Do I need a reservation for Denali?

No. Nothing is required to enter Denali National Park and Preserve itself in 2026, but parts of the park are booked separately: Transit bus ticket from May 20, 2026 to Sep 17, 2026. It applies to Denali Park Road, Mile 15 to Mile 43 (East Fork). East Fork is the only transit destination available in 2026. Bicyclists and hikers may travel past Mile 15 without a bus ticket. You still pay the entrance fee or show an accepted pass.

Is there an entrance fee at Denali?

Yes. An America the Beautiful pass is accepted for the entrance fee, and does not cover any reservation or permit.

Denali reservations & entry requirements, 2026

The 2026 season at Denali

This is what applies across the published season. Use the date checker below for a specific day.

Transit bus ticket applies during part of 2026.

An entrance fee or accepted pass is required on every visit, separately from anything below.

Park entrance
Required
You must pay the park entrance fee or show an accepted pass.
- Per person on foot or bicycle: $15.
- An America the Beautiful pass covers this entrance fee. It does not cover any reservation or permit below.
- Denali charges per person, not per vehicle. $15 per person age 16 or older buys a 7-day entrance permit; youth 15 and under are free. The $45 Denali Annual Pass covers the holder plus up to three other adults for 12 months. The park does not accept cash.
Timed entry
Not applicable
Denali National Park and Preserve has no timed-entry system.
Vehicle, road, or corridor
Not required
Nothing here is required in 2026.
- Denali Park Road closed at Mile 43 - Pretty Rocks landslide. The closure applies to all traffic, including buses, not just private vehicles. Eielson Visitor Center and Wonder Lake Campground sit beyond the closure and are closed.
- Private vehicles may drive only the first 15 miles, to Savage River. Teklanika Campground guests with a reservation may drive to Mile 29 (see the Teklanika rule). Beyond Mile 15 you must be on a bus, a bicycle, or on foot.
- Denali Road Lottery is suspended - discontinued for the foreseeable future.
Shuttle
Required on some dates
Transit bus ticket applies during part of 2026.
- Transit bus ticket
  Dates
  May 20, 2026 – Sep 17, 2026
  Hours
  All day
  Fee
  $33.50
  Opens
  Rolling window
  Applies to Denali Park Road, Mile 15 to Mile 43 (East Fork). East Fork is the only transit destination available in 2026.
  - $33.50 adult (16 and older) for East Fork Transit to Mile 43; free for children 15 and under, who still need a reserved ticket. The entrance fee is NOT included in a transit bus ticket.
  - Bicyclists and hikers may travel past Mile 15 without a bus ticket.
  - Bus trips run only in summer - May 20 through September 17 in 2026.
  - Free courtesy shuttles operate on the publicly driveable portion of the road and require no reservation.
  - Camper buses (also $33.50) require a campground reservation or backcountry permit to book.
  - Teklanika campers can buy a Tek Pass, priced the same as a camper bus ticket, which covers repeated westbound transit trips for the whole stay instead of one trip.
- Narrated tour bus: Tour buses do not stop to pick up hikers and you may not disembark and re-board as you can on a transit bus.
Book on reservedenali.com(opens in a new tab)
Your campground or lodging
Not required
Nothing here is required in 2026.
- Teklanika Campground reservation lets you drive your own vehicle to Mile 29. Driving to Tek requires a three-night minimum stay. Once at the campground your vehicle must stay parked at your site until you leave for good. Tent campers arriving by camper bus have no minimum stay.
Selected activity
Not applicable
Denali National Park and Preserve has no headline activity permit that visitors confuse with entry.

Fees and passes

Entrance fee rates at Denali National Park and Preserve
Per person, on foot or bicycle	$15
Valid for	7 days
Park annual pass	$45

Denali charges per person, not per vehicle. $15 per person age 16 or older buys a 7-day entrance permit; youth 15 and under are free. The $45 Denali Annual Pass covers the holder plus up to three other adults for 12 months. The park does not accept cash.

An America the Beautiful pass is accepted here. It covers the entrance fee only. It does not cover a timed-entry permit, a vehicle reservation, a parking tag, a shuttle ticket, or an activity permit.

A pass covers the entrance fee but not a bus ticket. Transit bus tickets never include the entrance fee. Tour bus tickets DO include the $15 fee, and passholders can claim a refund of it at the Denali Bus Depot or Riley Creek Mercantile with pass, photo ID and reservation.

Fee-free days

Feb 16, 2026
May 25, 2026
Jun 14, 2026
Jul 3, 2026
Jul 4, 2026
Jul 5, 2026
Aug 25, 2026
Sep 17, 2026
Oct 27, 2026
Nov 11, 2026

From 2026 a fee-free day waives the entrance fee for U.S. residents. Other visitors still pay it. A fee-free day never waives a reservation, a permit, or a booking fee unless the park says so.

Rules that apply to one area only

These do not apply to the whole park. Where you go changes the answer.

