Denali Highway (Alaska Route 8) is a lightly traveled, mostly gravel highway in the U.S. state of Alaska. It leads from Paxson on the Richardson Highway to Cantwell on the Parks Highway. Opened in 1957, it was the first road access to Denali National Park. Since 1971, primary park access has been via the Parks Highway, which incorporated a section of the Denali Highway from Cantwell to the present-day park entrance. The Denali Highway is 135 miles (217 km) in length.
The highway is now little used and poorly maintained, and closed to all traffic from October to mid-May each year.[3] Only the easternmost 21.3 miles (34.3 km) and westernmost 2.6 miles (4.2 km) are paved; whether the remainder should be paved as well is a continual source of debate. Washboarding and extreme dust are common, and the recommended speed limit is 30 mph (48 km/h).
Route description
The Denali Highway as seen in summer.
Traveling west, the Denali Highway leaves the Richardson Highway (Alaska Route 4) at Paxson, and climbs steeply up into the foothills of the central Alaska Range. The first 21 miles (34 km), to Tangle Lakes, are paved. Along its length, the highway passes through three of the principal river drainages in Interior Alaska: the Copper River drainage, the Tanana/Yukon drainage and the Susitna drainage. Along the way, in good weather, there are views of the peaks and glaciers of the central Alaska Range, including Mount Hayes (13,700 ft), Mount Hess (11,940 ft) and Mount Deborah (12,688 ft). At MP 15, from the pullout on the south side of the road, in clear weather it is possible to see the Wrangell Mountains, the Chugach Mountains and the Alaska Range.[citation needed]
The first 45 miles (72 km) winds through the Amphitheater Mountains, cresting at Maclaren Summit, at 4,086 feet (1,245 m) the second highest road in Alaska. The road then drops down to the Maclaren River Valley with fine views north to Maclaren Glacier. After crossing the Maclaren River, the road winds through the geologically mysterious Crazy Notch and then along the toe of the Denali Clearwater Mountains to the Susitna River. After crossing the Susitna River the road extends across the glacier's outwash plains to the Nenana River, and then down the Nenana River to Cantwell on the George Parks Highway (Alaska Route 3).
Services
There are developed campgrounds at Tangle Lakes (MP 22) and Brushkana Creek (MP 104), but there are dozens of pullouts where one can camp on public lands.
Services are scant along this road.
Year-round operations include Denali Highway Cabins & Tours (MP 0.2), Maclaren River Lodge (MP 42), Alpine Creek Lodge (MP68), Backwoods Lodge (MP134) and Cantwell Lodge (MP138); summer-only operations include Tangle Lakes Lodge (MP 22), Tangle River Inn (MP 20), Clearwater Mountain Lodge (MP 82). Winter travel on the Denali Highway is exclusively by snowmobile and dogsled. Automobile travelers are severely discouraged from attempting to traverse the road in winter; as recently as 1996 three persons died from exposure when snows blocked their progress. The road is cleared by DOT late in April and generally is passable by non-4WD from then until the first snows close it, usually late September on the eastern, tundra end and late October-early November on the lower, boreal forest western end.
Recreation
White Spruce taiga along the Denali Highway, with the Alaska Mountain Range in the Background
Fishing for grayling and lake trout is possible in any of the clear and unglaciated streams.[citation needed]
Because the area is hunted heavily, larger mammals are much less common than in Denali National Park, but moose, grizzly bear, and caribou are fairly common. The Nelchina caribou herd, approximately 36,000 animals as of winter 2009–2010, normally passes through this area after calving season ends, and some autumns and winters as many as 16,000 animals can be seen at once. The herd forms an important foodsource for many residents of southcentral Alaska, and visitors eager to view the animals may be competing with hunters. The many lakes along the road are also a destination for duck hunting in the fall.
Most of the land along the highway is publicly owned. There are several BLM-maintained trails, and dozens of informal trails. This is a stretch of wild Alaska that is pretty much unspoiled, relatively accessible and scenic.
