Getting around Denali

[K.T.B.]

This June, my wife and I will be spending the night in Denali as part of post-cruise 3-day land tour with Celebrity. We'll be staying at Denali Park Village. It's a nice looking place, but its restaurant has me less than enthused....

 

I know there is a taxi service in the area, but it seems to be more of a shuttle service and it's very expensive. Is there an actual taxi service in the area or even Uber?? I would like to be able to go outside of Denali Park Village and go to one of the local places for dinner the night I'm there. 229 Parks Restaurant is what intrigues me the most.

 

Any help would be great! :)

[mapleleaves]

The Chamber of Commerce web site has that info:

 

http://www.a1cms.com/_dcc/transport/

[Budget Queen]

This is a less than ideal location without a car. The Lodge does run a shuttle service to Glitter Gulch.

 

227 Parks is the other direction. I only know of that single "taxi" vendor. Sorry, this really is your only option and it will be expensive.

[K.T.B.]

This is a less than ideal location without a car. The Lodge does run a shuttle service to Glitter Gulch.

 

227 Parks is the other direction. I only know of that single "taxi" vendor. Sorry, this really is your only option and it will be expensive.

 

Yeah, I've unfortunately figured this out..... There's no way for us to rent a car, too. We may be "stuck" there.

 

Maybe there's a pizza place that delivers! :p

[Budget Queen]

Yeah, I've unfortunately figured this out..... There's no way for us to rent a car, too. We may be "stuck" there.

 

Maybe there's a pizza place that delivers! :p

 

take the lodge shuttle and eat at Prospector's Pizza in Glitter Gulch. Expect waits, it's extremely busy.

[K.T.B.]

take the lodge shuttle and eat at Prospector's Pizza in Glitter Gulch. Expect waits, it's extremely busy.

 

Lodge shuttle only runs until about 6:30. :(

[Freehike]

The good news is that the village is a decent place to stay. It's not convenient to town, but we had zero issues with the shuttles.

 

The restaurant isn't bad, but it's pretty expensive, even by Alaskan standards. We ate there one night instead of going out and it was fine.

 

 

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[rockdoctor]

take the lodge shuttle and eat at Prospector's Pizza in Glitter Gulch. Expect waits, it's extremely busy.

 

Great advice. One of the best, IMHO, junk shops is to the left as you walk into the Pizza joint. Walk down Glitter Gulch so you can say you've done it. Jeff King has a store that's worth stoping at. There is a gas station, where you can get wine, at the south end. Enjoy The Great Land.

[rockdoctor]

take the lodge shuttle and eat at Prospector's Pizza in Glitter Gulch. Expect waits, it's extremely busy.

 

Great advice. One of the best, IMHO, junk shops is to the left as you walk into the Pizza joint. Walk down Glitter Gulch so you can say you've done it. Jeff King has a store that's worth stoping at. There is a gas station, where you can get wine, at the south end. Enjoy The Great Land.

[K.T.B.]

Well, I just called Prospector's Pizza and the number is out of service. :( So I just shot off an email to them. It appears, according to their website, that they offer a shuttle!

 

So we shall see then!

[Budget Queen]

Well, I just called Prospector's Pizza and the number is out of service. :( So I just shot off an email to them. It appears, according to their website, that they offer a shuttle!

 

So we shall see then!

 

Nothing is open there now, and won't be until next month.

 

that shuttle may cost you $40????

[frugaltravel]

Well, I just called Prospector's Pizza and the number is out of service. :( So I just shot off an email to them. It appears, according to their website, that they offer a shuttle!

 

So we shall see then!

 

Their shuttle is the Salmon Bake shuttle and no it won't cost you $40 (that is the taxi service). You need two shuttles though with the Salmon Bake shuttle - one from Denali Park Village to the WAC and then another one from the WAC to the Salmon Bake (or just walk from the WAC). Schedules should be available online by sometime next month. Last summer they ran about every 90 minutes. So not super often but you can plan around them. Cost is something like $5 for a day pass.

Edited April 12, 2016 by frugaltravel

[Freehike]

I enjoyed the salmon bake. It was a great meal with good, cold beer. It really hit the spot.

 

We had a great waitress and after we started talking to us we discovered she lives in Charlotte, just like us. She goes and works the season in the Denali area and then comes home when everything closes down.

 

Small world!

[lucky cal]

If you can find a way to make it to 229 Parks, do it! We ate there last summer and it was really good. Nice atmosphere and great food.

[Jane2357]

Kevin - I just booked us a reservation at the Salmon Bake on June 7th. If you book a reservation you get a 10% discount (not on alcohol).

