Our mission is more than words—it’s the guiding force behind everything we do and the values that unite our team. It shapes how we work, how we care for the land, and how we inspire our guests. Discover the core principles that drive our purpose below.
What sets Camp Denali apart is our unwavering commitment to education. We’re not here to offer a quick photo stop or a box to check. Our goal is to foster deep, lasting connections between our guests and the wild heart of Denali—and to send them home with a renewed sense of wonder and stewardship for the natural world.
Our Naturalist Guides are professional educators with expertise across the natural sciences. Each day, rain or shine, they lead immersive hikes into Denali’s remote wilderness, transforming the landscape into a living classroom. Evenings continue the discovery with engaging programs that illuminate the park’s ecology, history, and ongoing changes.
Learning at Camp Denali doesn’t stop on the trail or in the classroom. From dining room conversations to casual moments with staff, guests are surrounded by people who share knowledge, spark curiosity, and inspire thoughtful dialogue.
At Camp Denali, every experience is designed to open eyes, deepen understanding, and kindle a lifelong connection to this extraordinary place.
At Camp Denali, conservation isn’t an add-on—it’s the heart of who we are. More than offering upscale lodging and fine dining, our purpose is to spark a lasting passion for Denali National Park and its preservation. Over the years, that mission has become inseparable from how we live and work sustainably.
Our business model reflects the values we want to inspire in our guests. Naturalist Guides weave Leave No Traceprinciples and climate education into every hike. Conversations on the trail naturally connect the awe of the subarctic landscape with the urgency of protecting it.
We back up these values with action: a solar array powers the lodge, dramatically cutting diesel use. Our greenhouse supplies fresh produce, supplemented by local organic growers, and 100% of our meat comes from Alaskan suppliers. Even our cleaning products are carefully chosen for their low environmental impact—though they sometimes require a little extra elbow grease to meet our standards of “Camp Denali clean.”
As a staff member, you don’t just observe these practices—you live them. From weighing food waste and recycling to modeling mindful choices, you’ll help set the tone for what sustainable hospitality can look like in one of the most extraordinary places on Earth.
Our community traditions touch both guest and staff experiences. Building real community takes effort, but the rewards are meaningful.
We live, work, and play alongside our guests and fellow staff, and we encourage everyone to engage with one another and share their unique talents beyond work tasks. It’s not always easy—living and working in close quarters requires patience, flexibility, and care—but many current and former staff describe the Camp Denali community as a circle of lifelong friendships.
Notably, we don’t expect perfection—but our commitment to excellence drives everything we do. We strive to provide exceptional service, both for our guests and for our own professional growth.
As someone once said, the difference between good and excellent service is attention to detail. At Camp Denali, that attention goes beyond the ordinary. You’ll be asked to notice and care for details—cleanliness, presentation, and guest experience—that you may never have thought about before.
Place is more than a location—it shapes who we are and how we live our mission. Nestled in one of North America’s most breathtaking landscapes, we engage intentionally with our surroundings, recognizing the role they play in everything we do.
Denali National Park is our playground, our classroom, and our home. We honor the people who came before us—both at Camp Denali and in Kantishna—and act with awareness that our choices today leave a mark on the history we steward and the legacy we pass forward.
