Self-Guided Parks Hwy Audio Drive: Anchorage to Denali Discount Tickets

Get your discount tickets for the Self-Guided Parks Hwy Audio Drive: Anchorage to Denali, save up to 9% !

Overview

Dreaming of Denali’s towering peak or the 400-foot wall of ice at Knik Glacier? This 235-mile drive from Anchorage to Denali National Park delivers both. Enjoy Cook Inlet views from Arctic Valley Road, hike Chugach State Park to Thunderbird Falls, visit Eklutna Village Historical Park, and see the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race start at Willow Lake. Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone listens together! After booking, you can check your email before downloading the Tour Guide App by Action, entering your unique password, and accessing your tour. The preceding steps require good internet/Wi-Fi access. Simply follow the audio instructions and the route from there. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want. This is not an entrance ticket to attractions along the route. Check opening hours before your visit.

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Start on Parks Hwy (Hwy 3) near 300 Parks Hwy, AK 99755, just north of Denali National Park Airport. Head south toward Anchorage. Suggested start; we’re not affiliated, so staff won’t have tour info. Audio starts automatically—check email/text for setup, download on strong internet.

Language Offered

English-AUDIO

Itinerary

1. Anchorage
Alaska’s largest city, where rugged wilderness meets urban life. Framed by the Chugach Mountains and Cook Inlet, Anchorage is the gateway to glaciers, wildlife, and unforgettable road trips north toward Denali.
Duration: 15 mins
2. Arctic Valley Road
A winding mountain road climbing into the Chugach Mountains, offering sweeping views of Anchorage and Cook Inlet. In late summer, its slopes burst with wildflowers—and sometimes even blueberries along the trail edges.
Duration: 15 mins
3. Chugach State Park
One of the largest state parks in the U.S., stretching from Anchorage into wild alpine terrain. Expect towering peaks, glacier-fed lakes, roaming moose, and endless trails just minutes from the city.
Duration: 15 mins
4. Glenn Highway
A designated National Scenic Byway stretching from Anchorage toward the interior of Alaska. This dramatic route delivers glacier views, rugged mountain backdrops, and wide-open wilderness at every turn.
Duration: 15 mins
5. Eagle River
A small community just north of Anchorage, surrounded by the rugged beauty of the Chugach Mountains. Known for outdoor adventures, salmon streams, and frequent wildlife sightings, Eagle River feels worlds away while still close to the city.
Duration: 15 mins
6. Eklutna
A small Native village north of Anchorage known for its colorful Spirit Houses in the historic Russian Orthodox cemetery. Surrounded by mountains and near Eklutna Lake, it blends rich Alaska Native heritage with striking natural beauty.
Duration: 10 mins
7. Eklutna Lake
A striking turquoise glacial lake tucked inside Chugach State Park, just north of Anchorage. Popular for kayaking, biking, and lakeside walks, it’s a peaceful escape framed by dramatic mountain scenery.
Duration: 15 mins
8. Knik River
A wide, glacier-fed river flowing from the Knik Glacier into Cook Inlet. Known for its braided channels and dramatic mountain backdrop, it’s a popular spot for flightseeing, ATV tours, and epic Alaska scenery.
Duration: 10 mins
9. Knik Glacier
A massive river of ice stretching more than 25 miles from the Chugach Mountains. With towering blue ice walls and floating icebergs, Knik Glacier is one of Southcentral Alaska’s most dramatic and accessible glacier experiences.
Duration: 10 mins
10. Matanuska-Susitna Valley
Often called the Mat-Su Valley, this broad, fertile region north of Anchorage is framed by glaciers, rivers, and rugged peaks. Known for its giant vegetables, small-town charm, and sweeping mountain views, it’s a gateway to Alaska’s Interior.
Duration: 10 mins
11. Wasilla
A lively town in the Mat-Su Valley known for its lakes, mountain views, and frontier spirit. Wasilla serves as a hub for outdoor adventure and a gateway to Denali, Hatcher Pass, and beyond.
Duration: 10 mins
12. Hatcher Pass
A stunning alpine mountain pass in the Talkeetna Mountains known for dramatic peaks, wildflower meadows, and sweeping tundra views. Popular for scenic drives, hiking, and fall colors, it’s one of Southcentral Alaska’s most photogenic routes.
Duration: 10 mins
13. Willow
A small, forested community along the Parks Highway best known as the official restart location of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Surrounded by lakes and wilderness, Willow offers a quiet slice of classic Alaska.
Duration: 10 mins
14. Talkeetna
A quirky, historic town with colorful storefronts and big mountain views. On clear days, it’s one of the best places to spot Denali rising above the Alaska Range, making it a favorite stop along the Parks Highway.
Duration: 10 mins
15. Susitna River
One of Alaska’s longest rivers, flowing nearly 300 miles from the Alaska Range to Cook Inlet. Famous for salmon runs and wide, braided channels, it’s a lifeline for wildlife and a scenic highlight along the Parks Highway.
Duration: 10 mins
16. Denali State Park
A vast, rugged wilderness area in southcentral Alaska straddling the Parks Highway between the Talkeetna Mountains and the Alaska Range. It offers wild rivers, alpine ridges, lakes, hiking trails, campgrounds, and stunning views of Denali and surrounding peaks.
Duration: 10 mins
17. Denali View South
A scenic roadside wayside in Denali State Park where, on clear days, you can see Denali rising above the Alaska Range just off the Parks Highway. It’s an easy stop with parking and viewpoints perfect for photos and soaking in the mountain panorama.
Duration: 10 mins
18. Curry Ridge Trailhead
A scenic ridge hike in Denali State Park offering sweeping views of the Alaska Range and, on clear days, Denali itself. The trail climbs through tundra and alpine terrain, rewarding hikers with wide-open mountain panoramas.
Duration: 10 mins
19. Byers Lake
A peaceful, glacier-fed lake in Denali State Park known for its mirror-like reflections of the Alaska Range. An easy loop trail circles the shoreline, making it a favorite stop for hiking, paddling, and soaking in the scenery.
Duration: 10 mins
20. K’esugi Ridge
A spectacular alpine ridge in Denali State Park offering some of the best sustained views of Denali outside the national park. Rolling tundra, sweeping ridgelines, and vast open skies make it a favorite for hikers and backpackers seeking true Alaska wilderness.
Duration: 10 mins
21. Hurricane Gulch Bridge
A dramatic steel bridge spanning a 300-foot-deep gorge along the Parks Highway. Originally built for the Alaska Railroad, it’s an impressive sight—especially when a train crosses high above the rushing waters of Hurricane Creek below.
Duration: 15 mins
22. Igloo City
An abandoned four-story concrete “igloo” along the Parks Highway near Cantwell. Built in the 1970s as a novelty hotel that never opened, it’s now one of Alaska’s quirkiest and most photographed roadside landmarks.
Duration: 10 mins
23. Cantwell
A small crossroads community at the junction of the Parks Highway and Denali Highway. Surrounded by tundra and mountain views, Cantwell serves as a quiet gateway to Interior Alaska and Denali’s wild landscapes.
Duration: 10 mins
24. Nenana
A scenic pull-off along the Parks Highway overlooking the powerful Nenana River as it cuts through a rugged canyon. It’s a great spot to pause, take photos, and watch the glacial waters rush below.
Duration: 10 mins
25. Denali National Park
A vast wilderness area in interior Alaska dominated by Mount Denali, North America’s tallest peak and iconic landmark. The park’s rugged tundra, glaciers, and forests are prime for wildlife viewing and backcountry exploration along its scenic park road.
Duration: 10 mins

