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Protected area in Alaska, United States
Photo: Mr. David Sinson, NOAA, Office of Coast Survey, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, with over 13 million acres (55000 km2), is the largest US national park. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. Located in Alaska, the park has no trails and you'll find no Princess Bus Lines (yet). It is a beautifully glaciated, vast and amazing place. You can drive the washboarded McCarthy Road from Chitina to McCarthy and access the park from there. You cannot drive your car into McCarthy. Once at the end of the road you'll find a footbridge that will lead you into "downtown". Kennicott, an old copper mining town is 5 miles down the road from McCarthy. Nizina is the other access point. It is worth the price to flight-see as the views are amazing. If time and wallet allow, the best way to get into the back country is via small plane. Base camping or a point-to-point hike might very well become the best memory of your Alaskan adventure.
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A vestige of an early 20th-century copper mining camp, Kennecott represents the mining techniques of the era. The mines here were among the nation's largest and contained the last of the great high-grade copper ore deposits of the American West.
Malaspina Glacier, located primarily within Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, is the largest piedmont glacier in North America and one of the largest outside the ice cap regions of the world.
10 sites. All sites are first-come, first-served. Located on the Nabesna Road, this camping area is the only National Park Service campground in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. It has 10 designated campsites, each with a picnic table and a fire ring. There are two vault toilets. Each site can accommodate a small to medium RV or other vehicles. It is free and open year-round, but is not plowed during the winter. The dirt and gravel road is maintained by the State of Alaska. In Summer, regular passenger cars can make the journey to the campground. Any time of year, the campground may be inaccessible due to heavy rain or snow. Reservations are not taken and not required.
By car
Access into the Park/Preserve is usually by private vehicle along unpaved gravel roads, via watercraft, or by chartered air taxi service from Tok, Glennallen (Gulkana), McCarthy, Valdez, Cordova or…
By bus
Alaska Direct Bus Line +1-800-770-6652 runs a bus from Anchorage to Tok, with multiple stops along the way, including in Glennallen. Call for days and schedules.
By air
Copper Valley Air has scheduled flights on Wednesdays and Fridays. Call +1 907 822-4200 for prices and flight times.
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Cordova · Regional · CDV
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