“So we’ll stay here for a couple of days and then we’re heading down to Seward as we originally planned,” he said.

But given the distance to travel to Alaska, it’s unlikely they’ll come back to see Denali, he said.

Florida residents John Montana and his wife, Donna, said they also learned early Monday that the train they planned to take for their two-day trip to visit the park was canceled. They’re part of a tour package with Holland America, he said, as they also awaited a trolley tour of Anchorage.

Suitcases with much of their clothing were already in Fairbanks, their planned departure point from the state, he said.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen, if we’re going to make it to Denali or not,” Montana said. “They might just take us straight to Fairbanks.”

The fire happened during the park’s busiest period, said park spokesman Paul Ollig. The park can see 4,000 visitors or more a day this time of year, he said.

Most tourists who are being turned away have been understanding, in part because they can see the fire at the entrance, he said.

“A couple of people have been frustrated, but we just point over our shoulders and say, ‘You see that?’” he said.

“We know this is a trip of a lifetime, and people want to see Denali, so we understand it’s frustrating,” he said. “But our priority right now is for the life and safety of the public and the firefighters.”

Vanessa Jusczak, director of the Denali Chamber of Commerce, said she thinks at least 2,000 travelers were affected by the lack of electricity and running water and toilets in Glitter Gulch.

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