The Skyline Lodge in Kantishna is located at the end of the road in Denali National Park, approximately 92 miles from the Park entrance. You can fly with us or take the Park Service transit bus to access our remote location. A direct flight is 35 minutes and the scenic fly-by is 55 minutes, allowing time to experience the spectacular north face of Denali. Make all flight reservations with Kantishna Air Taxi. The camper bus takes approximately 6-7 hours going into Kantishna and around 5-6 hours going out to the Park entrance. For the best value, we recommend flying in and busing out.

Depending on whether you are busing INTO or OUT OF Kantishna, you will purchase your bus tickets from either the Park Service or Skyline Lodge as follows:

• If you’re busing INTO Kantishna (Option #2 or #3), you will need to make reservations with the Park Service/Aramark at 1-800-622-7275 or online at www.reservedenali.com. Tickets for a Transit Bus to Kantishna are $64.00 for adults; children 15 and under are free – be sure to let your reservationist know if you are accompanying a child. Reserve your seats on the 11:05 AM departure, as this gets you to Skyline Lodge at the most convenient time of day and in time for dinner.
• If you’re busing OUT OF Kantishna (Option #1), and did not bus in, tickets are available at Skyline Lodge when you check-out. Prices are $32/ for adults and free for children 15 and under. All tickets are standby, and seats are first-come-first-serve on a space available basis. If one bus is full, guests simply wait for the next bus.
• Food and water are not provided on the bus or at rest stops. You will need to be prepared.

NOTE: Due to Covid, national park service buses are running on a modified schedule. For the 2021 season, busses are departing Kantishna Air and Skyline Lodge just twice per day: 8:45am and 6pm.

Please check the National Park Service bus schedule here as times vary throughout the season.

The Park Road goes right past our front door. Simply tell your bus driver that you’re a guest of the Skyline Lodge in Kantishna and they will drop you off at our lodge.

In general, the flights depart the Park entrance at 4:30pm. A direct flight is 35 minutes and the scenic fly-by is 55 minutes. Call ahead for availability.

Meals are one of the highlights for our guests. We provide fresh, home-cooked, healthy food, and we use local, organic produce when available. We provide a sit-down, family-style dinner. Continental breakfast and lunch are self-served at the lodge or to be packed for the trail or bus. Meals are $85/person/day, which includes one breakfast, one lunch and one dinner. An extra lunch on arrival or departure may be purchased for $20/person. Please advise us of any special dietary requirements when making your reservation.

Wonder Lake is approximately 5 miles east of Kantishna and the Skyline Lodge along the Park Road. If you’re a guest of the Skyline Lodge, you can check out our mountain bikes and ride to Wonder Lake. You can also purchase a bus ticket and ride the camper bus to Wonder Lake and later hop on a westbound bus coming back to Kantishna. We can give you a bus schedule once you’re in Kantishna.  Some people walk one or both ways as well. Due to Park Service permits and regulations, we cannot offer shuttles to Wonder Lake.

Most who come to stay at the Skyline Lodge are self-sufficient hikers and adventurers. All hikes in Kantishna are safe for self-guided hiking. We will provide you with maps, directions, wildlife orientation, etc. Many hikes can be accessed from our door or a short walk to the trailhead. Hikes range from casual and easy to full day ridge excursions. All ridge hikes offer spectacular views of Wonder Lake, the Alaska Range, and Denali if weather permits. Mountain bikes are available for guest use at no cost. Many guests like to ride to Wonder Lake and explore the mining roads of the area. Other guests enjoy relaxing in quiet areas of the lodge. There are limited fishing possibilities in Kantishna (arctic grayling in Moose Creek and arctic char in Wonder Lake) and we do have basic fishing equipment.  If you’re an avid fisherman, we recommend you bring your own gear. If you’re interested in dayhikes in the interior of the park, you can purchase a bus ticket from the Skyline Lodge and we’ll give you a bus schedule so you’ll know which bus to catch coming back to Kantishna. Due to Park Service permit rules and regulations, we are not allowed to offer guided hikes.

The bathroom and shower facilities are located in the main lodge, which is located next to the cabins. It is a very short walk away, including two short flights of stairs.

The highest probability of wildlife viewing is by traveling the Park Road by bus. Wildlife sightings in Kantishna are a special treat. The more you hike and adventure, the more likely you are to see wildlife. Although Kantishna wildlife sightings are infrequent, you always need to be prepared for wildlife encounters and we can inform you of these procedures once you’re in Kantishna. Generally, bears are rarely seen on hikes in the Kantishna area.

Most cell phones do get reception at the Park entrance, but they do not work in Kantishna. Please make all your phone arrangements before you come into Kantishna. We do have a phone line in Kantishna available for our guests, but it is best to come prepared for not having contact with the outside world. For internet access, if you have your own wireless device a service fee of $7.00/day will allow access to our wireless connection. (At times, we may have a computer available for public use for $15.00/day, but this can’t be guaranteed.)

A couple of frequently asked questions about our COVID policies and practices:

-National Park Service buses are running on a modified/minimized schedule as a result of Covid. NPS buses require passengers wear masks.

-Buses are currently arriving at Skyline Lodge and Kantishna Air at 5:30pm and 8pm. Buses depart from Kantishna Air at 8:45am and 6pm.

-Our in-house team is fully vaccinated. We ask that our unvaccinated guests wear masks while on the premises to protect themselves and others.

-We are actively adhering to COVID-mindful food, beverage, and housekeeping practices.

For our guests that have some time at the park entrance before their flight in (or for our guests landing early and looking to spend some time exploring the park entrance):

• The indoor space at the Visitor Center at the park entrance is currently closed, but they do have an outdoor desk available for information/questions. Restrooms are also available.
• Guided hikes are provided at the park entrance twice per day at 10am and 2pm. Sign-up the day of the hike at that Visitors’ Center outdoor kiosk.
• We recommend the Horseshoe Lake Trail for a great self-guided hiking option at the park entrance.
• Merino Grill is currently closed due to Covid, so there are no food options at the park entrance. We recommend heading just outside the park entrance for food options.
• The bookstore/gift shop at the park entrance (near the Visitors’ Center) is currently open).
• We recommend the Horseshoe Lake Trail for a great self-guided hiking option at the park entrance.
• The 10-4 Seld Dog Kennel is open, however there are no tours. (You can still see the dogs, though!)