Teklanika River Campground — Denali National Park

“Did you get your Denali reservations, yet?” For months we heard this common refrain from my mother each time we called. We were planning a visit to the park during the first week of August, and here it was April and there was still plenty of availability for the furthest campground into the park that you can take a trailer, camper, RV or motorhome. Still, there’s a reason why it’s so in demand. Not only is the campground beautiful, nestled in between the foothills and the banks of the braided Teklanika river, but it greatly reduces your travel time into the rest of the park by bus. 

The campground offers medium-sized sites, some back-in, some pull-through, picnic tables, fire rings, fresh potable water and vault-style toilets like many other national park campgrounds. None of the campsites offered electrical hook ups, so bring your solar panels.  We were able to charge our system by simply putting our portable solar panel out into the open. 

If you’re driving your personal vehicle, you can make your reservation between 3 minimum required nights or 14 maximum nights. (If you take the bus, you only need to make a reservation for 1 night – but why would you only stay 1 night?– this is Denali, people!)  The purpose for the stay requirement of drivers is to minimize vehicle traffic on the gravel park road. You get to drive in once on the first day of your reservation, and out once on the last day– any other day in-between you’re taking the bus.

Once you get to the campground, the sites are first-come, first-served. There will be enough sites for everyone with a reservation, but your choices might be limited if you arrive later in the day. 

To ride the bus, you must purchase a separate “Tek” bus pass which is a one-time fee and good for the entire length of your stay. You can go in either direction on the bus, hop-on/ hop-off any place you want between the end of the road and Park Headquarters.  The buses can accommodate 3 bikes, so if you want to ride one way and take the bus back like we did, that's a great option!  One note on the Tek Pass, if you go all the way back to the Visitor’s Center you will need to purchase an additional bus pass to get back to camp. So, do your VC stuff before and after you camp within the park. 

Groceries are best purchased at the Three Bears in nearby Healy, around 15 miles from the park entrance, they have better prices and a wider selection than in Denali town, including a full liquor store. There are bars, restaurants, hotels and t-shirt shops aplenty there too.

The spaces are very small. I have a 24’ trailer and there were not many spots I would fit. The spots were narrow, and most were perpendicular to the road, making it difficult to back it.

On the up side, the spaces weee very secluded, and the campground was very quiet.

It was nice being so far into the park, but with the road closed at around mile 41, there weren’t many hikes.

We got there first day of the season and there was a ton more snow than normal. Made the sites a little trickier to get into. There are 2 pull through site options at the end of each of the loops. I think one is site #14. Site #13 has the best view but it’s all first come first serve. Clean bathrooms

Take your bikes or buy a bus pass. Only some spots had a view. The camping is close. Pets are not allowed on trails in the park- only roads. The camp was kind of noisy. Come here for the Denali experience but know it does not start with this campground.

My husband and I stayed here in a rented rv for the most memorable camping experience of my life. The kids used our site as a base camp of familial safety for their backcountry permitted camping excursions. Sure enough after a hard rain, my college aged children hiked back to our site soaked head to foot after a big downpour and once-in-a-lifetime adventures. I ruined everyone's shoes trying to dry them on the fire too quickly. I should have heated rocks and put them inside the shoes with paper, but I was trying to hurry before it rained again.

We used our internal bus pass extensively, but this site is close enough to the river for taking lunch hikes along the park service road. While the sites are fairly close together, we were on an end unit and felt isolated enough from anyone else.

This was my second trip to Denali and I am glad I chose a further-in campground. I can't wait to go back.

So much to see! We enjoyed the bus tour that the park offered. Also simply walking around and taking everything in.

Looking for jaw-dropping scenery and untouched beauty, then look no more than Teklanika River. With vast thick wooded areas surrounding you the lure of the wild will keep you wanting more. Venture out to the open fields and valleys in search of catching a glimpse of the prized wildlife that call this home.

We really enjoyed that we could drive our car further into the park to camp in this campground. Sites are flat and aren't too close together. Had outhouses and running potable water. Fires were allowed. Short walk to the gravel bar and Teklanika river. Nightly ranger programs. We bought a bus pass so we could take daily trips to a part of the park we wanted to explore and then would hop back on when we were done.

requires a road permit and you to park your car or rv and stay until stay complete. near a glacial river and one hour into Denali National park. has pit toilets and water. ranger talks posted. great for families. near bus stop to take camper bus farther into park. no marked trails but you can hike along river or road.

Teklanika Campground is a phenomenal location for camping in Denali. Accessible to both tent and RV campers at mile 29.1 on the Denali Park Rd this campground has vault toilets, picnic tables, and fire pits and requires a minimum 3 night stay with no access to the front of the park (without additional fees) once you arrive. Campers here purchase a Tek Pass which allows access further into the park via the bus system (the only way to get further into Denali from this campground). Our favorite feature of this campground was the Tek River which is directly next to the campground. The river bar made for excellent hiking and adventures for the whole family with plenty of animals to see. We would definitely camp here again!

The farthest that you can drive into Denali to car camp or take an RV. Incredible location with long views of snow topped mountains, long sloping hillsides, and spruce forest. Wildlife all around: Moose, bears, snowshoe hares, ground squirrels, lynx, and more. The park bus will also take you there if you want to leave the car behind. Super clean Pit toilets and water available. Campground hosts very friendly and helpful. Bring Bear spray for hiking, bug spray, and warm clothes (even in summer). Bring your own firewood if you can. Reservations best made 6 months in advance. Sites are first come when you show up. Try to get one near river.

This campground is located at mile 29 of the denali park road so if you're taking the bus that's where you need to get off! Make sure you have your thermarest and sleeping mask the midnight sun is real and you'll need it to get some shut eye. Permafrost in Alaska is also real and you'll have a frozen bum if you forget your thermal rest. Also deet is essential here. This was my favorite place to camp in denali after setting up camp I scrambled up the hill on the other side of the road and watched the caribou herd for what seemed like forever. The day I left I was awakened by a moose and her calf in my camp site who were luckily non aggressive and didn't seem to care about me at all. Mean while I'm sitting in my tent having a heart attack ready to die. Anyway amazing place check it. Happy Adventuring!