Rising tall against the endless tundra and boreal forests below, the highest peak in North America dominates the central Alaska landscape. Soaring 20,310 feet above the earth, the mountain, known for its extreme weather and sheer vertical rise, has long been a challenge for mountaineers and a sacred place for the Koyukon Athabascans, who have lived in its shadows for millennia.
In one of his first acts back in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to change the peak’s labeling from the traditional Koyukon Athabascan name of Denali to Mount McKinley, after the 25th president, William McKinley. Per the January 20 executive order, the interior secretary must make the changes within 30 days. It’s worth noting that only the name of the mountain will change—the name of the more than 6-million-acre Denali National Park and Preserve will remain the same.
It’s a move that has been met with resistance from many Alaska lawmakers, Indigenous organizations, and tourism entities—some of which have already signaled plans not to observe the retitling.
“It’s not just a name, it’s a symbol of history, culture, and respect,” Alaska Representative Maxine Dibert, who is Koyukon Athabascan, said on the House floor shortly before signing a January 27 bi-partisan resolution opposing the renaming. “Denali is more than a mountain. It’s a cornerstone of Alaska’s history, a tribute to our diverse culture, and a testament to the people who have cherished this land for millennia.”
Similarly, Alaska’s two senators, both Republicans, said they disagree with the rechristening. In a statement, Senator Lisa Murkowski said, “You can’t improve upon the name that Alaska’s Koyukon Athabascans bestowed on North America’s tallest peak, Denali: “the Great One.” For years, I advocated in Congress to restore the rightful name for this majestic mountain to respect Alaska’s first people who have lived on these lands for thousands of years. This is an issue that should not be relitigated.”
It’s not the mountain’s first name change. The peak’s moniker has been disputed for more than 100 years. Though the Koyukon Athabascan people have called the formation Denali (which translates to “the high one” or “the great one”) for thousands of years, the mountain first became associated with a presidential candidate in 1896 when a gold prospector passing through the region referred to the peak as Mount McKinley in a newspaper article. McKinley had never traveled to Alaska and had no connection to the state. However, the name was federally adopted in 1917. In 1975, Alaska officially changed the name to Denali, at least within the state, and in 1980, the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act changed the surrounding park’s name to Denali National Park and Preserve. The mountain’s original name wasn’t restored until 2015, when the Obama administration adopted the name federally.
“President McKinley championed tariffs to protect U.S. manufacturing, boost domestic production, and drive U.S. industrialization and global reach to new heights. He was tragically assassinated in an attack on our nation’s values and our success, and he should be honored for his steadfast commitment to American greatness,” states President Trump’s January 20 executive order, which is titled “Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness.”
The same order directs that the Gulf of Mexico be renamed the Gulf of America.
Already, the national park system has changed online references to the Alaskan peak. Similarly, Google now notes that the tallest mountain in North America is “Denali, officially known as Mount McKinley,” and the Associated Press updated its style guide to say the peak would be called Mount McKinley.
While the alteration must be reflected in the federal Geographic Names Information System run by the U.S. Geological Survey, part of the Interior Department, to be considered official, calling the peak Mt. McKinley could be met with noncompliance from some entities.
Explore Fairbanks, the regional destination marketing organization that oversees Denali National Park, released a resolution opposing the renaming of the mountain on January 29, saying, “Reinstating the name Mt. McKinely would disregard the voices of Alaska’s Indigenous communities, undermine state and federal recognition of Indigenous heritage, and erode the cultural and historical integrity of the mountain’s identity.” The resolution added that Explore Fairbanks will continue to call the mountain Denali.
Jordan Sanford, president of Doyon, an Alaska Native travel corporation that focuses on providing culturally immersive tourism experiences within Denali National Park and elsewhere in the state, told Afar, “We believe that understanding the land’s history and the perspectives of Indigenous communities is crucial to truly connect with Alaska, a place deeply rooted in Indigenous culture. We continue to refer to the mountain by its traditional name, Denali, a name that has held deep significance for generations.”
The Alaska Travel Industry Association’s President and CEO Jillian Simpson told Afar, “We suspect that regardless of its official name, most Alaskans, including the Indigenous people who named the mountain, will continue to call North America’s highest peak Denali.”
The inconsistent naming, Sanford noted, could initially be perplexing for travelers due to inconsistent signage, maps, and marketing materials that still use Denali. She added that when the federal government adopted Denali as the official naming in 2015, there was “confusion among travelers from outside [the state], as Mount McKinley was the widely known name, while Denali was used in Alaska. It took time for Denali to gain more national recognition, and certainly, when the name Denali was adopted federally, it helped.”
Beth Ginondidoy Leonard, a professor of Indigenous studies at Alaska Pacific University, hopes the dual naming will compel travelers to search for a deeper understanding of the history of Alaska Natives and their cultures.
“Alaska Native peoples, in particular Dene’/Athabascan, have been in the interior of Alaska for at least 20,000 years. The naming/renaming of Mt. McKinley to Denali and Denali to again Mt. McKinley is part of a long history of colonization and attempted erasure of Alaska Native cultures,” said Leonard. “I believe that travelers, if properly educated, will come to understand the depth of our presence here in Alaska.”
