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Denali National Park and Preserve is located in Interior Alaska and contains Mount McKinley, the tallest mountain in North America. The park covers 9,492 mi² (24,585 km²). The word "Denali" means "the High One" in the native Athabaskan language and refers to the mountain itself.
The mountain was named after presidential canditate William McKinley of Ohio in 1897 by local prospector William A. Dickey, even though McKinley had no connection with the region. The park was established as Mount McKinley National Park on February 26, 1917 and was designated a wilderness area. . The status of the original park, whose name had been subject to local criticism from the onset, was changed when it was incorporated into the larger Denali National Park and Preserve by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980. At this time the Alaska Board of Geographic Names changed the name of the mountain back to "Denali," though the U.S. Board of Geographic Names maintains "McKinley". Alaskans tend to use "Denali" and rely on context to distinguish between the park and the mountain. The park was designated an international biosphere reserve in 1976. Today, the park hosts more than 300,000 visitors who enjoy wildlife viewing, mountaineering, and backpacking.
Denali habitat is a mix of forest at the lowest elevations, tundra at middle elevations, and glaciers, rock, and snow at the highest elevations. Wildlife viewing is a popular summertime recreational activity at Denali, with grizzly bears, moose, Dall sheep, caribou, and occasionally wolves being seen. Wintertime recreation includes dog-sledding, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling where allowed.
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