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Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve– an Introduction
The Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve of Alaska is a nice natural destination to be visited in United States. This national park in U.S lies in the southern part of Alaska. The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act has established this U.S national park in the year 1980. The area of the USA national park is included in an International Biosphere Reserve and has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the largest national park in the United States and is even larger than nine U.S. States. The wilderness of Wrangell Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve is also the largest wilderness in the United States. Mount Saint Elias, the second highest mountain peak in the country is also housed in this national park. Wrangell-St. Elias shares its boundary with Kluane National Park and Reserve of Canada.
Visiting Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
The entry to the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve is mainly done by the gravel clad road routes and it offers a different experience altogether. The McCarthy Road is somehow well maintained and can be chosen during the summer months, during the other months a four wheel drive should be taken. The Park headquarters in Copper Center offers the latest road conditions. The Slana-Nabesna Road is also not a bad option to be chosen. There are several scenic trails providing the opportunity to take quite walks or hike. The nearby attractions to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve include the Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge, The Valdez, a good spot to indulge in fishing, the Worthington Glacier National Park and the wild and scenic river of Gulkana.
Camping: There is no formal arrangement for camping in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. The travelers willing to have camping experience camp on the public land along the McCarthy and Nabesna Roads. Sometimes, the private land within the park boundaries and along the highways is also used as camping sites.
Guided Tours: The guided tours of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve include various interpretive programs such as the ranger led walks and evening talk shows. There are also various guided rafting and kayaking trips available in the park offered by the private companies.
Opening Hours
Wrangell-St. Elias Visitor Center & Park Headquarters:
Open during summer from Memorial Day to Labor Day, daily from 9:00am - 7:00pm
Open during fall from Labor Day to Sept 30th, daily from 8:00am - 4:30pm
Open during winter, Monday to Friday, from 8:00am - 4:30pm
Kennecott Visitor Center:
Open only during summer from Memorial Day to Labor Day, daily from 9:00am - 5:30pm
Slana Ranger Station:
During summer, daily from 8am-5pm
Chitina Ranger Station:
Open only during summer from Memorial Day to End of August, Thursday-Monday 9:00am - 5:30pm
McCarthy Road Information Station:
Open during summer, daily 9:30am - 5:00pm
How to Reach
Air: The Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve comprise several airstrips dispersed throughout its length. These airstrips can be reached by taking private airplanes or availing the air taxi service, that bear the license to operate within the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. Travelers can avail the list of Air Taxi operators from the headquarters of the park. The places from where the air taxi service can be availed are mainly, Tok, Glennallen (Gulkana), McCarthy, Valdez, Cordova or Yakutat. Ellis Air is the carrier which offers scheduled flights on Wednesdays and Fridays. Advance reservations are required to avail them.
Road: The Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve can be accessed by road routes by means of private vehicles. The road routes are mainly constituted by unpaved roads covered with gravel. Glennallen is the largest community in nearness to the park, and it is located at the junction of the Richardson and Glenn Highways The bus service called Backcountry Connections runs daily from Glennallen to McCarthy during season time.
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