Wrangell-St. Elias National Preserve
National Preserve · AK
Wrangell-St. Elias is a vast national park that rises from the ocean all the way up to 18,008 ft. At 13.2 million acres, the park is the same size as Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park, and Switzerland combined! Within this wild landscape, people continue to live off the land as they have done for centuries. This rugged, beautiful land is filled with opportunities for adventure.
- NPS site
- nps.gov/wrst
- Location
- Wrangell - St Elias National Park & Preserve (61.418, -142.603)
Track your visit to Wrangell-St. Elias National Preserve
NP Tracker keeps a record of every National Park Service unit you visit — all 430-plus of them. Log visits with dates and photos, collect passport stamps, plan trips, and watch your map fill in. It's free.
Passport stamp locations
- Chitina Ranger Station
- Kennecott Visitor Center
- Kennecott Visitor Center in Blackburn School
- Slana Ranger Station
Hours
Headquarters Visitor Center - Copper Center, AKclosed today
- Sat Oct 3Closed
- Sun Oct 4Closed
- Mon Oct 5Closed
- Tue Oct 6Closed
- Wed Oct 7Closed
- Thu Oct 8Closed
- Fri Oct 9Closed
The park and public lands are always open but visitor facilities have limited seasons: Open in Summer. Call ahead for hours: Copper Center (907) 822-7250, Slana (907) 822-7401, Chitina (907) 823-7250 and Kennecott (907) 205-7106. CLOSED Mid-September through April.
Kennecott Visitor Center - Kennecott, AKclosed today
- Sat Oct 3
Visitor centers
5
- Chitina Ranger Stationclosed todayDirections
- Kennecott Visitor Centerclosed todayDirections
- Slana Ranger Stationclosed todayDirections
- Wrangell-St. Elias Visitor Center in Copper Centerclosed todayDirections
Self-guided tours
5
Drive McCarthy Road8–10 hours · 9 stops
Once the gateway to tremendous fortunes from mining copper and gold, McCarthy Road is now the gateway to spectacular scenery, vast wilderness, and adventure. For those willing to leave the pavement behind, this unpaved 60 mile road provides access to many natural and historic wonders of our largest park. The road ends at the Kennicott River footbridge, where you can walk, bike or take a shuttle 5 miles further to the Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark.
Drive Nabesna Road4–8 hours · 8 stops
The unpaved Nabesna Road stretches for 42 scenic miles, and it is much the same today as it was when it was built back in 1934 to transport gold from the mines. Generally, the Nabesna Road is passable by any two-wheel drive vehicle. But especially after it has rained, stream crossings may become impassable. At times, the road is rough and you may need a four wheel drive vehicle. Please be cautious and take care, as there may be uneven surfaces, potholes, and washouts present.
Hike the Boreal Forest Trail around the visitor center in Copper Center1–2 hours · 10 stops
Short walking trails with interpretive wayside signs around the Visitor Center complex in Copper Center, including the Exhibit Hall. Boreal Forest Trail: 1/2 mile loop, easy, partly paved, partly gravel, no elevation change. Copper River Bluff Trail: 1/2 mile loop, moderately difficult, gravel, some elevation change with a few steep sections. Valdez Trail: short segment of a historic trail, easy, gravel, no elevation change. Turn around at private property gate to return.
Entrance fees
No entrance fee.