Wrangell-St. Elias
The largest US national park, with huge glaciers, high peaks and a copper mill town
- Hours
- Open 24 hours; facilities summer only
- Entry
- Free entry
- Reservations
- Not required
- Size
- 13.2 million acres
Wrangell-St. Elias Weather Now
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Wrangell-St. Elias is the largest unit in the National Park System at about 13.2 million acres, bigger than Yellowstone, Yosemite and Switzerland combined. Four mountain ranges meet here, and the park holds 9 of the 16 highest peaks in the United States plus some of the largest glaciers on the continent. It was created in 1980 under the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. Together with neighboring parks in Canada and Alaska, it is part of a World Heritage Site.
Only two gravel roads reach into the park, so most visitors drive the McCarthy Road to the footbridge at the Kennicott River. From there you walk into the tiny town of McCarthy or ride a shuttle 5 miles up to Kennecott, where copper mining ran from 1911 to 1938. The mill buildings still cling to the hillside above the Kennicott Glacier, and the Root Glacier is an easy walk away. Many visitors fly in small planes over the icefields, the only way to see much of this roadless country.
The park and surrounding area
- Park boundary
- Other parks
- Major highway
- Road
- Rivers and lakes
- Town
Plan your trip
- Best time to go
- Mid-June through August, when the roads are maintained, the visitor centers and shuttles are running and days are long.
- How long to stay
- Plan at least two to three days, since the drive to McCarthy alone takes most of a day.
- Getting there
- Anchorage (ANC) is about 4 hours by car to the Copper Center visitor center and roughly 7 to 8 hours to the McCarthy footbridge; Fairbanks (FAI) is about 5 hours to Slana and the Nabesna Road.
- Wildlife
- Look for moose, caribou, Dall sheep, mountain goats, grizzly and black bears, bald eagles and spawning salmon near Chitina.
Plan and book
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Where to stay
Tours and activities
- Guided tours on Viator (opens in a new tab)Day trips, wildlife, photography
- Tours on GetYourGuide (opens in a new tab)Compare options and reviews
- Campsites on Recreation.gov (opens in a new tab)Official federal booking site
What to pack for Wrangell-St. Elias
- Full-size spare tireThe gravel roads are hard on tires and help can be hours away.
- Bear sprayGrizzly and black bears live throughout the park.
- Microspikes or cramponsNeeded for a safe walk on the bare ice of the Root Glacier.
- Waterproof rain jacketRain is common in summer, especially near the coast and glaciers.
- Mosquito head netBugs can be thick in June and July away from the wind.
A first day, start to finish
- Walk the footbridge into McCarthy
- Shuttle up to Kennecott
- Kennecott Visitor Center and mill town walk
- Root Glacier Trail
- Evening flightseeing from McCarthy
Don't miss
- Kennecott MinesA National Historic Landmark copper mill town with red-and-white buildings, including a 14-story mill, about 5 miles past McCarthy.
- Root Glacier TrailA walk of about 4 miles round trip from Kennecott to the edge of the Root Glacier, where guided ice hikes head out onto the ice in summer.
- McCarthy RoadA 59-mile gravel road on an old railroad bed from Chitina to the Kennicott River, ending at a footbridge where you walk into McCarthy.
- Nabesna RoadA 42-mile gravel road from Slana in the north of the park with mountain views, three stream crossings and free camping at Kendesnii.
- FlightseeingSmall-plane flights from McCarthy, Chitina and Glennallen over icefields and peaks like Mount St. Elias, the second-highest in the US at 18,008 feet.
Know before you go
Do
- Fill your gas tank and carry a full-size spare before driving the McCarthy or Nabesna roads.
- Check whether your rental car contract allows gravel roads, since many prohibit the McCarthy Road.
- Bring a card, because the park does not accept cash.
Don't
- Expect open visitor centers or shuttles in October; they close for the season by late September.
- Try to drive into McCarthy, which is reached on foot over the Kennicott River footbridge.
- Walk onto the glacier without crampons and experience, or hire a guide.
The park's lands are open 24 hours a day, year-round, but all visitor centers and ranger stations close from October through April. In 2026 the Copper Center visitor center was open May 11 to September 20 and the Kennecott Visitor Center May 23 to September 13. The state maintains the McCarthy Road from spring through October 1, and neither park road is regularly maintained in winter.
Leave your car at the footbridge and take the summer shuttle up to Kennecott, then walk back down to McCarthy through the trees.Trekker's tip