By SUZANNE DOWNING
Oct. 15, 2026 – The Department of the Interior and National Park Service announced a final rule Thursday expanding visitor access along Denali National Park Road, replacing a seasonal vehicle cap with a daily limit as the park prepares to restore public bus service to its western reaches in 2027, after the repair of the Pretty Rocks Bridge.
The rule allows up to 160 vehicles per day on the restricted portion of the road, from mile 15 to mile 90, provided standards for protecting park resources and maintaining the visitor experience are met. It replaces the existing seasonal limit of 10,512 vehicle permits and brings the regulations into alignment with the park’s 2012 Vehicle Management Plan.
The change supports President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14314, “Making America Beautiful Again by Improving Our National Parks,” which directs the administration to expand opportunities for Americans to enjoy public lands.
“America’s national parks belong to the American people, and we should be looking for every responsible opportunity to make these incredible places more accessible,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said. “At Denali, we’re cutting red tape, honoring a management plan shaped by years of public input, and expanding access while protecting the extraordinary landscape that makes this park so special.”
The 2012 plan was developed under President Barack Obama, ostensibly to protect wildlife, and the quality of visitors’ experiences along the road. The new daily ceiling remains subject to those standards.
The rule also changes how the visitor season ends. The season begins on the Saturday before Memorial Day and will now consistently end on the second Thursday after Labor Day.
Previously, regulatory language could end the season on Sept. 15 when that date fell before the second Thursday after Labor Day. Removing the provision gives people additional days of access in affected years.
“Updating the Denali Road vehicle limit allows the NPS to meet visitor demand while maintaining a high-quality experience,” Denali National Park Superintendent Brooke Merrell said. “It will make the extraordinary landscapes and wildlife of Denali more accessible, while preserving its natural and cultural resources for future generations.”
The announcement comes as the Park Service prepares to restore public bus access to the west end of the road in 2027. In September, the Park Service and Federal Highway Administration announced completion of the Pretty Rocks Bridge, reconnecting the eastern and western portions of the road following the 2021 landslide and closure.
The regulatory change and the bridge project address separate barriers to access: The bridge restores the road connection, while the rule updates how vehicle traffic is limited during the visitor season.
Built between 1922 and 1938, the 92-mile Denali Park Road is the primary route into the park. It offers opportunities to see grizzly bears, caribou, Dall sheep, wolves, moose and foxes, as well as views of Mount McKinley and the surrounding Alaska Range.
The department identified the final rule as Federal Register document No. 2026-21222.
