Wildlife Viewing

Your best odds of seeing Denali's wildlife could be from the seat of a bus on the Park Road.

Plan Around Wildlife Viewing

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Use this detail page to confirm that the stop is worth it, then carry that decision into a trip draft while the park context is still fresh.

Wildlife Viewing Details

You might be surprised to learn that your best odds of seeing Denali's wildlife could be from the seat of a bus on the Park Road. That's because you're sitting up high -- a nice vantage point -- you'll be traveling with other (hopefully sharp-eyed) visitors who may see things you don't, and you'll have a driver who knows where to stop and look for wildlife. It helps to bring a camera and binoculars along, of course. Hiking into Denali's backcountry also affords ample opportunities to see wildlife, from the bears, elk and caribou that wander the tundra and along riverbanks to the Dall Sheep up on the craggy mountainsides of the Alaska Range. The big mammals get most of the attention at Denali, but also be on the lookout for arctic ground squirrels, red squirrels, foxes and marmots and -- in the skies -- Golden eagles along with the occasional Bald Eagle and more common ravens, mew gulls, gray jays, and ptarmigan. According to the National Park Service: * 80 to 90 percent of park visitors see bears, sheep, and caribou, though often from a distance * 20 percent of visitors see wolves * 35 percent of visitors see moose (although your chances double if you come late in the season season)

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