 

We will take the shuttle to the Wilderness Center and either another shuttle or if the weather is good and it is not too far - we may just walk. :D

[K.T.B.]

Kevin - I just booked us a reservation at the Salmon Bake on June 7th. If you book a reservation you get a 10% discount (not on alcohol).

 

We will take the shuttle to the Wilderness Center and either another shuttle or if the weather is good and it is not too far - we may just walk. :D

 

Denali Salmon Bake looks to be about a half mile or so from Denali Park Village. VERY walkable.

 

I think the bears would enjoy seeing you meander on by. :D

[frugaltravel]

Denali Salmon Bake looks to be about a half mile or so from Denali Park Village. VERY walkable.

 

I think the bears would enjoy seeing you meander on by. :D

 

The Salmon Bake might be about a half mile from the park entrance/Wilderness Access Center. But I can assure you it is much further from Denali Park Village. Actually Denali Park Village is at Mile 231 of the Parks Highway. The Salmon Bake is in "Glitter Gulch" which is about mile 239, so it is an 8 mile walk each way :eek:

[K.T.B.]

The Salmon Bake might be about a half mile from the park entrance/Wilderness Access Center. But I can assure you it is much further from Denali Park Village. Actually Denali Park Village is at Mile 231 of the Parks Highway. The Salmon Bake is in "Glitter Gulch" which is about mile 239, so it is an 8 mile walk each way :eek:

 

Google maps failed me!

 

:(

[Budget Queen]

Google maps failed me!

 

:(

 

Your lodge is out by it's self, 8 miles away.

 

I stayed at the Salmon Bake again last year and the shuttles I took, did not go to the Denali Park Village. There is more than one route.

 

The walk to the WAC, if using the Jonesville Trail, takes about 20/30 minutes, and slightly up hill. You do have to go through a heavily wooded area that can have moose. Going by road is twice as long. I've walked it many times, even when I've had a car (which is usual, but a few times, I took the train/bus)

[K.T.B.]

It's looking more and more likely that we'll be eating at the lodge. :mad:

 

This does not thrill me.

[mapleleaves]

It's looking more and more likely that we'll be eating at the lodge. :mad:

 

This does not thrill me.

 

 

it's one meal ... come on!

I'd be more concerned about missing out on the scenery and wildlife at Denali !! To be honest, if I could only get to Mile 16 of the 100 available miles of Park road, I wouldn't bother going. IMHO you'd be better off spending your 3 days in Seward or day trips from Anchorage.

[frugaltravel]

it's one meal ... come on!

I'd be more concerned about missing out on the scenery and wildlife at Denali !! To be honest, if I could only get to Mile 16 of the 100 available miles of Park road, I wouldn't bother going. IMHO you'd be better off spending your 3 days in Seward or day trips from Anchorage.

 

Truer words have never been spoken :). Seems like a lot of "in transit" time for a very short Denali experience. Just a guess, but I would venture to say the cost is way more than what one would pay to see/do more in Seward/Anchorage vs. sitting on a train for 16 hours round trip or a motorcoach for 10 hours round trip from Anchorage.

[K.T.B.]

it's one meal ... come on!

I'd be more concerned about missing out on the scenery and wildlife at Denali !! To be honest, if I could only get to Mile 16 of the 100 available miles of Park road, I wouldn't bother going. IMHO you'd be better off spending your 3 days in Seward or day trips from Anchorage.

 

Try 3 meals. We do need to eat lunch and breakfast, too, you know. :rolleyes: Besides, I'm one who like to have options when it comes to meals and places to eat, especially since both me and my wife are diabetic.

 

As for what you prefer versus what I prefer, this is the desired way we wish to travel for this trip. Trust me, we're not going to miss out anything.

[NancyIL]

Try 3 meals. We do need to eat lunch and breakfast, too, you know. :rolleyes: Besides, I'm one who like to have options when it comes to meals and places to eat, especially since both me and my wife are diabetic.

 

As for what you prefer versus what I prefer, this is the desired way we wish to travel for this trip. Trust me, we're not going to miss out anything.

 

You're right - it is YOUR trip! If you've never been there before, you won't know what you are missing.

[mapleleaves]

As for what you prefer versus what I prefer, this is the desired way we wish to travel for this trip. Trust me, we're not going to miss out anything.

 

many people don't understand the Denali limitations of the 3 day cruisetour then complain afterwards that they didn't see 'anything'. But it sounds like you know what you've got and you're fine with it, so enjoy the heck out of your trip ! :)

 

BTW, the first 16 miles is a popular spot to see moose, so watch for them, esp early and late summer.