How late in the morning for Denali Park shuttle trip?

[LoveCruising001]

Hello. I have read the many postings about the various shuttles and things to do within Denali National Park. We are 2 adults with a 9 year old daughter and generally not morning people at all. It is almost impossible for us to get up and get anywhere before 9, 10, or 11 am:) and that too on a vacation we are supposed to take it easy anyway. We are fine being out till 11, 12 at night! Almost everyone on these threads talks about getting up at 4 or 5 am, be in the line 45 minutes before your shuttle time, and taking the first shuttle in the park etc. - not happening with us;) So, my question is what is the latest in the morning that we should try to get into the park to still have a good experience and have good chances of seeing wildlife?

 

Also, if we just want to walk a short way to the Eilson visitor center, where do we get off from the shuttle to experience the quiet wilderness and walk to the visitor center to then catch a return bus?

 

Thank you!

[mapleleaves]

I'm not an early morning person either .... the earliest shuttle I've taken is 8/8:30am. The latest is 2pm which was on my first visit to Denali. I've always seen plenty of wildlife. I can't see getting up at 5am, being grumpy all day, and falling asleep on the bus. (many folks fall asleep on the return ride even on a later bus).

[Busman723]

In answer to your question about seeing wildlife. If you wait until 9 or 10 am your chance of seeing any wildlife is very slim. The reason is that most wildlife are out at dawn or dusk feeding. A lot of people come to Alaska to see wildlife. Thats is the reason that all the early shuttles fill up fast. The earlier the shuttle more the chance of seeing wildlife.

 

The green shuttle bus will let you off where you want. I have gotten off and hiked and caught another shuttle later. When you do hike - remember you are in Alaska and be very careful.

[huskyguy]

There are no firm rules for this - there are a hundred variables, including the time of year and the weather - but the earlier the better in general terms. It's always a good experience and you'll always see wildlife, though. I'm on the earliest ones whenever possible, but if I'm guiding a group that objects, then have even done noon-ish ones (which I DO NOT like!).

[Budget Queen]

There is NO WAY to predict what you will or will not see. It is unique for that particular time.

 

You have already made your decision, so book the time you want. What does it matter what other people do? Are you going to change your mind?

 

The bus pulls up right to the Eielson Visitor Parking lot. You will have about a 30/45 minute stop here, if you want to take the same bus back. You can walk anywhere you wish.

 

IF your priority is truely wildlife, earlier and later can have more active wildlife. Wildlife overall is a small portion of a Denali park visit. It is much more about scenery.

 

I am one to always be on the first bus out, I like seeing Denali "wake up". and have been greatly rewarded.

[huskyguy]

As well as wildlife, early gets you more chance of seeing The Mountain. Even on nice days, she often clouds over noonish.

[LoveCruising001]

Budget Queen, considering that you have probably given 1000s of responses on these boards I am assuming that you like to help people in planning and deciding. If people were already definitively decided about things they would not ask questions here. A slightly softer approach in responding from your end may help new visitors to these boards ask even stupid questions without being afraid to ask. No one would have to ask any questions here if it didn't matter what others did or experience.

 

And this is for everyone who responds with "there is no guarantee or there is no way to predict it or do what you like to do or see/do what you want" - they are not helpful responses if they do not precede or follow some real information or even just sharing of experiences. No one here is looking for guaranteed predictions and everyone does what works for them in the end - just that information from people about their experiences or wisdom collected from experiences helps make those choices and decisions. We know what we like or want but hearing the realistic descriptions from other people provides options to choose what we like - without ever being there how would we know how to choose what we like or want. If you don't have something helpful to share, don't say anything.

 

Yes, I am not going to change my mind (and it is not always about choosing or making up minds) about getting up at 5 am and going to the park. But if information from these boards from people who have been there in different time frames, their experiences, and knowledge helps provide a RANGE of time to make the best of my experience then I would at least try to go out of my comfort zone or usual habits and stay in that range. If the answer is it doesn't matter when you go if you can't go at 5 am then so be it.

 

I have been on other boards and this one is more hostile than any I have seen so far. Defeats the purpose completely!

