Safety

Animal encounters and river crossings are among the hazards you may face when visiting Denali.

Plan Around Safety

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Safety Details

With Denali's large population of black bears and grizzlies, bear safety often dominates the discussion about park safety. In fact, there has only been a single bear-related fatality in the park's nearly century of existence, whereas more than 100 people have died trying to climb Mt. McKinley. Auto accidents and accidental drownings also have claimed far more lives than bears in Denali. Denali is the size of the state of Massachusetts, yet has less than 20 marked hiking trails. Most hiking here is on informally or unmarked trails. The great freedom to roam in this vast park must be accompanied by great personal responsibility. Hikers and campers need to wear proper clothing and pack adequate gear to cope with an unforgiving Arctic environment. Denali is true wilderness, even in places within view of the Park Road. Weather conditions can change quickly and dramatically. Denali's glacial rivers are wide, cold, and often swift-running. Crossings are sometimes necessary or desired to reach hiking objectives, but should be undertaken with great caution. The risks of hypothermia or being fatally swept away are real. As for Denali's wildlife, it should go without saying that bears should be given a wide berth -- stay at least 300 yards away, make loud noise when you travel so you don't startle a bear, and never get between a mother bear and her cubs. But other large mammals can also be quite dangerous: never approach Dall sheep, moose, wolves, foxes, caribou, or even raptor nests closer than 25 yards.

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