Denali National Park Hotels

The 112-room Denali Bluffs is the closest to park entrance. It offers great views of the Alaska Range, especially if you can reserve a room with a balcony. All rooms, decorated in warm woods and subtly country decor, are housed in 12 buildings along the resort’s trails, and are well appointed with many amenities.

Set on a hill, this 166-room hotel offers a bright, contemporary version on the classic rustic lodge style with native Alaska art in the lobbies. The lodge features a vaulted ceiling, comfortable lounges facing a stone fireplace, gift shop, tour desk, guest laundry, courtesy shuttle service and the Alpenglow Restaurant. The rooms feature colorful Alaskan décor and, at about 300 square feet, are some of the largest in the area.

Overlook the Nenana River in rustic elegance at the McKinley Chalet Resort, a recently remodeled upscale resort just one mile from the Denali Park entrance. Heavy on cedar, the lodge has several buildings tucked into forest, all connected by boardwalks, and this Swiss chalet feel makes it more intimate than its 345 rooms suggest. Choose from deluxe rooms or upscale, cedar-lodge mini-sites. The “upper” rooms at the McKinley Chalet Resort have great views of the river, while “lower” rooms are situated in a quiet spruce forest along the shore of the Nenana River.

The 150-room McKinley Village Lodge, set 7 miles south of the hustle of Glitter Gulch, offers a relaxed wilderness getaway with a friendly atmosphere and attentive service. Nestled in a spruce forest with the Nenana River flowing right past, you’ll feel even farther removed from the heavy Denali traffic.

If you want a more intimate setting right on the river, we recommend Denali River Cabins. You’ll find 52 individual rustic cabins nestled among the trees on the banks of the Nenana River and 48 modern rooms in the Cedars Lodge. You can avoid the tourist crowds here and hike along the river for your own wilderness experience. Many raft trips begin right here, at the river's edge. (Do not confuse Denali River Cabins with “Denali Cabins” three miles further south!)

Small, family-owned and operated, Camp Denali and North Face Lodge are the only overnight visitor destinations deep inside Denali National Park with views of Mount McKinley.  Located a mile apart, both specialize in multi-day stays that feature learning adventures for active travelers.  Choose the rustic, homestead-style cabin lodging of Camp Denali or the informal country inn atmosphere of North Face Lodge.  Regardless, there’s probably no better way to experience Denali than by staying at one of these two destinations.

Right on Moose Creek, Kantishna Roadhouse has big, green lawns and plenty of grounds to wander, beautiful log buildings, and lots of interesting early Denali mining memorabilia. The original roadhouse was built in the early 1900s and served as a private residence, community center, post office, and inn for visitors. The lodge’s Alaska Native owners hire mainly other Alaskan Natives and put a lot of effort into making it a friendly, relaxed place to stay. It’s a great place for wildlife viewing, naturalist tours, gold panning, biking, and evening outings to see Wonder Lake and Mt. McKinley.

You may also hear about Skyline Lodge. Built by Greg LaHaie, owner of Kantishna Air Taxi, Skyline Lodge is a down-home lodge with just 4 rooms, dogs on property, and a family atmosphere—the kind of place where you’ll eat with the staff.

Denali Backcountry Lodge: This lodge lies at the very end of the park road on Moose Creek. The setting is peaceful. The lodge has undergone management changes in recent years.