Byers Lake Cabins — Denali State Park

Denali State Park is an integral part of one of North America's most spectacularly beautiful regions. The park's 325,240 acres, almost one-half the size of Rhode Island, provide the visitor with a great variety of recreational opportunities, ranging from roadside camping to wilderness exploration. The park is about 100 air miles north of Anchorage and is divided roughly in half by the George Parks Highway, the major road link between Anchorage and Fairbanks. Situated between the Talkeetna Mountains to the east and the Alaska Range to the west, the landscape varies from meandering lowland streams to alpine tundra. Dominating this diverse terrain are Curry and Kesugi Ridges, a 35 mile-long north/south alpine ridge, the backbone of the eastern half of the park.
"Kesugi" is a Tanaina Indian dialect word meaning "The Ancient One" and is a fitting complement of the Tanana Indian word "Denali" which means "The High One". At 20,320 feet, Denali is North America's highest peak. It literally and figuratively towers over Southcentral Alaska from its base in Denali National Park.
Denali State Park was established in 1970 and expanded to its present size in 1976. Its western boundary is shared with its much larger neighbor, Denali National Park and Preserve, formerly Mt. McKinley National Park.

• The use and discharge of a weapon for the purpose of lawful hunting or trapping is allowed in Denali State Park, except within one-half mile of a developed facility or the trail around the shoreline of Byers Lake, or within a quarter-mile of the Parks Highway between Mile 132 and Mile 170.

• The use of fixed wing aircraft is allowed in Denali State Park west of the Parks Highway and on Ermine Lake. Practice landings are not allowed. A person may land a helicopter in Denali State Park only if authorized by the director.

• The use of motorized boats is allowed in Denali State Park. If a motorized boat is used on Byers Lake, the boat may only be powered by an electric motor. The Tokositna River upstream from Pirate Lake is closed to the use of airboats between April 20 and July 10 annually unless authorized by the director. Jet skis and hovercraft are prohibited, except on the Susitna River.

• Open fires are allowed on the gravel bars in and along the Chulitna, Susitna, and Tokositna Rivers or confined to a structure provided by the division for fires.

• The use of horses, mules, and burros is allowed in Denali State Park, except for the following areas: designated campgrounds; Byers Lake Trail; Troublesome Creek Trail; Little Coal Creek Trail; Ermine Hill Trail; that portion of Denali State Park south of the township line between T29N and T30N, Seward Meridian; west of the range line between R4W and R5W, Seward Meridian; and east of the George Parks Highway.

• The use of horses, mules, and burros in Denali State Park is subject to the following conditions: a group using 10 or more animals must obtain authorization from the director under 11 AAC 18.0 10 before entering the state park; tethering horses, mules, and burros within 100 feet of fresh water is prohibited; loose herding of animals is prohibited.

• Recreational gold panning is allowed in Denali State Park only if the following conditions are met: no motorized equipment is used; only a gold pan or a shovel, or both, may be used; and no chemicals are used.

• Recreational gold panning in Denali State Park may be conducted on an anadromous fish stream only between May 16 and July 14 annually.

• For the purpose of recreational gold panning, a person may not extract or disturb natural materials above the ordinary high water line or where live vegetative matter exists in Denali State Park.

• The use of bicycles in Denali State Park is allowed only on designated trails west of the Parks Highway and on the Byers Lake Loop Trail.

• Highly popular, campers are encouraged to arrive as early as possible in the day, or reserve sites in advance. Overflow parking is usually available.

The Disabled U.S. Veteran Camping Pass is valid for free camping in all state park campgrounds, subject to all other park rules and stay limits. Passes must be properly displayed and the veteran must be physically present in the campsite each night for the pass to be honored. Second vehicles that can fit within the same defined parking space or site are exempted from paying additional camping fees. The pass is NOT valid for any Reservation Transaction Fees charged for reserving campsites.