Wrangell-St. Elias National Park: Rich with History & Beauty

In the southeast corner of Alaska, just over the border from Canada, stands a sprawling land still gripped by the Ice Age. As the world grows smaller and more crowded, it becomes harder and harder to find spaces that remain utterly untarnished by man, completely pristine and preserved. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park is one such place, where Mother Nature’s phenomenal handiwork is on display around every river bend and over every mountain pass. Come along as we uncover a few of the most magical elements that make Wrangell-St. Elias a can’t-miss stop on your journey.

Wrangell-St. Elias: America’s Largest Park

Six times bigger than Yellowstone and as diverse in terrain and wildlife as any you’ll ever discover, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park should be on every adventurer’s bucket list. Winding rivers, towering peaks and glacial fields chiseled with ice chasms. If you have already have a favorite panorama, you can expect to find a new one when you visit remote and tranquil Wrangell-St. Elias.

This mountainous giant of a park, in addition to being perhaps the United States’ most difficult to access, is also one of the rockiest. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park has a backbone consisting of three distinct mountain ranges — Wrangell, Chugach and St. Elias — the last of which boasts the title of highest coastal range in the world.

A long and rich mining history

If they know where to look, visitors of Wrangell-St. Elias can take a walk back in time to uncover artifacts of a once-booming copper industry. Park staff welcome you to explore the ghost town of Kennecott, which experienced one of Alaska’s most prosperous mining strikes. Afterward, you can then take a stroll through Wrangell-St.Elias’ historic town of McCarthy, where miners were known to blow off some steam at the end of a hard day’s work.

If you’re ready to experience the majesty of America’s biggest and purest park, it’s time to schedule your trip to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park!