Denali National Park - 2018

We spent a few days camped at Denali Rainbow Village RV Park which is just outside the entrance to Denali National Park in a commercial area that the locals call "Glitter Gulch".  We had hoped to get into the Teklanika Campground which is 30 miles inside the park, but no sites were available on short notice.  The weather was very overcast and rainy, but the forecast showed a one day break of clear weather, so we booked seats on a park transit bus out to the Eielson Vistor's Center.  The day turned out to be mostly clear skies with some distant haze.  We also got a bus driver who was knowledgeable, engaging, and funny.

Soon after starting the drive into the park, we began to get tantalizing glimpses of Denali.

We did not see as much wildlife and none of it was as close as we had in previous visits, but we were still able to see a few animals.

Our first grizzly

Our only Dall Sheep sighting

Polychrome Pass was spectacular as usual

Detail of a braided river below Polychrome

Views of Denali kept getting better

A grizzly sow with two cubs

Views from the Toklat River Vistor's Center

One of the most photographed views of Denali is from Stony Pass at the 62 mile point on the park road.  We've been extremely fortunate to have clear views of the mountain during each of our visits.

Views from the Eielson Vistor's Center

Bull moose seen during return trip

A Golden Eagle a long ways off

One of only two Caribou seen in the park