Talkeetna Ranger Station

If you want to climb Denali (Mt. McKinley), this is where you have to come to get your permit. Not a climber? Visiting is still a fascinating lesson in mountaineering and Denali’s history—from interpretive programs to a titillating video about climbing that shows throughout the day. The rustic and beautiful building also hosts a permanent collection of photos of the Alaska Range. Photographer, explorer, and scientist Bradford Washburn is renowned for these photos, taken while mapping the mountain. They grip viewers with a realistic feel for the drama and scale of Denali’s glaciers and mountains.