^Google (April 20, 2012). "Overview Map of Denali Highway (AK-8)" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved April 20, 2012.
Further reading
Glennallen Field Office (2007). Denali Highway: points of interest. Glennallen, AK: United States Bureau of Land Management. BLM Recreation Guide BLM/AK/GI-88/023+8351+050, Rev. 07.
Whitfield, Paul (2004). Rough Guide to Alaska (2nd ed.). London: Rough Guides. p. 399. ISBN978-1-84353-258-3. denali highway.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Denali Highway.
Cycling the Denali Highway, including altitude profiles, on WorldOnaBike.com
The Denali Highway spring travelogue
The Denali Highway autumn travelogue
January 30, 2023
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Denali Highway Alaska Route 8 is a lightly traveled mostly gravel highway in the U S state of Alaska It leads from Paxson on the Richardson Highway to Cantwell on the Parks Highway Opened in 1957 it was the first road access to Denali National Park Since 1971 primary park access has been via the Parks Highway which incorporated a section of the Denali Highway from Cantwell to the present day park entrance The Denali Highway is 135 miles 217 km in length Denali HighwayDenali Highway highlighted in redRoute informationMaintained by Alaska DOT amp PFLength135 mi 1 217 km Existedc 1953 2 presentMajor junctionsWest endAK 3 George Parks Highway in CantwellMajor intersectionsOld Parks Highway in CantwellEast endAK 4 Richardson Highway in PaxsonLocationCountryUnited StatesStateAlaskaBoroughsDenali Matanuska Susitna Copper RiverHighway systemAlaska RoutesInterstate Scenic Byways AK 7 AK 9 Contents 1 Conditions 2 Route description 3 Services 4 Recreation 5 Major intersections 6 Gallery 7 See also 8 References 9 Further reading 10 External linksConditions EditThe highway is now little used and poorly maintained and closed to all traffic from October to mid May each year 3 Only the easternmost 21 3 miles 34 3 km and westernmost 2 6 miles 4 2 km are paved whether the remainder should be paved as well is a continual source of debate Washboarding and extreme dust are common and the recommended speed limit is 30 mph 48 km h Route description Edit The Denali Highway as seen in summer Traveling west the Denali Highway leaves the Richardson Highway Alaska Route 4 at Paxson and climbs steeply up into the foothills of the central Alaska Range The first 21 miles 34 km to Tangle Lakes are paved Along its length the highway passes through three of the principal river drainages in Interior Alaska the Copper River drainage the Tanana Yukon drainage and the Susitna drainage Along the way in good weather there are views of the peaks and glaciers of the central Alaska Range including Mount Hayes 13 700 ft Mount Hess 11 940 ft and Mount Deborah 12 688 ft At MP 15 from the pullout on the south side of the road in clear weather it is possible to see the Wrangell Mountains the Chugach Mountains and the Alaska Range citation needed The first 45 miles 72 km winds through the Amphitheater Mountains cresting at Maclaren Summit at 4 086 feet 1 245 m the second highest road in Alaska The road then drops down to the Maclaren River Valley with fine views north to Maclaren Glacier After crossing the Maclaren River the road winds through the geologically mysterious Crazy Notch and then along the toe of the Denali Clearwater Mountains to the Susitna River After crossing the Susitna River the road extends across the glacier s outwash plains to the Nenana River and then down the Nenana River to Cantwell on the George Parks Highway Alaska Route 3 Services EditThere are developed campgrounds at Tangle Lakes MP 22 and Brushkana Creek MP 104 but there are dozens of pullouts where one can camp on public lands Services are scant along this road Year round operations include Denali Highway Cabins amp Tours MP 0 2 Maclaren River Lodge MP 42 Alpine Creek Lodge MP68 Backwoods Lodge MP134 and Cantwell Lodge MP138 summer only operations include Tangle Lakes Lodge MP 22 Tangle River Inn MP 20 Clearwater Mountain Lodge MP 82 Winter travel on the Denali Highway is exclusively by snowmobile and dogsled Automobile travelers are severely discouraged from attempting to traverse the road in winter as recently as 