[agabbymama]

I was very disappointed with our Tundra Wilderness Tour scheduled time of departure of 3:00 pm, but alas I was on a HAL cruisetour, so had no say in the assigned time.

 

Fast forward to our tour, we saw lots of wildlife. A lone caribou spotted almost as soon as we passed the guard gate, then a lone prairie dog, then things got real interesting. We saw a mother bear with 3 cubs (according to our driver 3 cubs is very unusual). They were quite a distance away, but the bus had a video camera that he could zoom in and screens that dropped from the ceiling (think airplane monitors). We continued on our way seing a heard of Dall sheep on the mountain side again using the zoom camera bringing them in close for us to watch. Sighted quite a few moose. We continued on and as the rain clouds parted saw Mt. McKinley in all it's spendor. On the return trip we saw a Golden Eagle, a young male juvenile grizzly right by the road (no zoom camera needed). Then a huge cloud of dust came roaring by us, to be disclosed as a thundering herd of caribou (estimates were 100 of the beasts). My friend spotted a wolf, and we all saw hundreds of rabbits in the headlights of the coach. We returned to the McKinley Chalet Resort at 11:00 and into our beds at 11:30. We were some tired puppies as we had left Fairbanks that morning so we had a full day.

 

So I'd say you are in the wilderness, not a zoo. You take your chances that you may or may not see any wildlife regardless of what time you take the ride into the Park. The only problem I had was after dark, my camera didn't function too well for photos.

 

Have a great trip. Alaska is awesome.

[Budget Queen]

Budget Queen, considering that you have probably given 1000s of responses on these boards I am assuming that you like to help people in planning and deciding. If people were already definitively decided about things they would not ask questions here. A slightly softer approach in responding from your end may help new visitors to these boards ask even stupid questions without being afraid to ask. No one would have to ask any questions here if it didn't matter what others did or experience.

 

And this is for everyone who responds with "there is no guarantee or there is no way to predict it or do what you like to do or see/do what you want" - they are not helpful responses if they do not precede or follow some real information or even just sharing of experiences. No one here is looking for guaranteed predictions and everyone does what works for them in the end - just that information from people about their experiences or wisdom collected from experiences helps make those choices and decisions. We know what we like or want but hearing the realistic descriptions from other people provides options to choose what we like - without ever being there how would we know how to choose what we like or want. If you don't have something helpful to share, don't say anything.

 

Yes, I am not going to change my mind (and it is not always about choosing or making up minds) about getting up at 5 am and going to the park. But if information from these boards from people who have been there in different time frames, their experiences, and knowledge helps provide a RANGE of time to make the best of my experience then I would at least try to go out of my comfort zone or usual habits and stay in that range. If the answer is it doesn't matter when you go if you can't go at 5 am then so be it.

 

I have been on other boards and this one is more hostile than any I have seen so far. Defeats the purpose completely!

 

I write factual, based on what is written. You made several statements, that I responded to. You appear to be taking offense at the directness. I am not here to second guess, You stated "not going to happen". That is the reason, I commented to go when YOU want to go. My responding style, is to turn the questions around. I am never going to say, go at 2pm that is the latest etc etc. Instead I try to direct people to find their own choices. Every trip I have taken into Denali is very different, there is no "usual", so, I stand by my comments of no way to predict- sorry there isn't. You are asking for the "latest" time you can go. I can't answer that either, it does depend on you.

[mapleleaves]

I see nothing wrong at all with BQ's response.

The fact of the matter is .... Denali is a park and the animals are wild so there is no way to predict what you will see, regardless of which time you choose. So BQ's response was absolutely correct.

For every person who claims an early morning trip provides the most viewing opportunities, there will be someone else ( like me) who's had great success with later buses. It's a crapshoot. The only way to increase your viewing success is to take multiple trips into the park.

 

BTW, for your child you might want to pick up a Jr Ranger kit at the park. You can read about them on the park web site. She might also enjoy the free sled dog demo. I'd suggest getting there a little early as the rangers get swamped after the demo. If a litter is born this spring there's a web cam on the kennel so your daughter could watch the puppies grow, then see them in person.