The Best Views of Denali

Best Views of Denali (Mt. McKinley)

Denali, the mountain formerly known as Mt. McKinley, is the tallest in North America, standing at 20,310 feet. If you are fortunate enough to visit on one of the rare clear days in Alaska, the views of the towering peak are difficult to beat. While you can see the mountain from as far away as Anchorage, by far the vest viewpoints are located within the limits of Denali National Park. Here are the top 10 views of Denali:

1. Stony Hill Overlook

This view is as good as it gets. Stony Hill Overlook is located at Mile 62 on the Park Road in Denali National Park. Anything beyond mile 15 will require you to take one of the park buses since the Park Road is not open to private vehicles beyond this point. All of the park buses will stop here to give passengers the opportunity to take photos of the stunning view. This is the first time along the Park Road where you are able to see Denali from base to summit and really appreciate the magnitude of the mountain.

2. Eielson Visitor Center

The view from the Eielson Visitor Center (Mile 66 on the Park Road) is a close second behind Stony Hill Overlook. At this point, the summit is only 33 miles away and it is starting to feel very close. There are walking trails from the visitor center that allow you to explore the tundra and take in the spectacular view of the mountain. Although when we were there the trails were closed due to bear activity…

Read More: Alaska Road Trip Itinerary 

3. Wonder Lake

The view from Wonder Lake (Mile 85) is slightly more obstructed, but at this point you’re so deep into the park that the mountain looks enormous.

4. Denali Viewpoint North

The Denali Viewpoint North is located about 75 miles south of the national park entrance off the Parks Highway in Denali State Park (not to be confused with the national park). This is a nice pitstop that provides panoramic views with the Susitna River in the foreground.

5. Denali Viewpoint South

The Denali Viewpoint South is located just north of Trapper Creek off the Parks Highway (also in Denali State Park) This is similar to the North viewpoint, but a bit farther away.

6. Primrose Ridge

7. First View of Denali (Mile 9)

As the name implies, this is the first real view of the summit from within the park. While it is just barely poking out from above the smaller nearby mountains, it’s still an impressive perspective, particularly at sunrise.

8. McKinley View Lodge

Located 100 miles south of the park entrance in Trapper Creek, the deck of the McKinley View Lodge is the perfect place to take in the view. It’s also a great place to spend the night or grab a bite to eat on the drive to the park.

9. Talkeetna

Talkeetna is a popular tourist town about 125 miles south of the entrance to Denali National Park. Despite being so far away, there are several places in town with excellent views of the Denali summit including Talkeetna Riverfront Park and the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge.

10. Town of Willow

The town of Willow is another 50 miles south of Talkeetna but still provides impressive views of Denali. This was when we caught our first real glimpse of the summit while driving north on the South Parks Highway.

While these are probably the ten best official viewpoints, there are endless opportunities to view the Denali summit from within the park, and the best way to experience these stunning views is to explore the hiking trails or venture out into the backcountry.