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Kantishna Experience Tour

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Q: Can I take Kantishna Experience Tour staying at Denali Cabins?

A: There are three ways to experience Kantishna, by taking Kantishna Experience Tour with the park services, and privately operated trips into the park with Denali Backcountry Adventure and Kantishna Wilderness Trails. Of the three, the best value is Denali Backcountry Adventure. If you are staying at Denali Cabins, you can take Denali Backcountry Adventure, since the trip starts right from Denali Cabins. You cannot take Kantishna Experience Tour staying at Denali Cabins. Denali Backcountry Adventure trip leaves Denali Cabins at 6:15 AM. On its way into the park, it will stop at Denali Grizzly Bear Resort and McKinley Chalet to pick up guests. The bus leaves from Denali Grizzly Bear Resort at 6:20 AM and from McKinley Chalet at 6:30 AM. Seating is very limited in Denali Backcountry Adventure; hence if you are interested in the trip, you are advised to make advance reservations.

Is Denali Backcountry Lodge open year round?

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Q: Is the Denali Backcountry Lodge open year round? Can we take the Denali Backcountry Adventure in December?

A: The entire towns of Denali and Kantishna shut completely down from around September 15- May 15th.  The traffic lights even shut off.  There is no lodging in or around the Park Entrance during this hiatus.  The Denali Park Road goes unmaintained after the first snow, and the wildlife in the park get a well deserved reprieve from human visitors.  There are plenty of other activities you can partake in while you are staying in this winter wonderland though.  One of the most treasured is seeing the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) in Fairbanks.  There are also plenty of winter sports to enjoy including snowmachining, dog mushing, and skiing!