The National Park Service has begun construction of a bridge to bypass an ongoing landslide on the Denali Park Road. During construction the Kantishna area will not be accessible by road. For more information, please check the Park Road page.

Kantishna Denali National Park

Gold was first discovered in the Kantishna Hills by Judge James Wickersham after his first unsuccessful attempt to scale Denali. Kantishna is in Denali's north country, tucked in a landscape of lower ridgelines, forested hills, and plentiful waterways about 25 miles from the wall of the Alaska Range. The first rumors of gold brought a handful of early prospectors to the area a year later. Two struck gold, kicking off the Kantishna stampede in the summer of 1905.

The rush lasted less than a year, as most prospectors left with little to show for their efforts. But still, there were enough successful claims to keep the tiny Kantishna district mining for years. Denali National Park was created in 1917, and mining continued in the Kantishna area until the 1970s when it was finally abandoned. Today Kantishna is better known as a backcountry destination that rewards those who've made the trip with unbeatable views of the Denali, lovely sites like Wonder Lake, and the sort of quiet solitude only found in true wilderness.

The historic Kantishna Mining District can be reached by guided bus tour to the end of the Denali Park Road. There are two tours, the Kantishna Wilderness Trails Tour and Denali Backcountry Adventure. Kantishna Wilderness Trails is narrated by driver-guide until Wonder Lake where a National Park Service Ranger takes over narration for the afternoon. The tour stops for lunch at the Kantishna Roadhouse where visitors can see the original log building that served as a community center and post office through the 1900s. For rates, dates, and more details, please visit our Denali National Park Bus Tours page.

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For an even deeper experience of the historic Kantishna, many visitors opt to stay in one of the area's backcountry lodges. The Kantishna Roadhouse was built on the original townsite. History is woven throughout the property in old mining tools and photos on display, but especially in the original log roadhouse building onsite. The Denali Backcountry Lodge is located at the very end of the Park Road on Moose Creek. The cabin of Fanny Quigley, one of the original and longest lasting Kantishna miners, is close by. Both lodges offer guided hikes, activities, and transportation to nearby Wonder Lake, a photographer's dreamscape when the weather is clear and Denali is reflected on its glassy surface.

Alaska Tour & Travel can coordinate all Denali Park bus tours, Denali accommodations, and transportation to and from the park. One helpful tip: The Park Connection Motorcoach departs Anchorage at 7:00 AM and arrives in the Denali Park area around 12:30 PM to connect with buses departing for Denali backcountry lodges.

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