George Parks Highway - The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips - page 12

The dynamic glaciated landscape of Denali National Park provides large rivers, countless lakes and ponds, and unique
landforms that form the foundation of the ecosystems that thrive there.
10. Denali National Park
Some call it the Denali dilemma: In spite of its size (6 million acres—an area larger than
the state of Massachusetts), the park has so many visitors (about 600,000 per year—nearly
equal to the population of Alaska) that it must limit access to protect its fragile wilderness.
This spirit of preservation has been a hallmark of Denali National Park and Preserve since
its inception. In 1906 hunters in the foothills of Mt. McKinley were eradicating the Dall
sheep, shaggy white critters with curlicue horns, at an alarming rate. Outraged, conserva-
tionist Charles Sheldon launched a campaign to save the animals. On February 26, 1917,
his efforts finally paid off; President Woodrow Wilson signed a law that brought Mt.
McKinley National Park into existence, saving it for perpetuity.
Threeboundaryexpansionsandonenamechangelater,DenaliNationalParkremainsa
pristine wildlife sanctuary that is home to 38 kinds of mammals—including grizzly bears,
moose, wolves, and caribou—and 167 species of birds, which migrate here from several
continents. To protect the preserve, the park prohibits cars beyond the Savage River, 15