DENALI PARK, Alaska: The 2013 annual road lottery in Denali National Park and Preserve will take place on September 13, 14, 15, and 16 (Friday through Monday), weather permitting. Each day 400 vehicles may use their day-long permits, obtained through the lottery system, to travel the Denali Park Road.

If weather permits, the road may be open for its entire 92-mile length, offering exceptional opportunities for experiencing the heart of the park.

This year the road lottery entry period will begin on May 1, a month earlier than in previous years. Entries may be made online at www.recreation.gov beginning at 12:01 am on May 1 until midnight, June 30, 2013 (Alaska time). Entries can also be done by phone at (877) 444-6777 between the hours of 6:00 am – 8:00 pm (Alaska time) from May 1 – June30. Beginning in 2014, the road lottery entry period will be May 1 – 31.

Effective this year, the National Park Service will no longer accept checks or mail in entries for the road lottery.This change is taking place to bring Denali’s procedures into alignment with national directives to decrease cash collecting and handling in the field.

The non-refundable entry fee payment of $10 is charged to a credit or debit card during the online or phone application process. Winners will be charged the $25 Road Lottery Fee to the same card at the time of the drawing in July. The $25 fee will not be refunded if the Park Road does not open on the day of the permit due to weather or road conditions.

Everyone who submitted an entry will be notified regarding the status of their entry via email or U.S. mail.Those who are drawn in the lottery will also receive an email or letter confirming the day of their permit, with additional information on how to obtain the road permit and how to prepare for their visit to the park.

By July 15, the names of individuals drawn for permits will also be posted on the park website atwww.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/road-lottery.htm.

All permit holders must pay the park entrance fee of $10 per person (for visitors age 16 or older) on the day of their permit unless they have a federal recreation pass such as the Denali Annual Pass or the America the Beautiful – National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass (Annual, Senior, Access, or Volunteer). Go to www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/feesandreservations.htm for more information.

Permits are transferable, i.e. the person awarded the permit can give it to someone else if they are not able to participate that weekend. The person transferring the permit must provide the original notification and a short note explaining the transfer to the new permit holder, who must bring that documentation to the park when they check in for their road permit.

The possibility of inclement weather in September is always a factor. Some years the road has only been partially open because of snow. Lottery participants are encouraged to contact the park for updated road and weather information the day before or the morning of their permit.

The Riley Creek, Savage River, and Teklanika River campgrounds will be open through the road lottery weekend, weather permitting. Campsites are not included in the road permit, but can be reserved in advance via www.reservedenali.com or 800- 622-7275. Information on campgrounds and accommodations outside the park is available through the Denali Chamber of Commerce at www.denalichamber.com or 907- 683-4636.

Lottery information is available on the park website at www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/road-lottery.htm or by calling park headquarters at 907- 683-9532 from 9 am -4:00 pm daily. Additional park information is available on the web at www.nps.gov/dena. Stay connected with “DenaliNPS” on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, and iTunes – links to these social media sites are available at www.nps.gov/dena.

Source: Denali National Park and Reserve