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Avoid buses and crowds by taking the wheel of a Jeep Renegade to explore Denali on your terms! It’s part Jeep rental, part personal tour, and 100% fun! You choose your destination, stop when and where you want, and never feel rushed. The Denali region has one of the most majestic landscapes on Earth—Lush valleys carved during the last Ice Age, tremendous mountains that reach for the sky, glacier-fed whitewater rivers, and world-renown wildlife viewing, creating a synergy that captivates and astonishes around every twist of the road!
More than just a car rental, this Jeep excursion gives you the ability to get off the beaten path in a rugged vehicle designed for weather-proof safety and comfort. Our late-model GPS-equipped 4×4 Jeep Renegades have 4 doors and can seat up to 5 guests. There are 3 daily departure times, each allowing 4 hours of self-guided adventure.
Instead of the big bus tours, explore the park your way! Take a selfie at the park sign, explore the Denali National Park Visitor Center, tour historic buildings, venture down hiking trails, and visit the park’s own sled dogs at the Denali kennels. Traversing the entire access road to the Savage River affords views of Denali (Mount McKinley) as well as frequent sightings of moose, caribou, bears, and a myriad of other critters. Entrance to the National Park is $15/person, payable upon booking or at the Visitor Center. Expect a 40-mile round trip which allows extra time for exploring the park’s attractions.
Before the “new” highway between Anchorage and Fairbanks was finished in the 1970s, the Denali Highway stretching from Paxson to Cantwell was the only way to reach Denali National Park by road. Still just a seldom-traveled gravel roadway today, it is renowned for picturesque alpine landscapes and untouched wilderness. This scenic byway was recently ranked #2 worldwide as the “Drive of a Lifetime” by National Geographic Traveler magazine. Besides the ability to view Denali (Mount McKinley) from numerous points, travelers will likely see wildlife along the route. Expect an 80-mile round trip.
If you elect to venture further south down the George Parks Highway, you will find the community of Cantwell. The historic Cantwell Lodge is home to an annual Bluegrass festival and is a local favorite to enjoy a cool libation. Beyond Cantwell, the elevation of the road rises as it crosses the Alaska Range. Often referred to as the most beautiful place on the Parks Highway, this mostly treeless tundra affords the closest and most stunning views of Denali (Mount McKinley). This is the area where much of the movie “Into the Wild” was filmed. Explore the Jack White River or stretch your legs on the boggy tundra. Keep your camera handy—This is prime habitat for caribou, Dall Sheep, and bears. Expect an 80-mile round trip.
Driving north on the George Parks Highway winds you through 10 miles of Nenana River Canyon and across the highway’s highest bridge, known by locals as the Windy Bridge. Around the town of Healy, the region’s mining history emerges. To the east, you’ll see the Usibelli Coal Mine, the only active coal mine in Alaska. Just beyond Healy lies the Stampede Road, a historic mining trail once used to haul out millions of tons of gold and antimony from the Kantishna Hills. This is also the setting for the true-life novel, “Into the Wild.” Venturing 8 miles down the maintained portion of the Stampede Road gains 1000 feet in elevation and allows for a view of Denali (Mount McKinley), Eight Mile Lake, which offers berry picking opportunities, and frequent moose sightings on the open tundra. Round trip length is about 50 miles.
