5°F per 1,000 ft) of climb. Daylight runs from sunrise to sunset on the 15th, on the park’s own clock, for a level horizon. Valleys and slopes facing away from the sun are in shade earlier.
Nearby parks
-
Denali National Park
North America's highest peak, 20,310 feet (6,190 m), rising over tundra, taiga, grizzlies and caribou along a single park road.
-
Chugach State Park
Half a million acres (2,000 km²) of mountains, glaciers and bear country on Anchorage's doorstep, from Flattop to Crow Pass.
-
Lake Clark National Park
Volcanoes, glaciers and turquoise lakes across Cook Inlet from Anchorage, with coastal bears and Proenneke's cabin.
-
Kenai Fjords National Park
The Harding Icefield and its tidewater glaciers, by boat from Seward or on foot at Exit Glacier, with whales and puffins.
Straight-line distance between park centres. Road distance is usually longer.
Looking for somewhere closer to home?
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