National Park Service · Alaska
Sanctuary River
National Park Service · Alaska, United States · in Denali National Park & Preserve
- Sites
- 7
- Hookups
- 7 no hookups
- Drinking water
- No
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Showers
- No
- Dump station
- No
- Laundry
- No
- Elevation
- 2,464 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Lake
- Denali National Park
- Nearest town
- Denali Borough
- Phone
- (800) 622-7275
Season dates aren't confirmed for this campground yet - opening and closing dates haven't been verified. Check the operator's page or call ahead before you plan a trip.
Site map
The imagery of the campground. Press and hold the map to drop your own pins and notes; the operator publishes no site points here. Your ratings, notes, pins and photos are kept with the campground on your Saved list, the same list the camping map and the drive page keep.
Site map · loading…
About
Open in summer only (May 20 to mid-September). Sanctuary River is a heavily wooded campground, with screening between most sites. The immediate area is brushy, but nearby mountains offer chances to hike directly from the campground and gain elevation, with views of Mount McKinley to the south possible on clear days, after some strenuous up-hill hiking.
Sanctuary is tent-only—you will not find any RVs or other vehicles in this campground. It is accessible only by camper bus.
Fees
$25.75/night (regular), $13.00 (senior/access pass). Tent-only, camper-bus access only. Reserved through reservedenali.com.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9° | -2° | -31° | 31° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 14° | 4° | -28° | 32° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 9° | -2° | -23° | 36° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 32° | 20° | -18° | 41° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 46° | 33° | 25° | 65° | 10 of 11 |
| June | 59° | 45° | 35° | 71° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 59° | 49° | 42° | 79° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 55° | 45° | 37° | 68° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 48° | 38° | 29° | 58° | 4 of 11 |
| October | 28° | 19° | -2° | 41° | 10 of 10 |
| November | 11° | 2° | -25° | 30° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 8° | -4° | -31° | 34° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Trails nearby
- Primrose Concessions Trailhead · 3.5 mi as the crow flies · Drive there
- Savage Canyon Trailhead · 5.7 mi as the crow flies
Savage Alpine Trail 4.2 mi Hike, Savage Canyon Trail 1.7 mi Hike · Drive there - Savage Alpine Trailhead · 5.7 mi as the crow flies
Savage Alpine Trail 4.2 mi Hike, Savage Canyon Trail 1.7 mi Hike · Drive there - Savage Cabin Interpretive Trailhead · 6.5 mi as the crow flies
Savage Cabin Interpretive Trail 0.4 mi Hike · Drive there - Mountain Vista Trailhead · 6.5 mi as the crow flies
Mountain Vista Trail 0.8 mi Hike, Savage River Campground Trail 0.6 mi Hike · Drive there
All 57 trails in Denali National Park & Preserve
Trailheads the Park Service and the Forest Service map, within 10 miles as the crow flies; each trail's page has its length, climbing and the Service's description.
Nearby campgrounds
- Teklanika River · National Park Service · 5 mi · 53 sites
- Savage River · National Park Service · 7 mi · 32 sites
- Igloo Creek · National Park Service · 8 mi · 7 sites
- Riley Creek · National Park Service · 18 mi · 142 sites
- Riverside Park · City, County & Regional Parks · 44 mi
All public campgrounds in Alaska · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-08-21. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.