Activities For Dogs In Denali National Park

Yes, you and your canine kid are welcome to take a flightseeing tour of Alaska’s Denali National Park. Depending on the flight package and which airline you choose, your pooch may need to be in a crate or on a leash, but some will allow them off-leash. However, we suggest a leash for safety reasons. You can do this on a helicopter or fixed-wing airplane, and they will take you all over the park and surrounding areas such as Kantishna, Healy, and Talkeetna. On some of the tours, they offer a stop on one of the glaciers in the park for a visit or even an overnight stay. The cost ranges from $200 to $500 per person and pets are usually free. You will need to bring water, food, cleanup bags, a leash, and crate for your pupster. They last about two to 24 hours, depending on which tour you choose.

Depending on what kind of dogs you have, they may be able to do some mushing while you are there. Dog mushing is actually Alaska’s official state sport, so it is common to see sledding going on all over the state, but in the Denali National Park, you have to make sure to follow some rules. You will need to get your dogs registered and check in with the park’s main office before getting out there with your dogs. For this activity, you're going to need some things such as a harness, tow rope, sled, waist belt, water, and treats. You will also need a lot of time and patience because some dogs can take a while to figure it out.

The Roadside Trail at Denali National Park is almost two miles long and will typically take about one or two hours, depending on your experience and stamina. This is a moderately strenuous trail so make sure you and your canine kid are in relatively good physical shape before starting this hike. You will need to bring some water for you and Fido, keep your pup on a leash, and bring along some poop bags to pick up any deposits your pooch may leave. Along this trail, you are going to see a lot of spruce and aspen trees, paper birch, and other coniferous and deciduous trees. There are also plenty of colorful blooms if you go in the spring or summer. You will likely see some critters like the mountain goats, caribou, moose, bears, foxes, squirrels, wolves, and sheep but don’t let your pup chase or aggravate the wildlife.