Denali National Park was originally called Mount McKinley National Park when it was established in 1917. In 1980, it was renamed Denali National Park and Preserve.

Quick Scoop

  • Before: Mount McKinley National Park.
  • Now: Denali National Park and Preserve.
  • The name Denali comes from the traditional Koyukon Athabascan name for the mountain.

Simple context

The park’s name changed in 1980 as part of a larger conservation expansion, but the mountain itself kept the Mount McKinley name federally until 2015.