j37642
East Tennessee
Senior Member
Joined: 01/12/2004
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
 Offline
|
I am trying to figure out, after studying the informaiton on the NPS website, which campground I should stay at and when to go to Denali. We are making our plans for 2012. I would like to hear from others who have been there and what campground was chosen and what time of the summer do you think best to visit Denali. So far, it looks like we are choosing from Tek or Riley. Thanks in advance for any information you could give us.
Jerry 35J Bounder Diesel motorhome
2005 Lance 1181 Max with all options
2003 Dodge Laramie 3500 CTD HO DRW, Air bags, SprSprngs, Rancho R9000X, XM Radio, Garmin GPS, Hellwig sway bar, Centramatics
..RVing since 1966
|
Two Hands
California's Central Coast
Senior Member
Joined: 09/12/2006
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
 Online
|
We stayed in the Riley Creek Campground in Denali National Park over July Fourth (not a firework to be seen or heard) a couple years ago. Very nice, primitive campground with great scenery and wildlife in abundance, very short walk to pick up the park bus. We were in a 34' fifth wheel so there were a limited amount of sites for our size. Make your reservations now and have a great trip.
2011 Fleetwood Southwind 32VS
2009 Ford Edge
Retired Law Enforcement
U.S. Army 1965-1973/RVN 1968-'69
|
BigRigRVing
formerly CA
Senior Member
Joined: 11/27/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
2012 will be our 7th straight round trip to AK. We like to stay at Tek for 3 or 4 days and then stay at Riley Creek to explore the enterance area of NP, commercial area outside of NP, take a ride out Stamped Road in Healy, just north of NP and so on. If this is your first trip perhaps stay at Riley Creek one or 2 nights then head out to Tek for 3 or more days.
Gary & Cheryl and our chocolate lab named Caddy
2005 Newmar Mountain Aire 4304 w/ Blue-Ox Sports Lift
2006 Jeep Rubicon
HD 2006 Softtail Deluxe
www.BigRigRVing.com
|
jessjerr1831
Colorado
Full Member
Joined: 01/11/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
|
Stayed at the Savage River Campground in 2010 last week of June and 4th of July time frame. We liked it as it was easy to run to the Visitors Center & etc. when we wanted to and was not crowded. Probably 1/2 full when we stayed there. Site 30 has a great view of Denali when it is out. Was not at all impressed with the Riley Creek shower set up at all. Not clean at all, Nothing to hang anything on in shower stalls such as hooks of any kind. They were all broken off. Had to use a key to get in for just that particular shower and when I was not impressed with the shower I was given could not get into any other without a different key. Management was very indifferent when I complained. Of course that probably also says a lot about the people who camped there and used the facilities and then proceeded to tear them apart.
|
morley
British Columbia
Senior Member
Joined: 03/17/2010
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Riley Creek is a good location .
We were there in July of 2010 and had made reservations for our site before hand.
Savage Creek is nice. A little bit up the road into the park if I remember correctly.
The sites seemed smaller there but definitely not as busy and hectic as Riley Creek. I would assume that you would need a reservation at Savage also.
Denali Park is a nice spot and hopefully your weather will be good enough to see Mt. Mckinely. Supposedly it is only visible 20% of the time.
2008 Topaz F254SS 26 ft.
2009 Chevy Silverado, 2500HD, Duramax, Allison Tranny, 4x4, EC
Honda EUi2000
|
|
|
2chiefsRus
USA Somewhere
Senior Member
Joined: 09/08/2004
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
We spent 4 nights at Teklanika in July 2009. It was great to be able to ride the shuttle bus multiple times with the TEK Pass. We only had to pay for our first ticket (each) and then rode the bus the rest of the days on a space available basis - never a problem getting a seat. We also spent a few days outside the front of the Park to explore the front area around the park.
Dave & Kathy
2007 Monaco Knight 40PDQ towing 2003 Odyssey
Fulltime since October 2007
Before you give someone a piece of your mind, make sure you can get by with what will be left.
|
GrandmaCarol
Cadiz, KY
Senior Member
Joined: 02/15/2004
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
We've stayed at Tek and Savage River. Loved how much TEK shortened the time to Wonder Lake, as well as being able to use the TEK pass. We also loved Savage River since we had great views of the mountain the whole time we were there. We checked out Riley before we left, and it looked okay, but it would be my third choice.
|
2gypsies
You're Not Goin' Find Us!
Senior Member
Joined: 04/02/2003
View Profile
|
We stayed 5 nights at Riley and 5 nights at Teklanika. There is a lot to do in the front part of Denali - ranger talks, ranger walks, excellent visitor center & exhibits, dog sled demo. You can drive your car within this area. Then moving to Teklanika is really when we saw all the critters. You purchase a Tek shuttle bus pass and can take it whenever you want to get to the far part of the park. You cannot drive your car/RV beyond the campground and once there, cannot drive any more. The bus is great - get on and off wherever you want and it picks you up at the campground. Both are great experiences!! Oh, the two times we've gone were in June and August. Saw lots of animals both times. In August the fireweed was gorgeous with blooms! Have a great trip.
Full-Timers for 16 years
2004 40' Newmar Dutch Star Diesel Pusher
2004 Jeep Liberty
|
hokeypokey
xxx
Senior Member
Joined: 05/14/2009
View Profile
Offline
|
Riley was very nice. Before that, we spent 1 night at Grizzly RV Park which is outside of Denali but not far away. It was fine.
|
johnwalkerpa1
Pennsylvania
Full Member
Joined: 10/16/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
We also spent several days around Healy north of the park last summer. Three nights were spend at McKinley RV Park. The park itself was nice enough...poor showers but otherwise ok.
The only big caution was the loud outdoor music until about 1:30 AM coming from the resturant/bar on the top of the hill. I don't know if that is common or we just got unlucky! But, it kept us awake at night even with every "white noise producer" we had running. We could block the music itself but nothing could block the bass that was thumping loud enough to shake the windows on the motorhome. I had a bad dream that I was trapped all night in some urban hip-hop night club 
Its funny now, but was not at the time...bad enough that I would not go back...
|
|
|
