Overview

At 13.2 million acres, Wrangell-St. Elias is America's largest national park: six Yellowstones stacked together. Yet it sees just 82,000 annual visitors. You'll have 18,000-foot peaks, glaciers you can walk on, and a historic copper mining town practically to yourself. The catch: it's 150 miles from Glennallen on a rough gravel road, there's no entrance station, and most of the park is genuinely wild backcountry requiring serious expedition planning. This isn't a weekend trip. It's Alaska at its most uncompromising.

When to Go

The sweet spot is June — good weather meets manageable crowds. Peak season hits in July.

Best weather window. McCarthy Road fully open, Root Glacier accessible. Nearly 24-hour daylight. Crowds peak but stay under 5,000.

Monthly crowd levels — click a month for details

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Low Moderate High Peak

How Busy Is It?

How Wrangell - St Elias & Preserve compares to all 62 national parks

Busier than 26% of national parks

QuietBusy
Moderate

More crowded trails than 10% of parks

QuietBusy
Below Average

Higher campsite pressure than 79% of parks

EasyTough
Very Busy
How this park ranks

Annual visitors per trail mile

LowestHighest

Annual visitors per campsite

LowestHighest

Notable Trails

Wrangell - St Elias & Preserve has more trail mileage than 53% of national parks, with 70 miles across 15 maintained trails.

The difficulty split leans moderate to strenuous; only 20% of trails are rated easy.

Easy 20% Moderate 47% Strenuous 33%
Skookum Volcano Trailhead

Front country Hiking Trails

Moderate
0 mi ·2-4 hours hrs

Kuskulana Glacier Trail

easy
2 mi ·200 ft gain ·1-2 hours hrs

McCarthy to Kennicott Trail

moderate
5 mi ·300 ft gain ·2-3 hours hrs

Root Glacier Trail

moderate
6 mi ·800 ft gain ·4-5 hours hrs
View all 27 trails

Camping

1 campgrounds with 10 total sites. About 100% are first-come, first-served.

Aerial view of a campground surrounded by Boreal Forest.

Kendesnii Campground Reservable

10 sites 0 ·Seasonal

Top Activities

Wrangell - St Elias & Preserve excels at 11 of 17 activity types — here are the standouts rated 7/10 or higher.

Rock Climbing

9/10

World-class mountaineering; Mount St. Elias expeditions and alpine climbing

Scenic Driving

9/10

McCarthy Road with dramatic glacier, mountain, and coastal views

Photography

9/10

Exceptional mountain, glacier, and remote landscape photography

Hiking

8/10

70 miles of trails from easy glacier walks to strenuous mountain routes

Backpacking

8/10

Unlimited backcountry camping in vast wilderness; minimal infrastructure

Fishing

8/10

Remote salmon and trout fishing in pristine rivers and streams

Biking

7/10

McCarthy Road bikeable; limited trail biking options

Kayaking Canoeing

7/10

Coastal and glacier lake paddling; requires remote access arrangements

Wildlife Viewing

7/10

Moose, bears, Dall sheep, mountain goats, and eagles in remote habitat

Bird Watching

7/10

Eagles, ptarmigans, and migratory waterfowl in coastal and alpine areas

Stargazing

7/10

Dark skies in remote areas; limited summer due to midnight sun

Who It's For

Photographers 10/10 Adventure Seekers 10/10 Experienced Hikers 9/10 Couples 8/10

Planning Your Trip

Getting There

Nearest city: Glennallen, AK (150 mi). Fly into GLN.

In-Park Services

No gas in park · Lodging available · Cell: none

Gateway Town

Glennallen, AK, basic amenities

Featured In ?Rankings based on data-driven scoring across all 62 national parks.

#9 Hidden Gem National Parks #10 Best National Parks for Camping #6 Best National Parks for Rock Climbing #7 Best National Parks for Adventure Seekers

Stories

The 7 Most Underrated National Parks (According to the Numbers) Seven national parks that combine genuine remoteness with accessibility, drawing fewer visitors than most state parks 10 National Park Trails With the Most Elevation Gain Glacier's steepest climbs ranked by vertical feet, from lung-burners to summit scrambles that earn every inch of elevation 10 Longest Trails in the National Parks The ten longest trails in the national parks all happen to be at Crater Lake, from a half-mile stroll to a 33-mile sufferfest 10 Most Demanding Trails in the National Parks The national park trails that test your conditioning, patience, and ability to keep moving when your legs start negotiating for rest breaks 8 National Parks With the Most Dramatic Elevation These eight parks drop from alpine summits to valley floors, coastlines, or lava fields — offering more vertical relief than entire mountain ranges 8 National Parks With the Highest Trail Density Eight parks where trail miles outnumber the crowds, from Alaskan wilderness to tropical islands you've never heard of The 8 Biggest National Parks in America Alaska holds five of America's eight largest parks, where square mileage rivals entire states and visitors number in the thousands The Alaska national parks road trip Four Alaska parks anchor a 600-mile route from tidewater glaciers to Denali, skipping the cruise ships for the road less driven 8 parks with no cell service (and why that's a good thing) Eight parks where cell service doesn't exist and you'll stop caring about it by day two

Gateway Cities

Anchorage, AK 315 mi / 5.7h drive

Compare Wrangell - St Elias & Preserve

See how Wrangell - St Elias & Preserve stacks up against other national parks — crowds, trails, and more.

Compare Wrangell - St Elias & Preserve

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to visit Wrangell - St Elias National Park & Preserve?

The best month to visit Wrangell - St Elias & Preserve is June, based on a balance of weather, crowds, and accessibility. Peak visitation is in July. The park has 0 comfortable months for visiting.

How crowded is Wrangell - St Elias National Park & Preserve?

Wrangell - St Elias & Preserve is relatively uncrowded, with a congestion index of 3/10. The park receives 81,670 visitors annually across 20,626 square miles.

How many trails does Wrangell - St Elias National Park & Preserve have?

Wrangell - St Elias & Preserve has 70 miles of trails across 3 easy, 7 moderate, and 5 strenuous routes. Popular trails include Kuskulana Glacier Trail, McCarthy to Kennicott Trail, Root Glacier Trail.

Can you camp at Wrangell - St Elias National Park & Preserve?

Yes, Wrangell - St Elias & Preserve has 1 campground with 10 total sites. Some sites are available first-come, first-served.

Is Wrangell - St Elias National Park & Preserve open year-round?

Yes, Wrangell - St Elias & Preserve is open year-round, though some roads and facilities may close seasonally. The park's climate is classified as maritime_subarctic.

Nearby Parks

Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve 268 mi away
Kenai Fjords National Park 277 mi away
Denali National Park & Preserve 300 mi away