Driving into Denali National Park
The deadline for entries for the annual road lottery into Denali National Park is May 31. My luck with the lottery has been mixed. I’ve been picked, and I’ve traveled to The Park with friends that have won, but early snow has dampened plans. One thing the Park Service is consistent about: if there is so much as a dusting of snow, they will close the road so quick that even the grizzlies are impressed by the speed.
For those of you not familiar with the lottery: The Park Road opens up to individuals for four days every September for the lottery winners. You pick a day you can travel, Saturday is reserved for military personnel, and if your bid gets picked, you get a vehicle permit for the day to explore the “Denali Park Road as far as weather allows”.
This year the dates are September 16-20. On average, there are 1600 winners chosen. The odds of winning are reportedly 1 in 6.
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