Mt. McKinley or Mt. Denali, as it was called until recently, is named "the Great One" in several native languages - very appropriately so. It dominates the surrounding mountains of the Alaska Range by thousands of feet and thus creates its own weather. Every small cloud moving in from the Cook Inlet climbs up the mountain and often gathers into a big wall of clouds thus hiding "the Great One" from view. There are years when Mt. McKinley only shows itself on a few days in twelve months. However, when the mountain is visible it offers a truly impressive sight: with its enormous bulk it hovers over the surrounding mountains which are dwarfed by the sheer size of the mountain. A sight to be remembered: Anybody who is lucky to see the mountain like this is searching for his camera to catch it on film.
Mt. McKinley Viewpoints in Denali National Park
There are not many places from where the mountain can be viewed perfectly. Mt. McKinley is situated in the Denali National Park and there are no roads leading all the way to its foot. The only road getting close is the park road which can only be travelled by shuttle bus or on a wildlife viewing tour both of which have to be reserved in advance. There are the lucky ones who can view the mountain from Stony Hill Overlook at Mile 62. But the wildlife viewing tours only go there when the mountain is visible - which means only on a few days per year.
Another option is to be on one of the shuttle buses which connect Wonder Lake and the Kantishna Lodge with the entrance of the park. They pass Stone Hill Overlook on their daily route into the park. Private vehicles are only allowed up to the Savage River Bridge, and the mountain is not visible on this stretch of road.
Roadside Viewpoints of Mt. McKinley
There are a few viewpoints along Alaskan roads from which the mountain can be viewed in good weather. They are all outside the National Park area. Thus the mountain is further away and often can be mistaken for a white cloud hovering over the Alaska Range.
The best viewpoints are on the Glenn Highway and on the George Parks Highway. Driving from Anchorage to Denali Park there are only a few places where the mountain is visible in clear weather, because most of the time the highway leads through forested area. With a little luck Mt. Denali can be seen in its full beauty from Glenn Highway in the area of Eklutna. Along the George Parks Highway between Talkeetna and the entrance to the National Park there are only a few places where it can bee seen all of which are signposted. On one of the viewpoints there is an interpretive sign which explains the complete mountain panorama. Thus Mt. McKinley can easily be identified, although it does not appear as impressive from these viewpoints as it does from others. Here the closer lying mountains of the Alaska Range hide part of the mountain from view.
Another point of view is along the Denali Highway. However, most rental car companies prohibit the drive along this highway because it is not regularly maintained and a drive along this road can cause heavy damage to the vehicles. Who is allowed to drive the highway, though, may get lucky and catch a glimpse of "the Great One" just before he reaches the George Parks Highway. From this viewpoint the mountain is still pretty far away. Thus it is not as impressive as it is from other viewpoints.
Perfect View from the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge
Anybody who doesn't want to search for a signposted viewpoint and wants to have the perfect view of the mountain should go to the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge. From the hotel terrace there is a fantastic view of Mt. McKinley - if the weather is clear.
Flightseeing Mt. McKinley
Another option is to go flightseeing. There are several flight operators in Talkeetna and Denali that offer flights of different length to and around Mt. McKinley. Every visitor to Denali Park should try them, because this is usually the best opportunity to really view the mountain - even up close. There are some flight operators who even offer a landing on one of the glaciers on Mt. McKinley - a truly unforgettable experience. The plane passes the camps of mountain climbers and lands above their camp, a distance which takes them days to cover. And even if the weather is not absolutely perfect such a flight is worth the while, because it offers fantastic views of the steep rock walls of the mountain and its deeply blue glacial lakes.
More information on Mt. McKinley and Denali National Park can be found here.
