Denali Highway
Denali Highway
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
0
Paxson (Junction of Richardson and Denali Highways).
7
Parking with view.
8.1
Parking with view.
10
Short hike to Ten Mile Lake. Fishing for burbot in Ten Mile Lake.
10.5
Parking.
13
Parking with view.
17
2-mile trail to Little Swede Lake, and 3-mile trail to Swede Lake.
18
Parking on both sides of highway.
19
Parking.
20
Tangle River Inn, visitor facilities.
20.5
Parking.
21.3
Tangle Lakes Wayside. BLM-maintained. North side of road 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 lauanch is the put-in for the Upper Tangle Lakes. system. Moose, caribou are plentiful and is heavily used during fall hunting season.
22
Tangle Lakes Inn, visitor facilities.
24.7
Rock Creek, one lane bridge.
25
3-mile trail to Landmark Gap Lake.
30.7
2-mile trail to Glacier Lake.
31.7
Parking.
35
MacLaren 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).
42
MacLaren River Bridge.
43.3
MacLaren River Road and MacLaren River trailhead.
48.6
Parking by lake.
49.7
Parking by lake, Interpretive sign.
55.6
Clearwater Creek, one-lane bridge. Rest area.
68
Hatchet Lake Road. 4-wheel drive only.
77
Private Airstrip.
79
Valdez 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.
79.5
Susitna River, one lane bridge.
81
2-mile trail to Snodgrass Lake.
82
Visitor facilities. The Alaska Range is visible north of the highway between mile 87 and mile 104. Good views of Mt. Hayes, Hess, and Deborah.
83
The abandoned Valdez Creek Mine can be seen across the Susitna River.
90.5
Waters 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.
94.3
Short side road leads to parking area. Interpretive sign.
94.8
Canyon Creek, parking.
104.5
Brushkana Creek Campground. BLM-maintained. 22 camp sites, tables, toilets and firepits. Grayling fishing.
107
Canyon Creek, fishing for grayling and lake trout.
111
Seattle Creek, one-lane bridge, parking. Dolly Varden and grayling.
115
Scenic view of Nenana River Valley, large parking area.
117
Nenana River can be seen to the north of the highway.
123
Good views of Mt. McKinley.
127.5
Fish Creek, good grayling fishing early in the year. Large parking area at east end of bridge.
128
Good view of Mt. McKinley.
130.3
Good photo opportunity of Mount McKinley (weather providing).
132
Good grayling fishing in stream south of highway.
133
Cantwell Junction. Junction of The Parks Highway and Denali Highway.