Denali proposal allows 160 vehicles

The Interior Department has opened public comment on a proposal to allow up to 160 vehicles a day on the restricted section of Denali Park Road during the summer visitor season, according to a proposed rule published May 18. The National Park Service said the change would apply to the controlled stretch of road between miles 15 and 90 and would align park regulations with a vehicle management plan the agency has been using since 2012. Comments are due by 11:59 p.m. ET on July 17, 2026. The proposed rule comes while Denali is still operating under limits caused by the Pretty Rocks landslide, which forced an immediate closure in late summer 2021 after road movement accelerated from inches per day to inches per hour, the park says. The National Park Service expects the bridge spanning that slide area to be completed in mid-summer 2026, with the full length of the road reopening and full bus service resuming in 2027. (federalregister.gov) ### How would the new vehicle cap work? The Federal Register notice says no more than 160 vehicles could travel on the restricted section of the road in any 24-hour period during the visitor season. The season is defined in Denali’s general management plan as beginning on the Saturday before Memorial Day and ending on the second Thursday after Labor Day. (nps.gov) The National Park Service said the rule is meant to clarify existing special regulations for the road corridor rather than create a new management system from scratch. The agency said the 160-vehicle figure is the limit identified in the 2012 vehicle management plan for maintaining what it called a high-quality visitor experience. (federalregister.gov) ### What changes from the current rule? The current limit dates to 1986 and allows 10,512 vehicles over the full season, or roughly 100 vehicles a day on average, according to Alaska Public Media’s report, which cited the public notice. Tour buses do not count against that seasonal cap now, but they would count under the proposed daily limit, which could narrow the practical increase in traffic. (federalregister.gov) The restricted portion of Denali Park Road begins beyond the Savage River checkpoint after mile 15. Private visitors can access the first 15 miles of the road during summer without entering the controlled section, while permits govern travel farther west toward Kantishna at the end of the 92-mile road. (alaskapublic.org) ### Why is Denali still limiting access in 2026? Denali National Park and Preserve says the Park Road remains closed at mile 43 through summer 2026 because of the Pretty Rocks landslide and related work under the Polychrome Area Plan. The park’s current conditions page says transit and tour buses will go no farther than the East Fork Bridge at mile 43 this summer. (alaskapublic.org) The park also says Eielson Visitor Center and Wonder Lake Campground remain closed while the closure is in effect. Until May 20, 2026, road traffic was limited to the Teklanika Rest Area at mile 30; from May 20, transit buses are scheduled to begin operating to the East Fork area. ### What did Interior say about the proposal? Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a news release cited by Alaska Public Media that Denali is “one of America’s crown jewels” and that Americans should have “every reasonable opportunity” to experience it. (nps.gov) Burgum said the proposal would remove outdated restrictions and make access decisions based on park management rather than bureaucracy. The Federal Register notice says comments can be submitted electronically through the Federal Register or regulations.gov, or by mail to the superintendent of Denali National Park and Preserve. The filing identifies the rulemaking under RIN 1024-AF11, and the comment deadline is July 17, 2026. (federalregister.gov) (alaskapublic.org)