We have only 1 day that we can allocate to going to Denali National Park. Can anyone provide me with suggestions for the best way to spend the day? Also, how do the bus systems work in the park? Which is better, shuttle or tour bus? Are the hikes (guided or not) worthy of the time? We are active, outdoors people, but my wife has some concerns regarding hiking alone in Alaska.
Thanks for your help,
Sam

The bus tour leaves from an area where the buses line up at specific times and you get on the bus assigned to you at the time you make your tour reservation. The buses are old school buses and the tour is, I believe, about six hours long. The bus driver was the tour guide, very good, informative and fun. They make a few stops, hopefully you'll be lucky and see some wildlife. I think this type of tour is well worth it.

One day in Denali just doesn't cut it. Period.

However, if I had one day in Denali, I'd spend it on the bus tour all the way to Wonder Lake and back. You will see animals. Odds are you won't see Mt. McKinley, but you will see great scenery. It's the most thorough way to see the park in a very limited amount of time.

I would not take the commercial tours as they do not go far enough into the park for my taste. I took the National Park Service yellow school buses. Wonder Lake is the end of the road and if you're there, why not see as much as you can. It's about a 12 hour day, though.

Also, don't miss the sled dog demonstration at the park. That was one of the high points of my trip to Alaska a few years ago.

Here is my two cents worth. 6 hours on a school bus was not the best part of my trip to Alaska. You never get close to the mountain, you're lucky if you see the mountain from 35 miles away. You need high power lenses to see any animals. They are not dumb, they stay away from the road. I would have liked to do some hiking instead. Maybe a four hour hike and a park ranger talk. (I have never heard of anyone else who did not love the school bus ride in Denali, just me.)

And here's my 2 cents worth. Denali seems to have a pace set for the tour trains which come daily and leave their passengers for one day only. Take the bus tour (it gets back in time for the departing train) as it will give you the most park viewing for your limited time there. It's not too comfortable, but we enjoyed it anyway. You'll either have a clear day when you can see Mt. Mckinley but few animals, or an overcast day where the animals are more likely to come out, but no mountain. We saw the mountain and it was spectacular (great photos) and even saw a few bears, etc.

The shuttle buses take hikers into/out of the park and seem to work on a flag down system. The tours are just that, and well done. Denali is so huge that I can't see how you would see much in one day by hiking. The park is larger than the state of Massachusetts! If you love it, you can plan to return for a longer stay.

Sam,
Last summer, I was in the same predicament. Ended up taking the bus tour first thing in the morning. It was a clear and unusually warm day. Had completely unobstructed views of McKinley. Also saw a fair share of wildlife, including a bear snoozing on a riverbank and a caribou trotting along the side of the road in front of the bus. Made for a great trip. Tour was 8 hours, but saw more of the park than we would have on foot. After a quick nap, went white water rafting in the evening - remember the sun is out for most of the day up there. There are several companies offering trips at different levels just outside the park entrance. They pick up and drop off at the local hotels too. Made for an exhausting day, but had to take advantage of the short time we had. Well worth it.

There are some really great suggestions already posted, and I agree with most of them. DEFINITELY take the park tour bus (school bus) all the way to Wonder Lake. Take mosquito spray or netting!! You WILL see animals, but it is rare to see Mt. McKinley. I've been to Alaska 2 times, and my husband has been 4 or 5 times, and I've never seen it, and my husband saw part of 1 time for about 2 or 3 minutes. Also, make sure and get a box lunch for your day in Denali. Have fun!!

If the day is clear, take a flightseeing plane ride around Mt. McKinley. You see so much and so many majestic mountains. We even were able to see climbers heading up the mountain. It remains the sightseeing highlight of my life.