The Denali Highway is a scenic, 133 mile/214 km route that connects the Richardson Highway with Denali National Park and Preserve. The highway begins at Paxson Junction (mile 177/km 285 on the Richardson Highway) and ends at Cantwell Junction where it merges with the Parks Highway. It is only 28 miles from this point to the Denali National Park. This highway is closed from October to mid-May.
With the exception of the first 20 miles/32 km, this highway is gravel and can be quite rough.
Updates on Road Conditions and Construction: http://511.alaska.gov
Paxson (Junction of Richardson and Denali Highways).
7
Parking with view.
8.1Parking with view.
10Short hike to Ten Mile Lake. Fishing for burbot in Ten Mile Lake.
10.5Parking.
13Parking with view.
172-mile trail to Little Swede Lake, and 3-mile trail to Swede Lake.
18Parking on both sides of highway.
19Parking.
20Tangle River Inn, visitor facilities.
20.5Parking.
21.3Tangle Lakes Wayside. BLM-maintained. North side of the Denali Highway and has 25 camp sites, wells with hand pumps are located at the Tangle Lakes Campground and the Delta wayside. toilets on Tangle Lake (one of seven large, connecting lakes with grayling, trout). Delta Wild and Scenic River Wayside are located on the south side of the road, both have a boat launch and picnic area. This is a day use area only. The wayside boat launch is the put-in for the Upper Tangle Lakes. system. Moose, caribou are plentiful and is heavily used during fall hunting season.
22Tangle Lakes Inn, visitor facilities.
24.7Rock Creek, one lane bridge.
253-mile trail to Landmark Gap Lake.
30.72-mile trail to Glacier Lake.
31.7Parking.
35MacLaren Summit. 4,086 ft/1245m This is the second highest highway pass on the Alaska road system. (The Atigan Pass on the Dalton Highway is the highest).
42MacLaren River Bridge.
43.3MacLaren River Road and MacLaren River trailhead.
48.6Parking by lake.
49.7Parking by lake, Interpretive sign.
55.6Clearwater Creek, one-lane bridge. Rest area.
68Hatchet Lake Road. 4-wheel drive only.
77Private Airstrip.
79Valdez Creek Road leads to abandoned mining camp of Denali, which flourished in the early 1900’s. The area was mined again from 1990 to 1995.
79.5Susitna River, one lane bridge.
812-mile trail to Snodgrass Lake.
82Visitor facilities. The Alaska Range is visible north of the highway between mile 87 and mile 104. Good views of Mt. Hayes, Hess, and Deborah.
83The abandoned Valdez Creek Mine can be seen across the Susitna River.
90.5Waters to the east of this point drain to the Susitna River system which flows to the Cook Inlet in the south. West of here the Nenana flows to the Yukon River which empties into the Bering Sea.
94.3Short side road leads to parking area. Interpretive sign.
94.8Canyon Creek, parking.
104.5Brushkana Creek Campground. BLM-maintained. 22 camp sites, tables, toilets and firepits. Grayling fishing.
107Canyon Creek, fishing for grayling and lake trout.
111Seattle Creek, one-lane bridge, parking. Dolly Varden and grayling.
115Scenic view of Nenana River Valley, large parking area.
117Nenana River can be seen to the north of the highway.
123Good views of Mt. McKinley.
127.5Fish Creek, good grayling fishing early in the year. Large parking area at east end of bridge.
128Good view of Mt. McKinley.
130.3Good photo opportunity of Denali (Mount McKinley) when weather allows.
132Good grayling fishing in stream south of highway.
133Cantwell Junction. Junction of The Parks Highway and Denali Highway.
