BASECAMP NIKISKI: DENALI NATIONAL PARK, ALASKA, SEPTEMBER 8-11, 2026

A grizzly bear near the Savage River.

DAY 1: (September 8, 2026)

We were a tad late making reservations for our post-Labor Day trip to Denali National Park this year. So late, in fact, that the Cheechako cabin we normally stay in had been reserved by other guests. Hence, we ended up in the Pioneer cabin which was great because it was roomier than the Cheechako and had a private shower.

Upon our arrival it appeared there weren't many other guests and we essentially had the place to ourselves. We could still hear highway noise and the train whistles, but all was quiet otherwise.

It didn't take long for us to get settled and be on our way for our first drive out to the Savage River. The fall colors were in full display with vivid reds, yellows, and purples stretching from one horizon to the other. It was sensory overload and, although we have seen this display many times, we were delighted with the panorama as it unfolded in front of us.

As we neared the Savage River we spotted a cluster of cars and knew wildlife had been spotted. When we got closer we could see a grizzly bear several hundred yards off in the distance. We stopped for a photo and watched it amble through the river bottom for several minutes before getting back on the road and heading for the Savage River parking area.

Moose patrol included making several passes up and down the road and we eventually saw a small bull with five cows. We stopped for more photos and hoped a larger bull would appear. That never happened. Eventually as darkness approached we drove back to the cabin ready for rest after a full day of adventuring.

A cow moose along the Denali Park Road.

A young bull moose at full attention.

DAY 2: (September 9, 2026)

We keep a close eye on the weather forecast while we are on these trips and try to plan our activities accordingly. Today looked like a good day for a bike ride because there wasn't any rain expected. We rent bikes from Bike Denali and ride from the park entrance to the Mountain Vista Rest Area every year. It's 27.3 miles round trip and although rain wasn't a problem a stiff headwind certainly was. By the time we got to the rest area we were frozen. After a quick lunch we were back on the bikes and headed back to the park entrance. It was a considerable improvement going this direction because we were going downhill and had a tailwind. The sun even came out as we pedaled along, which warmed our spirits as well as our frozen fingers.

Moose patrol that evening consisted of two small bulls and a cow. We were wondering where the big bulls were hiding, but didn't worry too much since we still had one more evening to find them.

We rented bikes and rode from the Park Entrance to Mountain Vista Rest Area.

Mrs. Huffy had exceptionally good luck at cribbage this trip.

DAY 3: (September 10, 2026)

This day we had reservations for the bus ride to the East Fork. We were looking forward to it and got to the station in plenty of time to wait in line for good seats. Once onboard we travelled along listening to the bus driver's narration and enjoying the scenery as it passed by. We saw the bear that had been at the Savage River for the past few days and caught a very brief glimpse of four caribou near Teklanika Campground. There were, of course, Dall Sheep at Igloo Mountain. They were tiny white specks on the mountain tops but all the bus riders were eager to look at them.

Riding along Mrs. Huffy and I reminded each other of all the memories we had in this area. There were hikes at Tattler Creek, picnics along the road, a lynx catching and eating a snowshoe hare near Sable Pass, not to mention the numerous bears we had seen in this area over the years.

Before long we were at the East Fork which was the turnaround point of the trip. Next season the road will finally be open all the way to Wonder Lake as the bridge around Pretty Rocks has been finished. We can't wait for that! The ride back was fairly quiet although we did see some ptarmigan, a snowshoe hare, and a cow moose.

But, the real prize wildlife sighting came later in the evening during Moose Patrol. Thats when we saw a huge bull...finally. It happened as we were slowly driving along and I noticed something move far off in the distance. We stopped and got the big binoculars out. He was far away but it was the bull we had been looking for. Mrs. Huffy got the best photo with her phone and before long all sorts of vehicles were stopped around us taking in the spectacle. We helped some tourists locate the bull and let them use our binoculars to watch it for several minutes. After a while the moose disappeared into the landscape and we made our way back to the cabin. Our big bull search had been a success...albeit a long distance one.

The next morning we awoke to beautiful weather and made one last drive to the Mountain Vista Rest Area before turning north and heading to Fairbanks. Along the way we stopped for a short hike on the Antler Ridge Trail near Healy. The views of the area were spectacular and the colors popped under clear sunny skies. It was a great way to end our post-Labor Day trip to Denali National Park...and guess what...we'll do the same thing next year!