How to get to McCarthy, Alaska, the gateway to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
Wrangell-St. Elias, tucked away in the southeastern corner of Alaska, holds the impressive title of being the largest U.S. National Park and Preserve, with over 20,000 square miles of pristine wilderness. There’s really only one town with year-round residents that sits within Wrangell-St. Elias’ massive footprint—the teeny town of McCarthy, Alaska, which is the best homebase to explore everything that Wrangell-St. Elias has to offer. However, getting to McCarthy, Alaska isn’t the most straightforward, requiring multiple modes of transportation and driving on a 60 mile gravel road, littered with antique railroad spikes. Sounds a bit scary? It is! Here’s everything you need to know about how to get to McCarthy, Alaska, the gateway to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.
Root Glacier Trail in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park: Everything You Need to Know
Wrangell-St. Elias has some impressive titles, including the largest of the U.S. National Parks, spanning over 20,000 square miles, and the most glaciated national park, with over 3,100. The Root Glacier is one of these ancient sheets of ice, sprawling 15 miles from its head, and happens to be the most accessible glacier in the park. In fact, visitors are welcome to hike to—and even on—the Root Glacier during their time in the park. If you’re looking for an adventurous activity to enjoy while you’re in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, here’s everything you need to know about hiking the Root Glacier Trail.
8 Incredible Things to Do in McCarthy, Alaska
McCarthy, Alaska is an itty bitty town, with just about 30 yearround residents, tucked away in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. McCarthy is unique for a number of reasons—for example, there are no drivable roads leading to the town, it’s believed there are more dogs than people, AND it’s located within the United States’ largest national park and wilderness preserve. If you’re planning a visit to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and want to know how to stay busy while you’re staying in this quirky, little town, here are the [x] best things to do in McCarthy, Alaska.
10 Incredible Things to do in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
Alaska is home to the largest U.S. National Park—Wrangell-St. Elias, which sprawls a whopping 20,600 square miles and is actually larger than if you combine Yellowstone, Yosemite, AND the entire country of Switzerland! This park, tucked away in southeastern Alaska, is a unique mix of quirky small towns, pioneering history, and the largest swath of untouched wilderness in the United States. If you want to explore this incredibly remote corner of the U.S. for yourself, here are 10 incredible things to do in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.