Wrangell - St Elias National Park & Preserve

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.

The administrative building and main park visitor center are located along the Richardson Highway (Hwy 4), which is a paved state highway that runs through Copper Center, AK. The buildings are 8 miles south of the Glenn Highway and Richardson Highway intersection near Glennallen, Alaska. This is approximately 200 miles east of Anchorage, AK and 250 miles south of Fairbanks, AK.

Arts and Culture
Auto and ATV
ATV Off-Roading
Auto Off-Roading
Scenic Driving
Biking
Mountain Biking
Boating
Camping
Backcountry Camping
Canoe or Kayak Camping
Car or Front Country Camping
Group Camping
RV Camping
Canyoneering
Climbing
Mountain Climbing
Fishing
Freshwater Fishing
Fly Fishing
Saltwater Fishing
Food
Dining
Picnicking
Flying
Fixed Wing Flying
Guided Tours
Self-Guided Tours - Walking
Self-Guided Tours - Auto
Hiking
Backcountry Hiking
Front-Country Hiking
Hunting and Gathering
Gathering and Foraging
Hunting
Paddling
Whitewater Rafting
Junior Ranger Program
Snowmobiling
Snowshoeing
Wildlife Watching
Birdwatching
Park Film
Museum Exhibits
Shopping
Bookstore and Park Store

Archeology
Arts
Photography
Aviation
Explorers and Expeditions
Native American Heritage
Animals
Birds
Bison
Cats (wild)
Fish
Wolves
Arctic
Tundra
Climate Change
Coasts, Islands and Atolls
Fire
Forests and Woodlands
Coniferous Forests
Fossils and Paleontology
Dinosaur
Geology
Mineral Deposits
Glaciers
Lakes
Mountains
Night Sky
Aurora Borealis
Trails
Volcanoes
Watersheds
Wilderness

Icy Bay with Mt. St. Elias

Glaciers loom over the ocean with large snowy mountains rising into blue skies

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park contains a diversity of natural features. Landscapes unique to the North American continent are common here.

Backpackers in Mentasta Mountains

Two backpackers sitting in an alpine meadow with snowy mountains in the background

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park is a backpacker's paradise. A variety of routes take you into beautiful country, including the Mentasta Mountains.

Kennecott Mill Town

Historic, large, red buildings with mountains in the background

Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark is found within Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. This early 1900's copper mining operation overcame numerous challenges and found success in the heart of the Alaskan wilderness.

Logan Glacier

A large glacier with stripes of different colored rock nestled in between barren mountain slopes.

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park contains the greatest concentration of glaciers in North America. More than 3000 glaciers covering over three million acres of land are found in the park.

Wrangell Mountains

Four large snow covered mountains rise above dense forest into blue skies.

The Wrangell Mountains dominate the view of the northern half of the park. This range lies entirely within the park and reaches 16,390 ft (4,996 m) in height.