Wrangell-St. Elias
MOUNTAINS · AK

Wrangell-St. Elias

National Park & Preserve
RANKED #27 OF 64 · COMPOSITE RANKING

The Details

The largest national park in the US — bigger than Switzerland — with nine of the continent's sixteen highest peaks.

STATE
AK
ESTABLISHED
1980
AREA
13.2M acres
ECOSYSTEM
Mountains

When To Visit

Best Time To Visit

MONTH BY MONTH
BEST TIME TO GO

Late June–August: warm, long days, with the McCarthy Road open and clear days for flightseeing.

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WEATHER
CROWDS
Weather: greatokaytough — heat, cold, snow, monsoon or closures
Crowds: quietmoderatebusy
CROWDS

Very few visitors, mostly in July and August.

WEATHER

The McCarthy Road is rough gravel and flat tires are common. Rivers swell in summer, weather can ground flights, and winters are severe.

General patterns — conditions vary by year. Check current NPS alerts and road status before you go.

How Far

Park Entrances

SET YOUR LOCATION
Every entrance is a different drive. Enter your ZIP to compare:
Copper Center Visitor Center
DIRECTIONS →
McCarthy Road / Kennecott
DIRECTIONS →

Nearest Airports

ESTIMATED DRIVE TO THE PARK
ANC
Anchorage IntlNEAREST
≈ 204 mi · ~4.1 hr drive to Copper Center Visitor Center
DIRECTIONS →
FAI
Fairbanks Intl
≈ 266 mi · ~5.3 hr drive to Copper Center Visitor Center
DIRECTIONS →

Distances are rough estimates to the closest entrance. Check road and ferry conditions before you go.

What To Do

Top Things To Do

◆Drive the McCarthy Road
◆Tour the Kennecott copper mill
◆Hike to Root Glacier
◆Take a flightseeing tour

Where To Stay

Camping

Campgrounds inside the park are booked through Recreation.gov, and many fill months ahead.

FIND CAMPSITES ON RECREATION.GOV ↗

Lodging & Nearby Towns

INSIDE THE PARK
Kennicott Glacier LodgeMa Johnson's Hotel
GATEWAY TOWNS
Copper CenterGlennallenMcCarthyChitina

Cool Facts & Figures

By The Numbers

#1
LARGEST OF 64
#48
OLDEST OF 64
13,175,799
ACRES
46
YEARS PROTECTED
◆At 13.2 million acres, it is the largest national park in the U.S. — about six times the size of Yellowstone.
◆Nine of the 16 highest peaks in the U.S. are in or near the park.

Links

Plan Your Visit

OFFICIAL & TRUSTED SITES
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