AF

How is bus service from Anchorage to Denali Park? Is a 3-day round-trip sufficient? What are recommended hotels outside the park? I will be there late June and early July.

Kay

It's been several years, but we stayed at the Denali Crow's Nest Cabins outside the park--individual modern cabins with restaurant and across the highway from large hotel and other restaurants. We drove, so I can't comment on bus, but I've seen their listings in the tourist books. We spent an afternoon around the park entrance and rafting, a full day on the bus and hiking in the park, and a morning stopping at Denali State Park for photos, etc. We would have enjoyed another day in the park, but without staying inside you spend a lot of time on the bus.

Anne

At Denali you need one day to go through the park and one day for river rafting. Be careful of cabins. Between my visits there, the cabins outside the park I always went to are seedy now.

Paul Rabe

Don't forget the Denali shuttle bus passes before you leave!! If you get to the Park without a pass, you might be confined to the Park entrance for two days, waiting for a vacancy on the shuttle bus!

If you know the exact date you'll be there, you can get your bus pass in advance, and be ready to ride into the Park for a full day of wilderness viewing.

ALF

The train from Anchorage to Denali takes a more scenic (albeit slower) route. I'd recommend that over a bus.