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.
