lodges, etc. denali

Coalminer - thanks for the response. We were thinking about the train because then everyone can enjoy the scenery. Can you suggest places to stay in Denali?

Also we were thinking about taking a cruise up to anchorage but have been warned that late June might be too early and that some of the ports might not be open. Does anyone know if this is true?

Lillith

lodges, etc. denali

Hi again! Just to let you know, you can just reply to the original post unless it%26#39;s entirely different . . . it creates a ';thread'; . . . which makes it easier to see with all the info it contains.

Anyhow, first thing - no cruises to Anchorage, most end in Whittier or Seward, and none of these close their ports. Late June is one of the busiest of the tourist season months, so don%26#39;t worry about that part.

What kind of accommodations are you looking for?? Denali and surrounding areas have all kinds of lodging - big hotels, small hotels, B%26amp;B%26#39;s, Inns, and many types of cabins as well. Let me know what more specifically you are looking for. If you choose to take the train and not rent a car, your option will be more limited to the bigger establishments that provide shuttles to their hotels. Hope that helps you some. :)

lodges, etc. denali

Thanks for the response. I think we%26#39;re looking at one of the lodges. We%26#39;ve had good luck with lodges run by the national parks. Does the park shuttle take you to any of the lodges?

Lillith

The National Parkdoesn%26#39;t run any of the lodges. All of the Very Expensive lodges way up in the park by Kantishna have their own shuttles.

Murray

Explore North is correct - NPS doesn%26#39;t run nor do they provide any transportation to the lodges that are within the Park. Most are very pricy though there is a new one who prices compare with many of the hotel lodgings near the entrance - www.katair.com/skyline. Just an additional thought. :)

Coalminer, do you know whether Teresa%26#39;s car rental provides transportation to/from the train station? Trying to figure out logistics for our 2007 trip. Thanks

Places: I am not sure, but would be happy to call and check - for some reason, I am thinking that they do . . . , but you would need that confirmed. :)

Lillith,

There are some very nice lodges near the park entrance. My two favorite are the McKinley Chalet Resort and the Grande Denali Lodge. Both are pick-up places for the park tours, the Tundra Wilderness Tour and the Denali Natural History Tour. The McKinley Chalet has a fabulous restaurant with a great wine list! The Grande Denali is up on the hillside above all the other hotels and has a spectacular view. In addition to the park tours, I highly recommend the Husky Homestead tour, which is run by longtime Iditarod musher Jeff King and his family. They pick up at all the area hotels, as soon as you arrive you are handed a puppy to hold and take a picture with. All around it is a great tour!