Denali National Park And Preserve Is One Of The Best Places To See Northern Lights

Alaskans are incredibly lucky to witness the Northern Lights more than most Americans. Though aurora borealis is impossible to predict, one of the best places to experience this natural wonder is Denali National Park And Preserve.

Denali National Park and Preserve is so vast that it’s easy to feel small while exploring a portion of its six million acres. Everything in this park is magical - from its sweeping vistas to its wildlife to its night skies.

Steve Sellers/flickr

Denali is one of the best places in the entire country to witness aurora borealis. Because the skies over this remote wilderness are free from light pollution, it’s easier to see the phenomenon when it occurs.

Denali National Park and Preserve/flickr

While the Northern Lights can be visible year-round, it’s only starting in mid-August that we can see them from Alaska. While aurora can be predicted, those predictions are difficult to get accurate, because many factors must occur for it to be visible.

NPS Natural Resources/flickr

The northern lights occur when bursts of solar wind and (coronal mass ejections) interact with the magnetic and electrical forces in the earth’s atmosphere. This can happen as often as three times per day. When the sky is clear at night, and conditions are dark enough, you can view the Northern Lights when they occur.

Kevan Dee/flickr

When conditions are right, you can also view the aurora from Fairbanks or Anchorage. Where have you seen the northern lights in Alaska? Share your tips with our readers!

Steve Sellers/flickr

Denali National Park and Preserve/flickr

NPS Natural Resources/flickr

Kevan Dee/flickr

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