Denali/Mc Kinley Excursion Help

[scottam]

Hi Everyone,

I am looking for a little guidance to help us choose our excursions for our time at Denali (1 night) and Mc Kinley (2 nights) Princess lodges on our cruise tour.

 

First, is it necessary/advantagous to book our excursions through Princess or can we do it on our own? My thinking is that time is so limited there and arrival times may not be adhered to, so it is better to book with Princess.

 

Has anyone joined a tour at Talkeetna on the way to McKinley Lodge? It seems like a good way to maximize your day by beginning a tour there and ending it at the lodge. In your experience, did this work out ok?

 

I would love to hear about your tour experiences on the land portion of the cruise tour. Which tour did you choose? What did you like or dislike about it? We are especially interested in one of the hiking tours and the easy-going float trips.

 

I look forward to hear about your tour experiences! And thanks for all the great help on this board!!!

[Budget Queen]

I'll assume you don't have a lot of time at the Denali Princess, but the visitor center is worthwhile if you have some time. Princess in the past has run shuttles.

 

Definately make your McKinley princess plans before you go. It is very worthwhile to avoid the 50 mile shuttles too many times back and forth. Yes, depending on your direction, you can do your own thing in Talkeetna and take the shuttle back and forth to the lodge when you choose- and available. :) I believe there is a fee, if not on a tour? Flightseeing is the best tour here in my opinion. And likely the only way you will see McKinley if a priority. The float trips are ok. There are a few hiking trails at the McKinley Princess, but consider stopping in the Park Service in Talkeetna for hiking information. Interesting stop for the climbers exhibits.

 

info copied below.

 

 

Talkeetna Ranger Station

 

 

 

OPEN

 

Monday - Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

 

 

 

LOCATION

 

Turn at Mile 98 on the George Parks Hwy. at the Talkeetna turnoff. Drive 14 miles to the townsite on Talkeetna Spur Road (paved) As you enter the town, turn left at the stopsign onto Main Street. At the end of Main Street turn left onto "B" Street (about four blocks.) The Talkeetna Ranger Station is the first building on the left side of "B" Street.

 

 

WHAT'S THERE

 

Mountaineering Check-In and Information

Interpretative Programs

[fti]

With only one night at Denali NP you probably will only get the Natural History Tour. Check into what time you arrive and what time you depart the next day. If you can book your own shuttle bus independently from the tour you will not be disappointed. www.reservedenali.com will give you the shuttle bus options.

 

I wish Princess would give 2 nights at Denali and 1 night at McKinley lodge but that cuts into their profits as McKinley lodge is in the middle of absolutely nowhere so you must buy all your food and drink and entertainment from them.

[40yearcruiser]

We will be at McKinley Princess one night of our cruisetour and are considering our options for what to do there. Has anyone done the horseback riding from the lodge? Are there hiking trails we can do independently from the lodge? Any other suggestions?

[Budget Queen]

We will be at McKinley Princess one night of our cruisetour and are considering our options for what to do there. Has anyone done the horseback riding from the lodge? Are there hiking trails we can do independently from the lodge? Any other suggestions?

 

There is a short marked trail at the lodge, but depending on when you go can have mosquitoes. The lodges are spread out here , so it's a hike around anyway. :) Hopefully you get a McKinley view.

[scottam]

With only one night at Denali NP you probably will only get the Natural History Tour.

 

Hi There, Thanks for your feedback so far. What a big help!

 

Sorry, I forgot to mention that we are on the Tundra Wilderness Tour the day after we arrive at Denali Lodge. We arrive at the lodge at 3:45 with a number of options for an excursion that afternoon - ATV Adventure, Alaska Walking Tour, Rafting, and Flightseeing and Helicopter tours.

 

I was thinking we should either do an excursion or take the shuttle to Denali welcome center, and not do both. It would also be nice to explore the lodge area and relax on the deck or by the fireplace with a drink.

 

The next morning, our TWT leaves the lodge early, and then on to McKinley.

 

For McKinley, we arrive in Talkeetna at 12:45. I understand there are shuttles from there to the lodge. Do you recommending staying in Talkeetna to see the town and then taking a shuttle back to the lodge? Which of the excursions are really good from here? We are here for two nights, so we have all of the next day.

 

Thanks for all your help, input, and opinions! It is really appreciated!

[fti]

Hi There, Thanks for your feedback so far. What a big help!

 

Sorry, I forgot to mention that we are on the Tundra Wilderness Tour the day after we arrive at Denali Lodge. We arrive at the lodge at 3:45 with a number of options for an excursion that afternoon - ATV Adventure, Alaska Walking Tour, Rafting, and Flightseeing and Helicopter tours.

 

I was thinking we should either do an excursion or take the shuttle to Denali welcome center, and not do both. It would also be nice to explore the lodge area and relax on the deck or by the fireplace with a drink.

 

The next morning, our TWT leaves the lodge early, and then on to McKinley.

