Denali National Park: East Fork Transit Bus Tour
Explore the park on a budget on the non-narrated shuttle bus!
Photo credit: https://www.valisemag.com/denali-bus-tours/
Photo credit: https://www.valisemag.com/denali-bus-tours/
In an effort to preserve the fragile ecosystem of Denali National Park and Preserve, the National Park Service has limited access on Park Road for private vehicles. Designed for those who want to experience Denali off the bus (hiking and camping), transit buses offer transportation inside Denali National Park similar to a bus system you’d find in a larger city. These buses are not guided tours and offer no narration.
​
Availability: May 20 - September 14
Times: Departs daily at 6 AM and then shuttles run about every half hour
Duration: Round trip 4.5 hours, but could be longer if you choose to hop off the bus and explore
Pricing: Adult (16+) $32.75 Child (15 and under) FREE
Pick Up Location: Denali Bus Depot
​
How does it work?
​
The Denali Transit Buses provide a “hop on/hop off” system for those looking to experience Denali National Park and Preserve on their own timeline. However, reservations to enter the park are made for a specific departure time so please arrive a minimum of 20 minutes early at the Denali Bus Depot prior to your reserved departure time to board the bus. Once your bus is underway and has left the paved section of the roadway, passengers can “hop on/hop off” at their discretion by simply requesting to be let off the bus. To catch another bus, simply stand anywhere along the Denali Park Road in the direction in which you wish to travel, then wave down any green bus. If the first bus is full, you and your party will have to wait until the next bus. Transit buses are green buses and will have a sign which indicates the destination of the bus is heading. Buses generally run about every 30 minutes on average.
We highly recommend ordering our hearty To Go Lunch as there are no food services within the park. Book yours online or order at check-in with the front desk.
​
Tundra Wilderness Tour
The only narrated half-day trip
Photo Credit Doyon Joint Venture
Photo Credit Doyon Joint Venture
The Tundra Wilderness Tour is the premier tour of Denali National Park and Preserve! This tour offers wonderful diversity for visitors. Incredible scenery, a narrated history of the park road, and some of the best opportunities to view the park’s wildlife inhabitants await you on this tour.
​
The Tundra Wilderness Tour will guide you along the spectacular road corridor, promising different experiences every day, as Denali’s wildlife moves at its own pace and according to the seasons. Travel to the Murie Cabin near the East Fork River to experience where Adolf Murie lived while conducting his famous research inside what was then known as Mount McKinley National Park!
​
Availability: May 20 - September 14
Times: Vary, click button below to reserve
Duration: 5 - 5.5 hours
Pricing: Adult (16+) $141.25 Child (15 and under) $63.25
*All passengers, regardless of age, must have a reservation to board the bus.
*Parents are responsible for providing the appropriate car seat for children.
Pick Up Location: Denali Bus Depot