Denali is the highest mountain in a National Park Service unit and in North America.
Denali rises to 20,310 feet above sea level, making it the highest peak in North America. It stands in Alaska’s Denali National Park and Preserve and is the centerpiece of the Alaska Range.
The mountain was long known internationally as Mount McKinley, a name applied in 1896. “Denali,” meaning “the tall one” in Koyukon, is the traditional Alaska Native name. The federal government restored Denali as the official name in 2015.
Denali’s great elevation gain from its surrounding lowlands makes it especially imposing. Its upper slopes are permanently glaciated, and climbing conditions can be severe. Mount Saint Elias is taller than any other U.S. peak after Denali, but it does not exceed Denali’s height.