The largest of the national parks in the United States, Wrangell St. Elias National Park is the most remote of Alaska’s parks and offers unique opportunities for an off-the-beaten-path experience. Highlights include the Bagley Icefield; Hubbard, Nabesna and Malaspina Glaciers; Mt. Wrangell and Mt. St. Elias, and the convergence of four major mountain ranges. The abandoned Kennicott copper mine in the park interior is an increasingly popular destination and is a National Historic Landmark. The high-grade copper ore of the Kennicott mine was among the nation’s richest deposits ever found in the twentieth century. The impressive structures that remain at the mill site and mines represent an ambitious time of exploration and discovery in Alaska.

Transportation
Wrangell St. Elias National Park is accessible by aircraft, and by car on two state-maintained roads. From Anchorage, the park is accessible via the Glenn Highway (Alaska Highway 1). At Glennallen, the Glenn Highway meets the Richardson Highway, which skirts the park's western boundary en route to Valdez, a coastal city served by the state ferry system. The Tok Cutoff coming south from the Alaska Highway borders the northwestern corner of the park. From these highways, two unpaved roads penetrate the park. High clearance, two wheel drive vehicles usually can make the trip in summer.

Lodging
We recommend the Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge located at mile 102 of the Richardson Highway. Featuring spectacular mountain views and breathtaking scenery of the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, the Copper River Princess is situated on 200 acres at the junction of the Klutina and Copper Rivers. This premier Lodge features 85 rooms and suites with either mountain or forest views; a two-level dining area with excellent mountain and valley views; and the focal point of the Lodge- the Wrangell Room- with a staircase that takes you to the mezzanine level where you can relax and enjoy the majestic scenery provided by a two story wall of windows. Located just four miles from the Wrangell-St. Elias visitor's center, this true wilderness retreat offers a host of outdoor activities to explore the area with an array of excursions.

Glacier Bay National Park is located in southeast Alaska, approximately 60 air miles west of the state capital of Juneau. The nearest town is Gustavus, Alaska located 11 miles away. Glacier Bay National Park now encompasses over 3 million acres, and is often referred to as one of the Crown Jewels of the National Park system. The Park has snow-capped mountain ranges rising to over 15,000 feet, coastal beaches with protected coves, deep fjords, tidewater glaciers, coastal and estuarine waters, and freshwater lakes. In addition to spectacular scenery, there are plentiful wildlife viewing opportunities with a wide variety of seabirds, marine and land mammals. Many visitors experience Glacier Bay National Park while on large cruise ships that visit the Park for the day, while others stay inside the Park at the Glacier Bay Lodge.

Transportation
While there are no roads to Glacier Bay National Park, you will find convenient air connections to Gustavus from Juneau, Skagway and Haines. Ferry service is also available from Juneau. From Gustavus it is about 10 miles by road to Bartlett Cove. Glacier Bay Lodge & Tours is located at Bartlett cove and is home to the visitor center and departure point for day boat tours to Glacier Bay National Park.

Lodging
Accommodations inside Glacier Bay National Park are at the Glacier Bay Lodge. The lodge features 56 rooms with dining, activities desk, gift shop, and the Park visitor center is located upstairs. All rooms have private bath and/or shower and can accommodate up to 4 guests. Glacier Bay Lodge is open mid-May to mid-September each year. For more information on Glacier Bay Lodge call (888) 229-8687 or go to visitglacierbay.com. Other lodging choices are available in Gustavus.

Activities
Glacier Bay National Park activities include the Glacier Bay Tour by day boat, whale watching, sightseeing, wildlife viewing, boating, flightseeing, kayaking, fishing, photography and the park ranger programs.

The 90-mile road into Denali Park has restricted access and private vehicles are only allowed on the first fourteen miles. You will almost certainly want to travel further on a narrated bus tour or Park Service shuttle. We highly recommend the Kantishna Wilderness Trails day trip, featuring a superb tour deep into Denali Park to a true wilderness lodge.

Be sure to save some time for other activities like rafting, helicopter flightseeing, day hikes, the visitor center, or an evening at a local dinner theater.

The "Golden Heart" city of Fairbanks offers a nice selection of tours and activities. Certainly the most popular is a cruise aboard the Riverboat Discovery on the Chena River. The town also has an excellent museum at the University, and a number of tours exploring Fairbanks' gold mining history.

A city tour or visit to Pioneer Park is always a great choice. With its northern location, Fairbanks is a great starting point for tours across the Arctic Circle and to the Prudhoe Bay oil fields.