Mt. McKinley in Denali National Park
Nearly as large as the state of Massachusetts, Denali National Park, in south central Alaska, covers over 7,300 square miles and is located 237 miles north of Anchorage, AK and 120 miles south of Fairbanks. Mount McKinley, North America’s highest mountain, rising over 20,000 ft above sea level, is found at the heart of the park.
In 1906, Charles Sheldon first visited the area of what would later become Denali National Park, during the summer months to study Dall sheep. He and his guide, Harry Karstens, who later became the first to climb Mt. McKinley’s south peak and the first park superintendent, returned a second time in 1907 and spent a year. This extended stay convinced the pair that this pristine wilderness needed to be protected. In February 1917, Mount McKinley National Park was established. Because of Sheldon’s efforts to save this area, he is known as the “father of Denali National Park.”
When the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act passed in 1980, it added another 4 million acres to the park and it was renamed Denali, the name Sheldon originally wanted. This spectacular wilderness park will be featured on 2012 National Park quarters – as the final design for the year.
