Denali (Mount McKinley)
Denali
North America's highest peak at 6,190 meters, rising about 5,500 meters from its base. On clear days it can be seen from the Park Road and Wonder Lake.
Denali stands at 6,190 meters and is the highest peak in North America. Its name means “the high one” in the Athabaskan language, and the official name was restored in 2015. (In 2025, at the federal level in the United States, it was changed back to Mount McKinley, but the park name remains unchanged.) The vertical relief from the foot of the mountain to the summit is about 5,500 meters, greater than the base-to-summit relief of Mount Everest. The peak is often hidden by clouds, and in summer you can see the full mountain on about one-third of days. The best viewpoints are Eielson Visitor Center, Wonder Lake, or a small plane flight circling the peak. Climbing requires professional gear and permits, so most visitors admire the mountain from afar.
Opening hours
Year-round (viewing depends on weather)
Nearby sights
- Wonder Lake
- Kantishna
- Eielson Visitor Center
- Toklat River
- Polychrome Overlook
- Sable Pass
- Teklanika River
- Primrose Ridge (Mount Margaret)