Mount Denali is at the top of all Alaska bucket lists. However, Alaska travel guides aren’t telling you the best place in Alaska to see Denali! After getting off your Alaska cruise in Anchorage, many take a land cruise to Denali National Park – the top Alaska destination. However, there are only few places in Denali NP where you can even see the famed Alaska peak. You’re missing the best view!
Only an hour away from the Alaska’s favorite national park, there is an easy Denali view that people don’t talk about. Denali State Park offers the perfect hike or kayak around Byers Lake with amazing views. Alaska’s Denali State Park is smaller, waaay less crowded, less complicated, and soo much cheaper.
Here’s your Denali State Park guide to seeing Mt. Denali. Or Mt. McKinley. (Whatever we’re calling it today.) I will reference it as Denali, as that’s how it was always indicated during our Alaska trip in 2026.
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National Park vs State Park
Let these stats convince you why Denali State Park is the easier Alaska park to visit on your family Alaska trip.
| Denali National Park | Denali State Park |
|---|---|
| 500,000 annual visitors | 150,000 annual visitors |
| $15 per person (ages 16+) for 7 days | $5 daily parking rate |
| ~6.1 million acres | ~325,000 acres |
| Many visitors never see Mt Denali due to clouds and limited view opportunities due to park’s geography | Excellent Denali view on clear days from Byers Lake, trail, and Veteran’s Memorial |
| Large visitor center, ranger programs | Small visitor info center |
| Drive first 15 miles, require bus to explore further | Self-drive RV or personal car on all park roads |
| Visit 1-3 days on average | Day visit 2-6 hours or camp overnight |
Kayaking at Denali State Park
The two hours we spent kayaking Byers Lake at Denali State Park was voted by my kids as one of their favorite days during our two weeks in Alaska. And it was relatively inexpensive compared to all the other Alaska excursions I had already passed up.
Located at Mile 146.5 of the Parks Highway, turn into the Byers Lake entrance until you find the parking lot with Denali River Guides tent set up. Here you can walk up – without reservations – and rent by for one to four hours, choosing either single or tandem kayaks. You can even book a guided kayak trip if needed. The $35 for two hour price included life jackets and paddles.
Paddle across the river and turn back toward the shore to see Mt. Denali shining at you. The far side of the lake brings the perfect views of the mountain, and another perk of kayaking instead of hiking is no mosquitoes! After launching your kayak, head to the left back corner of the lake to explore a small river that feeds the lake. This little adventure made the perfect area to explore.
Denali State Park Info
Located on the highway between Denali National Park and Anchorage, Alaska visitors with a rental car or RV rental drive past the multiple entrances into Denali State Park and don’t even realize it! You have to know what to look for.
Denali State Park is different from most state parks and US national parks – there is not one main entrance. For example, the Veteran’s Memorial is a quick turn in for the solider memorials, but you have to go back out to the highway to enter the Byers Lake area. To go further south to the campground and other sections, you get back on the main highway.
Who Should Visit Denali State Park?
Before researching our Alaska road trip, I had never heard anything about Alaska’s Denali State Park. If you are on a land cruise before or after your cruise, most likely you have taken a train or booked a cruise excursion to see Denali National Park… along with ALLL the other people. This means you really don’t have a way to drive the 1.5 hours to the state park unfortunately. If you can book a trip or rent a car though, do it!
- People who only have time for a day trip from Anchorage and want to see Mount Denali
- Alaska visitors who didn’t get tickets in advance to take the bus through Denali National Park
- Adventurers who want an Alaska kayak trip without a crazy price tag
- Anyone with a car rental that allows them to make the drive!
Where is Denali State Park?
Denali State Park can be difficult to find. You’ve been warned – Alaska road signs are lacking! The entrances to Denali National Park are not well marked, and entrance is made more difficult if you’re unable to stop quickly in an RV. I might be speaking from personal experience 🙂 (All over Alaska! There are no signs!)
The south entrance to Byers Lake is located near mile 147 of the parks highway which leads north from Anchorage to Denali National Park. You drive right past the exit on the left, and don’t even know you missed it.
Use your phone map. When driving from Anchorage to Denali National Park, I suggest you make note or tag the location of the entrances on your GPS as you drive past Denali State Park. Then, retracing your path south toward Anchorage, you can better slow down to turn not miss the entrances.
Which Alaska Park Is Easier to Visit?
Denali State Park is hands down much easier to visit than Denali. With parking lots close to the road, you can make this a five minute trip and leave if needed. Additionally, the low crowds mean you won’t have difficulty finding a parking spot. Unlike Denali National Park that requires an advance reservation to ride a bus through the park, Denali State Park is perfect for a last-minute addition to your day in Anchorage or your Alaska vacation road trip.
Not to mention, entrance to the state park is $5 for the whole car compared to $15 per person plus at least $30 more for a guided bus tour.
Is Denali State Park Free?
There is a station to pay for entrance at the Byers Lake entrance, but I do not remember one at the Veteran’s Memorial entrance. The day pass is inexpensive at only $5 for per car. If you have an RV and are staying at the campground, you will pay that higher fee instead.
However, this Alaska state park is huge and understaffed (as evidenced by the lack of upkeep the Veteran’s area), so the likelihood of your parking tag being checked is pretty small. The kayak rental location told me there’s only one full time park ranger for the entire park!
What is the Alaska Veteran’s Memorial?
Located right off the highway, this small area in Denali State Park has an unmanned visitor center with plaques covering the history and military involvement of Alaska servicemen. The main attraction is five tall concrete columns, each one dedicated to a different branch of the military. This is also the wooden platform where you can best look to the east and see the peak of Mt. Denali by looking back east through the tree tops.
Denali State Park is an unmanned Alaska road trip stop and state park. Don’t come here expecting to get handouts for trails or guided tour. However, there are some pit potties and picnic stops if you need a rest stop!
My Review of Denali State Park
After two days in Denali National Park without a view of Mt. Denali, we made a last-minute addition to our family Alaska vacation to Denali State Park. And it was a highlight of all our trips. With beautiful weather, we kayaked on Byers Lake for two hours. The lake was empty and Mt. Denali was on full display.
So now, I tell everyone to save money on their over-priced Alaska excursions. Just enjoy a relaxed day at Denali State Park like we did. Best $100 I spent on our Alaska cruise and road trip.
My Favorite Travel Resources
- Booking.com – This is my go-to website for hotels, apartments, and even vacation home rentals to easily find places for my group of 6.
- Trip Advisor – This travel planning and booking website has been my go-to for decades. I especially use it to find nearby restaurants and activities.
- Viator – My go-to to find for city tours and experiences.
- Omio app and website – European train travel is easy for booking and keeping all tickets organized
- Radical Storage – Busy travel days sometimes means needing to leave your suitcase somewhere trustworthy. This worldwide option makes it easy.
- Welcome Pickups – I just found this company, but I plan to use them next time we need an airport or port transfer!
Thanks for stopping by my little corner! Here’s to your next adventure.
I’m Bobbie. After years of planning detailed family trips, I’m diving into travel advising. I’d love to take away the stress and plan a trip for you. Let’s get started today – click here to start.
You can count on me to share honest reviews and answer the questions you need to plan your own trip. My family of six is on a mission to discover all of Georgia’s amazing places, experience amazing road trips across the United States, and create a homeschool life along the way. We even world travel when we can!
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