Best Time to Visit Alaska is Now, Plus a 50% Deal

The best time for viewing Aurora Borealis, the “Northern Lights,” dancing fluorescent ribbons that light up the night sky – enthralling even "sourdoughs" (old-timers) in Alaska – is fast approaching. And this amazing phenomenon makes autumn an ideal time to visit Denali National Park in Alaska – in addition to the park’s brilliant shades of red, orange and yellow fall foliage among treetops.

As the summer tourist season winds down in late August/early September, the gentle green palette of Denali’s fall foliage bursts into bright yellows in the boreal forest and rich reds – saffron, cinnamon and russet – in the heathery tundra. Denali Park Resorts (www.denaliparkresorts.com) offers many diverse tours that showcase its multiple fall colors:

Tundra Wilderness Tour: A six- to eight-hour tour into the heart of Denali, which offers participants views of mountains, rolling tundra, taiga forests and wildlife – including grizzly bears, moose, caribou and wolves – in an ecosystem virtually untouched by humankind.

Natural History Tour: A three- to four-hour guided tour of the taiga forest and expansive rolling tundra. Passengers learn about local flora and fauna, as well as the cultural history of the region.

NEW Kantishna Experience: A 12-hour journey featuring interpretive narration provided jointly by a driver guide and a National Park Service (NPS) ranger that joins the trip at Wonder Lake. The round trip into the heart of the park also includes lunch and a stop at the historic cabin of Fannie Quigley, a famous Kantishna resident who settled in the area during its Gold Rush heyday in the early 1900s and remained there until her death in 1944.

NEW Explore Denali Guided Hiking Series: A series of six different guided hikes that last three hours. These exciting new adventure excursions offer guests an opportunity to hike within the park boundary independently for the first time.

Hikes include:

• Hike to the Denali Visitor Center
  
• Rock Creek Interpretive Hike
  
• Stampede Trail Adventure
  
• Denali Geology Tour
  
• Steps Through Time Interpretive Hike
  
• Denali Highway Adventure “Nenana Walkabout” – A casual hike down by the Nenana River
  

Other Reasons to Visit Denali in early September:

• Whitewater Rafting is an incredible way to experience the fall foliage - Denali Park Resorts operates a variety of rafting excursions, ranging from a relaxing, mild whitewater trip to a thrilling whitewater run. All of the trips listed below offer experienced river guides and include free equipment use, including dry suits and transportation to and from most area hotels.
  
• Animals in peak condition - After a season of feasting on summer’s bounty, animals are at their peak (i.e., with full coats and antlers), so this is the time that many wildlife photographers choose to visit the park.
  
• Northern Lights viewing - The longer nights of late summer season offer better viewing conditions for the aurora borealis. The deck of the McKinley Chalet Resort (www.denaliparkresorts.com/lodging.shtml) is an ideal spot to catch the lights in the Nenana River Canyon. If you don’t hear the collective howl throughout the gulch – it’s a Denali tradition to howl at the northern lights – you can request a wake-up call from the front desk when prime viewing conditions arise. The best viewing happens in the park, away from the city lights.
• Fewer crowds, better deals - Shoulder season in the park means fewer tourists and better deals on accommodations.
  

For example, Denali Park Resorts is offering a Fall Foliage Special. Beginning August 28 and throughout the rest of the season, stay at any of Denali Park Resorts’ lodges at half the price and get half off any of the Explore Denali excursions. The Explore Denali excursions offer guests an opportunity to hike within the park boundary or explore further afield on a van tour and are customizable to guests interests. The outings allow guests to see the amazing colors of Alaska in the fall and the best of the park and wildlife. This package, which features lodging at McKinley Chalet Resort, McKinley Village Lodge, Denali Bluffs Hotel, or Denali Grande Lodge, represents an incredible 50 percent savings, costs $329.00 per room for two-night lodging and tickets for two on any Explore Denali excursion, and runs through the end of the season, Sept. 18. Reservations must be made in advance and are based on availability. Rates are based on double occupancy, additional charges will apply to additional guests.

To make reservations for please visit www.denaliparkresorts.com or call (800) 276-7234. Advanced reservations are required and packages/deals are based on availability.

• Email this page
• Printer-friendly version