Backwoods Lodge

Set in a serene, wooded area 30 minutes south of iconic Denali National Park, this locally owned lodge has simple but well-appointed rooms. Situated at the intersection of the Parks and Denali highways this year-round accommodation is away from the main activity of the park entrance. It’s an ideal spot for independent travelers who have their own vehicle.

The Rooms

You’ll find 11 comfortable rooms and one intimate cabin, with various configurations to choose from: single queen bed, a queen and a twin, or two queens with a twin. The cabin has a queen, a twin, and a futon. The bigger rooms are perfect for families.

All rooms have a hair dryer, Wi-Fi, and a 40" HD flat-screen TV with Direct TV and movie channels. And all come stocked with everything you need to make your own meals: fridge, microwave, coffee maker, and hot pot, plus plates, glasses, mugs, silverware, napkins, and salt and pepper. There’s also tea, hot chocolate and popcorn for a fun movie night. You can even bring food to cook on the propane grills out on the BBQ pavilion.

In summer, you can dine out at the nearby Jam Jam’s restaurant and Steve’s BBQ food truck. Or take a drive up to the park entrance or head to Healy to explore the restaurants there. Local options are more limited in winter; you may want to bring your own food.

Explore the National Park or Drive the Denali Highway

The lodge’s prime location close to Denali National Park makes it easy to explore all the magic the park has to offer. This includes tours down the Denali Park Road to adventurous pursuits like off-road ATVing, zipline tours, flightseeing, and dogsled tours (on wheels!).

If you have a rental car that allows for travel on gravel roads, you can also head east on the rugged Denali Highway—a scenic drive ranked #2 in America by National Geographic in 2010. The lodge will even provide you with a Denali Highway points of interest map from the Bureau of Land Management.

Winter Escape

In winter, there’s also no shortage of excitement. Go dogsledding at nearby Squid Acres Kennel, or take off for some cross-country skiing and snowshoeing—there are lots of opportunities along the Denali Highway. And of course you’ll have the chance to look for the spectacular northern lights dancing in the sky above you.