Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
miles west of Rte. 3 on the park road. Shuttle buses departing from the visitor center cover
the final 70 miles to Wonder Lake.
Ifyoucan'tsparethetwoorthreedaysitmaytaketogetabuspassduringthesummer,
try to catch a glimpse of Mt. McKinley between miles 9 and 11 of the park road. Even
from 70 miles away, you'll easily see why Alaskans dubbed the peak Denali, “The Great
One.” The mountain towers more than 18,000 feet above the surrounding lowlands, mak-
ing it, when measured from base to summit, even higher than Mt. Everest. Yet McKinley's
majesty is often veiled by a mist of its own making: Warm, moist air from the Gulf of
Alaska condenses on the mountain's southern face, creating a steady drizzle that obscures
it from view two days out of three.
11.
Wonder Lake
At the visitor center sightseers board a bus to Wonder Lake. Although the road never rises
above4,000feet,itoffersawealthofscenichighpoints.SablePass,atmile39,isthesurest
place to spot grizzly bears, which are so fond of the wildflowers and berries here that a
mile-wide zone on either side of the road has been closed to hikers since 1952.
Continuing west, the route clambers up Polychrome Pass, named for its rainbow of
mineral-richrocks.Tingedpink,red,orange,yellow,rust,andpurplebyexposuretotheair,
thesestonyoutcroppingsframeasoutherlyviewofglacial handiwork:kettle lakes,erratics
(isolated boulders), and the braided East Toklat River.
You can get off the bus and start hiking almost anywhere, but the best place is the Eiel-
son visitor center (mile 66). In the summer a naturalist leads a “tundra trek”—a chance to
identify some of the park's 430-plus kinds of flowering plants. The visitor center also af-
fords prime views of Mt. McKinley and Muldrow glacier, extending 32 miles and almost
threemilesofelevation.SavefilmforWonderLake—sunriseandsunsetbatheMt.McKin-
ley in haunting hues of pink and purple.
12.
Nenana
After returning from the Eielson visitor center (an eight-hour round-trip bus ride) or Won-
der Lake (11 hours round-trip), resume the drive behind the wheel of your own vehicle.
Grip it tight, though, because the next 65-mile stretch, which meets the scenic gorge of the
NenanaRiver,isriddledwithsharpturns,windypasses,canyoncrossings,andfrostheaves
(dips and blips in the pavement caused by moisture freezing in the soil beneath the road
surface).
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