Inclusion

Just bring your car and phone; the app guides your tour.

Support is available via chat, email, or phone if you need help.

Planning tools, route maps, scenic stops, and area previews included.

Private tour experience for your family, in your own car.

Lifetime access: use the tour anytime and keep it for future trips.

Works offline with GPS route guidance and automatic audio stories.

One purchase covers everyone in your car, not per person.

Flexible tour: start, stop, and pause anytime during your trip.

Self-guided audio tour through our easy-to-use mobile app.

Hidden gems and local stories included along the route.

Exclusion

Self-guided tour — no live guide. Entrance fees, parking, food, and car rental are separate.

Cancellation Policy

Check mark icon Refundable tickets

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

  • 100% refund if cancelled 1+ days before the start date
  • 0% refund if cancelled less than 1 day(s) before the start date

Additional Info

Public transportation options are available nearby

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

How To Access: After booking, you’ll get an email and text with setup instructions and password (search “audio tour” in emails and texts). • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password sent by email and text. • MUST download the tour while in strong wifi/cellular. • Works offline after download.

How to start touring: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction.

Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.

Travel worry-free: Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace. Skip anything you don’t care about or explore bonus content for everything that interests you

Savings tips: Driving tours: purchase just one tour for everyone in the car

New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.

Audio Setup: Connect your phone to your car's stereo system using Bluetooth, USB, or AUX. For the best experience, consider using headphones for walking tours. Audio playback is compatible with Apple CarPlay, with navigation features coming soon. Support for Android Auto is also on the way.

The tour requires a supported mobile device for navigation. Please use an iPhone with iOS 15 or later, an Android device with Android 9 or later, or an iPad/tablet with GPS and cellular service.

Important Note: Due to the Pretty Rocks Landslide and the Polychrome Area Plan, the Denali Park Road closure at Mile 43 is expected to remain in place through summer 2026. If you plan to visit areas beyond this point by shuttle or separately from the tour, please check current NPS conditions before your trip.

Supplied by Guide With Action

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