7/18/2014 Travel: Talkeetna on Highway 3 (The Parks) to Healy, AK (McKinley RV Park, Healy, AK)

With a mid-morning start, it was a short, relatively speaking travel day.  Total miles were 135.  

Scenery changed every hour, from the foothills to high plains to the Alaskan Range of Mountains.  Because of cloud cover we did not see Mt. Denali at all today.

We drove into Mt. Denali NP to check out park bus trips.  We want to ride a shuttle bus Monday morning, but couldn't purchase tickets until tomorrow.  We checked out schedules, and ranger programs, and ranger-led walks/hikes

Jeff, Marcella, and Evelyn are interested in a ranger-led hike at the 66-mile mark (Eielson Visitor Center).  

Private vehicles are prohibited beyond Mile 15 of the Park Road.  All other travel is on Park buses/vehicles.

We are now in new territory for us.  Previously we have only traveled three miles north of the Park entrance to an RV park.  That park had no sites available when we checked ten days ago, so reservations were made at McKinley RV Park in Healy, AK.  McKinley RV Park is 11 miles north of the entrance.  Those eleven miles has three bridge construction projections, and a section of road re-paving.  We definitely will have to allow extra time for construction when traveling to the National Park.

Between Talkeetna and Denali National Park, Highway 3

 Glen in front of the Army tribute.

 Branches of the Armed Services.

 Artwork at the entrance of the tribute.

 Mountain scenery.

This European rental parked in Denali NP.  I researched and found it is a British rental, made in Germany.  Since it is a rental the assorted stickers probably came from different trips....but who knows.

There is 80 percent chance of rain tomorrow.  Our activities may or may not be impacted by that forecast.  Stay tuned.