So You're Visiting Denali in March...

March is an adventurous time to visit Denali National Park! If you're planning a trip to Denali in March, here are a few things you should know beforehand.

Here's a list of things we will cover if you want to jump to that info!

• Alaska in March

• Denali National Park Access

• Seasonal Tips

• Average Daylight

• Dining

• Fun Activities and Extras

Alaska in March -

What is the typical weather in Denali National Park during this time? March, on average, has a high of 18°F and a low of -6°F. But you can anticipate a wider range of temperatures depending on the winter! Some winters, temperatures "soar" to 40°F or drop to -20°F.

Can I see the Northern Lights at this time? Yes!! March is a good time of year for Northern Lights - it's in the height of the Aurora season but you might see them while enduring the below-zero-temperatures. Cool nights make for crisp lights! We use this site from the University of Alaska Fairbanks to help track how visible the aurora might be on any particular night.

Where can we go to view the Aurora/Northern Lights?  If you're looking to experience them in the Denali area with a little bit more open skies - head to Otto Lake or Stampede Road where the skies are open and there is little light pollution. There are some fabulous opportunities for photographing them.

Denali National Park Access - 

March is still "off season" in Denali.  We are just becoming to get through our long winters. There will not be many tours running, nearly all restaurants are closed for the winter, there will be snow and you're likely to experience below zero temperatures! March is fantastic for seeing the northern lights, taking winter hikes, going cross country skiing and you’ll get to experience our area more like a local than like a tourist. It will take a little creativity to still achieve all of the items on your Denali National Park bucket list.

The Park Road is likely to be open to mile 13, but it'll be longer until it's open past there.  There are still plenty of things to do in the area before mile 13, but snow and ice conditions typically make maintaining the Park Road in the winter months a chore. So whatever mileage the road is currently open to, be flexible! A late winter storm could close the road back to mile 3 or mile 1.5 on a moments notice.

Can we still go hiking in Denali in March? Absolutely - well, maybe!! The weather is unpredictable this time of year, and trails may not yet be cleared. If they are full of snow, you are still able to hike them. Trails in Denali are not maintained everyday to snow conditions, so you might be the first hiker breaking trail on a maintained path! Make sure to have good hiking boots or snow boots and solid winter gear. You can also stop by the Denali National Park winter visitors center to borrow - for free!! - snowshoes or ice cleats from the park service. You'll just need your national parks pass or Denali pass to show them in exchange for borrowing these items.

Seasonal Tips -

You need to make sure your rental car can "plug in".  When checking out your rental car, make sure to ask if it has been winterized. If you are going to be traveling the Parks Highway (that's the highway to get to Denali from either Fairbanks or Anchorage) your car needs to have a block heater that can be plugged in every night. March is a cold month and this is a must for winter travel - and your car rental company might try to skimp out on this necessity. This is also a good thing to ask if you check out a car privately from a site like Turo.

What winter tours are available?  Looking to go white water rafting, ziplining or on an ATV in Denali in March? Sorry!! You're out of luck! Most of these tours close in accordance with the Denali National Park official season, which typically runs from May 15 until September 15. For up to date information about visitor information, visit the Discover Denali Winter Visitation Page where local business share their availability. At the time of this publication, it looks like there several dog sled tours and a Fat Truck Tour. To see all winter tours, click here.

Average Daylight - 

We are gaining daylight, hallelujah! March's average daylight grows rapidly this month. March 1 typically has 10 hours and 18 minutes of daylight, while March 31 has 13 hours and 28 minutes of daylight.

Dining -

Restaurant options are considerably more limited in the Denali, Healy, McKinley areas in the deep winter months. Many restaurants close up for the winter beginning in mid September and will not reopen until early-to-mid May. There is likely to only be one or two restaurants available, but Healy does have its own full service grocery store, and there are several food options there even if your lodging does not have a full kitchen. You can see what restaurants are listed with our local chamber to be open in the winter months here.

Fun Activities & Extras -

There are no annual public events in our Denali communities in March.  But there are plenty of local activities going on. You can see the Denali Chamber of Commerce's live community calendar here.

What other questions do you have about visiting Denali in March?

Enjoy this post? This is our first post in our series, but eventually, You can see the other months in our series here:

January ~ February ~ March ~ April ~ May ~ June ~ July ~ August ~ September ~ October ~ November ~ December