Boreal Forest Trail

Starting right outside the Wrangell-St. Elias Visitor Center, this half-mile loop punches well above its weight class. The trail winds through a pocket of boreal forest — think spruce and birch canopy with a soft, needle-cushioned path underfoot — before opening up to overlook views of the Wrangell Mountains that will stop you mid-sentence. For a trail you can knock out in twenty minutes, the payoff is absurd: massive glaciated peaks stretching across the horizon, with interpretive signs along the way that actually teach you something about the largest national park in the country. The path is well-maintained and mostly flat, though a few sections have roots and uneven ground that keep it from being fully accessible. This is the perfect trail for travelers who just pulled off the McCarthy Road and need to stretch their legs, or anyone who wants a taste of the Wrangell-St. Elias backcountry without committing to it.