Denali National Park

Less than 5% of visitors to Denali National Park get to experience what we did during our visit on July 22, 2015. We experienced what our bus driver called a “Grand Slam”. You might be wondering what that is when there isn’t much baseball in Alaska. A “Grand Slam” is when you get an uninterrupted view of Mt. McKinley and get to see all of the “Big 4” animals in the park. What four animals might that be?
- Bear
- Moose
- Caribou
- Dall Sheep
In the eight years that our driver had been giving bus tours this was his eighth grand slam.

My husband made the first “spot” on the bus. Way up on the hillside he saw a brown puff ball moving and he shouted to the bus driver to stop. We got out our binoculars and sure enough it was a mamma bear with a cub. We watched them for a little bit and then we saw mom move to the side and we discovered she had another cub – twins! Binoculars are a must have item when you are traveling in Alaska. The bus guide will give you tips on what to look for and how to spot wildlife and before you know it you’ll be seeing lot of animals. We also spotted an eagle and a family of Ptarmigans, which is Alaska’s state bird. The Dall Sheep were actually the hardest to spot but on our return trip back to the bus center Todd again spotted the animal that sealed our “Grand Slam”!

Let’s back up a bit and talk about the buses. There isn’t much of the park that you can drive a vehicle into. Automobiles can go the first 15 miles and then it’s time to turn around. The best way to see the park is to book a ticket, well ahead of time, on one of their buses. Buses can go much further into the park and you want a trained driver taking you on all of the twists and turns. You’ll sit much higher up and you’ll be able to really keep an eye out for animals. If you holler out the drivers are likely to pull over and stop so everyone gets a chance to see what you spotted. Overall you don’t cover many miles but you can expect to be gone a minimum of 5 hours. Some bus routes go further than others. The Denali website has a handy chart that will help you decide which bus trip is best for you. At first I was nervous taking my young children on the bus. You can bring drinks and snacks but bathrooms are limited. The boys ended up doing great and it was nice to sit back, relax, and take in the views!

Our bus that drove us into the park.

Bus rides aren’t the only things you can do. You can take trails, stop off at one of the two visitor centers, or watch a sled dog demonstration. At bigger visitor’s center the boys worked on their Junior Ranger badges. It was a very nice visitor’s center with a variety of rooms showcasing the history, plant life, and animals that you can see at the park.

Today I was asked by a co-worker if I could go back to either Hawaii or Alaska where would I go. That’s a tough question but it didn’t take me long to say Alaska. It is a place like no other!

You can find out more about the park and plan a visit here
https://www.nps.gov/dena/index.htm