Fairbanks is the hub of Interior Alaska and the gateway to Alaska’s Arctic, connected by road, rail, air and river. By road, Fairbanks is 120 miles north of Denali National Park, 200 miles south of the Arctic Circle and 280 miles west of the Canadian border. The slow, winding Chena River runs through the middle of town and joins the mighty Tanana River on the edge of town.
Traveling by rental car will maximize your flexibility and independence. Advance reservations can be essential due to high demand. Consider the rental-by-owner option, Turo, for additional availability. Given summer road construction and traffic delays, we recommend allowing 3 hours for the drive between Fairbanks and Denali.
Day 1: Land at Fairbanks International Airport, pick up your rental car, and overnight at Pike’s Waterfront Lodge, which is close to the airport.
Day 2: Drive to Denali and overnight at Tonglen Lake Lodge, McKinley Creekside Cabins (both have two-night minimum; non-consecutive nights accepted for Camp Denali guests), or Deneki Lakes B&B.
Day 3: Arrive at Camp Denali’s year-round office one hour before your flight time. Our staff will welcome you, show you where to park, weigh your luggage, and help you securely store any excess luggage. Meet fellow guests and relax in our comfortable office while awaiting your flight to Camp Denali.
Days 4-5 or 4-6: Spend 3 or 4 days at Camp Denali hiking in the tundra, canoeing on Wonder Lake, or biking along the park road. Enjoy meals featuring fresh greens grown in our on-site greenhouse and Alaska-grown meat, poultry, or seafood. Round-out each day by participating in our evening programs featuring one of our Special Emphasis Series speakers or one of our naturalist guides. You can find a more specific Camp Denali itinerary here.
Day 6 or 7: Depart Camp Denali for your return flight (~35 minutes) to the park entrance. Pick up any luggage stored in our office and retrieve your rental car. Overnight again at Tonglen Lake Lodge and fit in some local-area activities:
Day 7 or 8: Drive back to Fairbanks and spend another night and/or catch your outbound flight.
Spend a day or two exploring Fairbanks! Here are some of our go-to recommendations:
If you’re looking for the most scenic and hands-free experience, we recommend booking tickets with the Alaska Railroad, which operates daily during the summer season. The Fairbanks train depot is near downtown.
Once at Denali National Park, the rail depot is located ten miles north of the Camp Denali office. While most hotels provide courtesy transportation between the rail depot and the hotel, to reach the Camp Denali office on your departure morning, you must arrange transportation with Sheep Shuttle. Exceptions to this are Deneki Lakes B&B (transportation included) and Denali Cabins (transportation to Camp Denali Office provided by our staff).
Day 1: Land at the Fairbanks International Airport and overnight close to the airport at Pike’s Waterfront Lodge (shuttle service to/from the airport provided) or close to the train station downtown at the Bridgewater Hotel.
Day 2: Take a rideshare or taxi to arrive at the Fairbanks train depot one hour prior to the Denali Star train 8:20 am departure. Overnight at Deneki Lakes B&B (transportation provided) or other entrance area accommodation.
Day 3: Arrive at Camp Denali’s year-round office one hour before your flight time. Our staff will welcome you, weigh your luggage and help you securely store any excess luggage. Meet fellow guests and relax in our comfortable office while awaiting your flight to Camp Denali.
Days 4-5 or 4-6: Spend 3 or 4 days at Camp Denali hiking in the tundra, canoeing on Wonder Lake, or biking along the park road. Enjoy meals featuring fresh greens grown in our on-site greenhouse and Alaska-grown meat, poultry, or seafood. Round-out each day by participating in our evening programs featuring one of our Special Emphasis Series speakers or one of our naturalist guides. You can find a more specific Camp Denali itinerary here.
Day 6 or 7: Depart Camp Denali and fly back to the park entrance. Pick up any luggage you might have stored from our office. Camp Denali staff will provide transportation to the Denali Railroad depot for the 4:00 pm departure of the Denali Star train. Arrive in Fairbanks at 8:00 pm, catch a red-eye flight to your next destination, or overnight in Fairbanks.
