Alaska · National Park & Preserve
Denali: tour or DIY?
Checked Oct 26, 2026 · Source: NPS
Denali charges $15 per person aged 16 and over, and the National Park Service lists no per-vehicle fee (checked Oct 26, 2026). Because the fee is per person, bigger groups get no entrance discount. July is busiest, with 28% of 2025 recreation visits. Use the calculator to compare a real tour quote with your own costs.
No group discount at the gate
The $15 fee is charged per adult, so DIY entry cost grows with the size of your party. Compare it with a tour that includes entry.
We do not print tour prices here because we do not have a live, licensed feed for them. Enter a real quote in the calculator and we prefill this park’s fee.
| Party | Entrance total | Per person |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $15 | $15 |
| 2 people | $30 | $15 |
| 4 people | $60 | $15 |
| 6 people | $90 | $15 |
Arithmetic on the NPS fee of $15. Per-person fees apply to ages 16 and over; younger visitors are generally free.
Entrance fees
| Fee | Cost | Notes from NPS |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance - Per Person | $15 | Denali charges an entrance fee year-round. Youth age 15 or younger are free. For people age 16 or older, the $15 entrance fee provides a 7-day entrance permit. Be prepared to show your receipt or pass (digital or physical) if requested by park staff. |
Source: nps.gov fees and passes for Denali via the NPS API, checked Oct 26, 2026. Fees change; confirm before you go.
Pass math
- At $15 per adult, the $80 America the Beautiful pass equals about 6 adult entries in total.
- Seniors 62+ pay $20 for an annual pass or $80 for lifetime.
- Denali also sells its own pass: Annual Entrance - Park, $45.
When it is busiest
NPS recreation visits by month, 2025. July had 28% of the year; October was the quietest month, with about 0% of the busiest month’s visits.
Show the numbers
| Month | Recreation visits |
|---|---|
| January | 2,254 |
| February | 3,524 |
| March | 8,479 |
| April | 8,080 |
| May | 42,821 |
| June | 133,472 |
| July | 151,455 |
| August | 144,364 |
| September | 45,485 |
| October | 3 |
| November | 1,283 |
| December | 2,080 |
Source: NPS IRMA Stats, recreation visitors, 2025, pulled Oct 26, 2026.
Alerts right now
1 active NPS alert when we checked on Oct 26, 2026. Showing the most serious first.
Information Road Open To: Mile 3 (Park Headquarters)
The Denali Park Road is currently open to Mile 3, Park Headquarters. Snowy conditions beyond that point prevent vehicle travel, though pedestrian travel is permitted. Details on nps.gov
Source: NPS API alerts, checked Oct 26, 2026. Conditions change by the hour; check the park page before you drive.
Hours and access
Denali is open 24-hours a day, although services are limited after-hours (generally after 4 pm in winter or 6 pm in summer). There is no gate at the park entrance. Please note that camping is only possible either in designated campgrounds (with a valid reservation) or in the rest of the park with a free backpacking permit.
Source: NPS API operating hours, checked Oct 26, 2026.
What NPS lists to do here
- Arts and Culture
- Astronomy
- Backcountry Camping
- Backcountry Hiking
- Biking
- Bookstore and Park Store
- Bus/Shuttle Guided Tour
- Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Climbing
- Cross-Country Skiing
- Dog Sledding
- Fishing
- Flying
- Food
- Front-Country Hiking
- Gathering and Foraging
- Group Camping
- Guided Tours
- Hiking
- Hunting
- Hunting and Gathering
- Junior Ranger Program
- Mountain Climbing
- +10 more
Source: NPS API activity tags, checked Oct 26, 2026.
Got a tour quote for Denali?
Put it next to your own costs and see the break-even.
Open the calculator for DenaliQuestions
How much does it cost to enter Denali?
The NPS lists $15 per person aged 16 and over (checked Oct 26, 2026). Under-16s are generally free; confirm on the park page.
When is Denali busiest?
July had the most recreation visits in 2025 (28% of the year). October had the fewest, so July drew about 50485.0 times as many visits. Source: NPS IRMA Stats.
More parks in Alaska
TourOrDIY is independent and not affiliated with the National Park Service. Numbers are copied from NPS public data on Oct 26, 2026 and may have changed. See the accuracy disclaimer and our method.