1996 three persons died from exposure when snows blocked their progress The road is cleared by DOT late in April and generally is passable by non 4WD from then until the first snows close it usually late September on the eastern tundra end and late October early November on the lower boreal forest western end Recreation Edit White Spruce taiga along the Denali Highway with the Alaska Mountain Range in the BackgroundThe Tangle Lakes constitute the headwaters of the Delta River a popular destination for canoeists as it is the launch point of the Delta River Canoe Trail 4 The Denali Highway is an important birding destination It offers road access to alpine terrain not that common in Alaska and in the brief birding season there good viewing of a number of alpine breeders including Arctic Warbler Smith s Longspur Long tailed Jaeger Whimbrel Surfbird Lapland Longspur Horned Lark Short eared Owl Wandering Tattler Gyrfalcon and much more A walk north along The Bureau of Land Management s BLM Maclaren Summit Trail MP 39 can be very productive There are also trumpeter swans and various other waterfowl in the lakes and ponds along the route Fishing for grayling and lake trout is possible in any of the clear and unglaciated streams citation needed Because the area is hunted heavily larger mammals are much less common than in Denali National Park but moose grizzly bear and caribou are fairly common The Nelchina caribou herd approximately 36 000 animals as of winter 2009 2010 normally passes through this area after calving season ends and some autumns and winters as many as 16 000 animals can be seen at once The herd forms an important foodsource for many residents of southcentral Alaska and visitors eager to view the animals may be competing with hunters The many lakes along the road are also a destination for duck hunting in the fall Most of the land along the highway is publicly owned There are several BLM maintained trails and dozens of informal trails This is a stretch of wild Alaska that is pretty much unspoiled relatively accessible and scenic Major intersections EditBoroughLocationmi 5 kmDestinationsNotesDenaliCantwell0 00 0 AK 3 George Parks Highway Western end of state maintenance highway continues west to Cantwell Airport via dirt road0 40 64Old Parks HighwayAccess to Alaska DOT amp PF Cantwell StationUnorganizedPaxson134216Paxson Airport Access RoadAccess to Paxson Airport135217 AK 4 Richardson Highway Eastern terminus1 000 mi 1 609 km 1 000 km 0 621 miGallery Edit At 4 086 feet 1 245 m MacClaren summit is the highest point on the highway Portions of the road are built directly on top of glacial eskers On a clear day westbound travelers can see Denali Numerous kettle lakes line the eastern portion of the highway The Susitna River crossing is the only large bridge on the highway The Denali Highway crossing the MacLaren River Monahan Flat and the eastern Alaska Range as seen from the Denali Highway See also Edit Alaska portal U S Roads portalReferences Edit Alaska Department Denali Highway Bureau of Land Management Archived from the original on April 14 2012 Retrieved April 20 2012 Staff History Time Line For Denali National Park amp Preserve PDF National Park Service Archived from the original PDF on September 1 2009 Retrieved April 20 2012 Whitfield p 399 Staff 2007 The Milepost 59th ed Augusta GA Morris Communications p 497 ISBN 1 892154 21 8 Google April 20 2012 Overview Map of Denali Highway AK 8 Map Google Maps Google Retrieved April 20 2012 Further reading EditGlennallen Field Office 2007 Denali Highway points of interest Glennallen AK United States Bureau of Land Management BLM Recreation Guide BLM AK GI 88 023 8351 050 Rev 07 Whitfield Paul 2004 Rough Guide to Alaska 2nd ed London Rough Guides p 399 ISBN 978 1 84353 258 3 denali highway External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Denali Highway Route map KML file edit help Template Attached KML Denali HighwayKML is from Wikidata Cycling the Denali Highway including altitude profiles on WorldOnaBike com The Denali Highway spring travelogue The Denali Highway autumn travelogue Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Denali Highway amp oldid 1108478845, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
