Who hasn’t dreamed of seeing the tallest peak in North America close up? Denali, at 20,308 feet in elevation, and its namesake national park are breathtaking to behold. In this episode, we share stories from our two visits to Denali and explain how visitors get into the backcountry on the only road through the park. During our first trip, we let the driver of our green transit bus worry about keeping his wheels on the road so we could focus on taking in the stunning landscape and wildlife. And on a subsequent visit, we booked a Fourth of July stayover at a backcountry lodge only to realize that there would be no fireworks—because it never gets dark. As a bonus, we open with a discussion about the new National Park Service app.

Some of the topics we discuss in this episode:

What do Alaskans do when a moose dies in their front yard—or backyard.

A little history of the park

Why private vehicles are only allowed to drive to milepost 15 in the park.

When and how to get a permit for a once-a-year opportunity to drive farther into the park.

Everything you’d want to know about the transportation system in the park.

What’s the 30% club and how to become a member.

What it’s like to stay in the backcountry lodge in the park.

What park activities are available to visitors in the winter.


Links to more information:

To see photos from our travels, visit our


Instagram account, or

TikTok account

Denali NP website


Where to learn more about our books and travels

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