Denali National Park Welcomes Adorable Sled Dog Puppies

DENALI PARK, Alaska — Five playful sled dog puppies are stealing hearts at Denali National Park and Preserve. The puppies, born on May 3, are ready to captivate visitors and internet users alike as they become stars of the park’s live feed, which was launched on Friday.

The puppies, named Storm, Squall, Graupel, Fog, and Dew, are called the Weather Litter to commemorate a significant milestone. In 2024, the Denali Sled Dog Kennels and the National Weather Service celebrated 100 years of weather data collection by mushing rangers in the park.

“These names celebrate the diverse and sometimes dramatic ways water influences our weather,” park officials shared.

The proud parents of these puppies are Merlyn, a sled dog born in Denali Kennels in 2021, and Drumlin, who comes from a respected partner kennel in Minchumina, Alaska.

For those who can’t visit Alaska, the park provides daily live streams during feeding times at 11:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. Alaska Standard Time, or 3:45 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. ET.

Denali Sled Dog Kennels holds the unique distinction of being the only sled dog operation within the National Park Service. It is one of the oldest kennels in the country, having worked to patrol and protect the park’s 2 million acres since 1922.

These puppies are not just adorable; they are working dogs. Denali’s sled dogs run patrols and transport supplies across the vast Alaskan terrain.

Visitors who venture to the national park can meet the puppies during daily kennel visits and witness free sled dog programs.