Denali Park Road, Mile 15 to Mile 43 (East Fork). East Fork is the only transit destination available in 2026.Transit bus ticket - the only way for most visitors to travel past Mile 15 · May 20, 2026 – Sep 17, 2026

What a campground or lodging booking does and does not cover

Denali per-person entrance fee, 7-day permitNot covered by an in-park booking. A campground reservation does not include the entrance fee.
Transit bus ticket - the only way for most visitors to travel past Mile 15Partly covered by an in-park booking. Teklanika campers can buy a Tek Pass, priced the same as a camper bus ticket, which covers repeated westbound transit trips for the whole stay instead of one trip.

Quick answers

Do I need a reservation for Denali?: No. Nothing is required to enter Denali National Park and Preserve itself in 2026, but parts of the park are booked separately: Transit bus ticket from May 20, 2026 to Sep 17, 2026. It applies to Denali Park Road, Mile 15 to Mile 43 (East Fork). East Fork is the only transit destination available in 2026. Bicyclists and hikers may travel past Mile 15 without a bus ticket. You still pay the entrance fee or show an accepted pass.
Is there an entrance fee at Denali?: Yes. An America the Beautiful pass is accepted for the entrance fee, and does not cover any reservation or permit.

Official links, coverage, and sources

When reservations are released

Denali per-person entrance feePay online at pay.gov in advance, or on arrival at the entrance area. Credit and debit cards only - the park does not accept cash.
Transit bus ticketReleased on a rolling window. Reservations for a given summer open as early as December 1 of the prior year, through the concessioner Doyon/ARAMARK Joint Venture at reservedenali.com or 1-800-622-7275. NPS publishes no clock time for the opening.

Official booking and park information

Book Transit bus ticketreservedenali.com(opens in a new tab)$33.50 ticket
Official park alerts and conditionsnps.gov(opens in a new tab)Alerts override anything on this page.
Official fees and passesnps.gov(opens in a new tab)

What this does not cover

Road, weather, and fire closures that change day to day. Check the park’s alerts page.
Backcountry and wilderness permits beyond the headline permits listed above.
Commercial use authorizations, filming permits, and group-size rules.
Availability. We tell you what is required, not whether anything is left.
Individual campsite and lodge availability, which is handled by the booking system.

Effective dates and sources

Fees and passesNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Park entranceDenali 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.
Fees & Passes - Denali National Park & PreserveNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Denali per-person entrance feeAn annual pass covers the park entrance fee for the pass holder and up to three other adults. ... Annual passes are valid for 12 months from the date of purchase. ... This park does not accept cash.
Current Conditions - Denali National Park & PreserveNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Denali Park Road closed at Mile 43Some park operations are currently altered due to the Pretty Rocks Landslide. The closure of the Denali Park Road at Mile 43 is expected to remain in place through summer 2026, while the Polychrome Area Plan is implemented.
How to Explore Denali National Park and PreserveNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Private vehicles may drive only the firstBeyond the Savage River Check Station at mile 15 of the Park Road, you'll need to be on a bus, bicycle, or on foot. ... During summer, roughly late May through early September, private vehicles may drive the first fifteen miles of this road, to a place called Savage River.
Transit Buses - Denali National Park & PreserveNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-08-05 · applies to Transit bus ticket2026 Ticket Prices ... East Fork Transit (Mile 43) $33.50 Free ... Reservations for a given summer can be made as early as December 1 of the year prior to your trip. [Season end date: the park's own 2026 Transit Bus Schedule PDF (nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/upload/2026-Transit-Bus-Schedule-508.pdf, read 2026-08-05) runs in blocks from 'May 20th through May 31st, 2026' to a final block headed 'September 10th through September 17th, 2026'; the concessioner's transit table at reservedenali.com lists East Fork Transit 'May 20 - September 17'.]
Fees & Passes - Denali National Park & PreserveNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Narrated tour busThe $15 individual entrance fee is included in the price of a tour bus ticket. If you have an annual or lifetime pass ... you are entitled to a refund of the fee. Go to the Denali Bus Depot or Riley Creek Mercantile with your pass, photo ID, and bus reservation information.
Teklanika River Campground - Denali National Park & PreserveNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Teklanika Campground road permitThough nearly all park visitors driving private vehicles must turn around at Mile 15 (Savage River), Tek campers are an exception to that rule. ... the trade-off for being able to drive farther into the park than most visitors is that you must make a three-night minimum stay.
Road Lottery - Denali National Park & PreserveNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Denali Road Lottery is suspendedRoad Lottery is currently suspended for the forseeable future.

Something wrong here?

Park rules change, sometimes at short notice. If a line on this page does not match what the park publishes, tell us and we will fix it and re-check the source.

corrections@nationalparkentry.com· Last factual change 2026-08-05 · Sources last reviewed 2026-08-05

Nearest other national parks

Chosen by distance from Denali, not by editorial preference.

Denali National Park and Preserve entry requirements