Getting Started: The Denali Geo-Venture Series

To take part in Denali Geo-Ventures please read the guidelines and suggestions below and get ready to discover fascinating features of Denali’s landscape!
 
What you will need to participate:

• GPS device
• A user account at geocaching.com for obtaining the EarthCache description (or obtain a hardcopy at the Murie Science & Learning Center)
  
• Download or printout the specific EarthCache description & coordinates (also available at the Murie Science & Learning Center)
  
• A pen or pencil
• Enthusiasm to explore Denali National Park and Preserve!

 
Things to know before your Denali Geo-Venture:

1. All of the Denali Geo-Venture sites are located on established park trails or roads and are within the first 15 miles of the park road. There is no need to go off these durable surfaces to find your site. Help us protect the park by avoiding the trampling of the fragile subarctic plants. Also, please abide by the Leave No Trace ethics for your entire stay in Denali.
2. Denali Geo-Ventures do not involve any physical caches to be found. You will be required to look for a clue at each cache and email your answer to courses@murieslc.org.
3. The completion of these Denali Geo-Ventures is easiest in the summer when the Park Road is open beyond Park Headquarters. In the winter months access to some of the caches can be done on a day hike, yet may require travel through snow and challenging conditions. For information about visiting Denali and weather conditions call the Denali Visitor Information line at (907) 683-9532.
4. Summer visitors with or without personal vehicles can participate in the Denali Geo-Ventures. If visiting without your own vehicle, you may need to make use of the free Savage River Shuttle bus to reach some of the Denali Geo-Venture sites. Consult a Shuttle Bus Schedule for hours of operation.
5. While there is no fee for participation in the Denali Geo-Venture program, all visitors to Denali National Park and Preserve are required to pay the park entrance fee at the Denali Visitor Center or the Wilderness Access Center. Entrance fees are $10 per individual or $20 per vehicle. Several park passes are available and may be used in lieu of the park entrance fee. The entrance fee is built into the cost of any park bus ticket and is good for 7 days.
6. For the east-end Park Visitor Center hours of operation visit this page of the Denali National Park and Preserve website.
7. Denali is a wilderness that is home to many species of wildlife, large and small. To ensure your safety while in this wilderness please remember to Keep Wildlife Wild and review our Bear and Wildlife Safety information.

How the program works:

1. Set up a geocaching.com membership to access complete EarthCache listings. The basic membership is free!
2. Search for the EarthCaches found in Denali National Park and Preserve.
3. The estimated time to complete each EarthCache varies depending on trail conditions, terrain, and your own pace preference. Check the difficulty and terrain ratings listed on each EarthCache to help you decide which one is best for you.
4. Log in and either download or print the GPS coordinates and descriptions for each of the EarthCaches you have selected. Once in the park, use your GPS device to locate the EarthCache objective(s) and answer the questions. Each Denali Geo-Venture is a separate cache so you can choose to complete the ones that look most interesting or are most suitable for you.
5. Return to the geocaching.com website to log in your EarthCache find and give a short statement about your experience. You also need to email the answers to the Denali Geo-Venture questions to courses@murieslc.org to obtain credit for the find (& so that you won’t give away the answers to future EarthCache enthusiasts.)

        You're On Your Way!