 

For McKinley, we arrive in Talkeetna at 12:45. I understand there are shuttles from there to the lodge. Do you recommending staying in Talkeetna to see the town and then taking a shuttle back to the lodge? Which of the excursions are really good from here? We are here for two nights, so we have all of the next day.

 

Thanks for all your help, input, and opinions! It is really appreciated!

 

From what you are saying you have a morning TWT, then leave Denali about 10.30am to get to Talkeetna at 12.45pm. The TWT takes 6-8 hours so I think something smells fishy here. I would double and triple check what you really have for the Denali NP tour.

 

The McKinley Princess Lodge is 50 miles from Talkeetna. Last summer Princess ran shuttle busses between the two. Check that out if they will do that again this year. You don't want to go back and forth a lot! I would probably head to the lodge the day you arrive, explore the area and the next day make it a full day in Talkeetna. On the other hand, you might want to plan a flightseeing excursion for this day so in case it is cancelled due to weather, you can try to reschedule it for the next day.

 

Others will respond or you can do a search for Talkeetna in the title of posts to find lots about Talkeetna. Flightseeing is great (figure 2+ hours for this including check in, etc). Seeing the town can be done in as little or as much time as you want. I know I have read about other things to do here but I don't recall them. We just enjoyed the town the last time we were there.

 

I was just in your lovely city last weekend. Well, I hardly got past the hotels in Rosemont near O'Hare for a great photography seminar.

[scottam]

From what you are saying you have a morning TWT, then leave Denali about 10.30am to get to Talkeetna at 12.45pm. The TWT takes 6-8 hours so I think something smells fishy here. I would double and triple check what you really have for the Denali NP tour.

 

Thanks for your post. I'll check on the shuttle. And, of course, we still have to decide which excursions we are interested in.

 

I think the problem with the timing, was that I mentioned them out of order. After we get off the ship, we go to Talkeetna via train. Then transfer to McKinley by bus where we stay for 2 nights. After our McKinley stay, we go back to Talkeetna to catch the train for Denali where we arrive Denali at 3:45 in the afternoon. The next morning, we got on the TWT.

 

Sorry about the confusion! :)

[fti]

Thanks for your post. I'll check on the shuttle. And, of course, we still have to decide which excursions we are interested in.

 

I think the problem with the timing, was that I mentioned them out of order. After we get off the ship, we go to Talkeetna via train. Then transfer to McKinley by bus where we stay for 2 nights. After our McKinley stay, we go back to Talkeetna to catch the train for Denali where we arrive Denali at 3:45 in the afternoon. The next morning, we got on the TWT.

 

Sorry about the confusion! :)

 

Thanks for the update. That sounds more logical.

 

I would really try to maximize your time at Denali that first day when you arrive. If you can get to the Visitor Center and Wilderness Access Center, both have great films. The Visitor Center has other nice displays. If you are interested in hiking, there are several easy and one moderate hiking trail near the park entrance. Here is a link to the day hike info:

 

http://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/day-hiking.htm

 

I think you will miss the dogsled demonstration unless you go directly from the train to the visitor center and see if a bus is going to the sled dogs for the 4pm demonstration.

[scottam]

Thanks for the update. That sounds more logical.

 

I would really try to maximize your time at Denali that first day when you arrive. If you can get to the Visitor Center and Wilderness Access Center, both have great films. The Visitor Center has other nice displays. If you are interested in hiking, there are several easy and one moderate hiking trail near the park entrance. Here is a link to the day hike info:

 

http://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/day-hiking.htm

 

I think you will miss the dogsled demonstration unless you go directly from the train to the visitor center and see if a bus is going to the sled dogs for the 4pm demonstration.

 

I agree about maximizing our time there! How far is it from the train to the Visitor Center? Walkable? Would the bus be a Princess shuttle or a park shuttle?

 

Sorry for all the questions, but the lack of info on logistics like this is unbelievable. I would really like to see the dogsled demo.

[Budget Queen]

It is walkable from the train station to the Visitor Center, without any mobility limitations.

 

Shuttle to the dog sled demo??? It is a Park shuttle that leaves from the visitor center. You probably will not make it with your train arrival time.

[40yearcruiser]

Are the Denali kennels only open at the times they do the demonstrations? We are scheduled to leave Denali at noon and the earliest dog sled demo is at 10 a.m. We aren't sure we will have time to see that and return to the lodge for our departure. Can we get a shuttle to the kennels earlier, and if so is there anything there to see?

[fti]

Are the Denali kennels only open at the times they do the demonstrations? We are scheduled to leave Denali at noon and the earliest dog sled demo is at 10 a.m. We aren't sure we will have time to see that and return to the lodge for our departure. Can we get a shuttle to the kennels earlier, and if so is there anything there to see?

 

There is a shuttle to Savage River that can drop you off at the Park Headquarters which is where the dogs are. You can go to the kennels without the demonstration and you could leave the demonstration early if you want/need to. It is probably 2 miles from the visitor center to the dogs (Park Headquarters).