Roughly six parks the size of Yellowstone would fit inside the borders of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, making it the largest public reserve in the United States. Located just 16 miles from the ocean, the land rises from sea level to over 18,000 feet in one of the most dramatic shifts in landscape anywhere on earth. The Wrangell-St. Elias mountain ranges include active volcanic peaks, plunging in jagged formations to the tundra covering the lowlands below, which are home to a myriad of animal species that beckon hunters, fishermen, and wildlife photographers.
While the park opens officially in May, the prime months to visit are June through August, with warm temperatures and mild weather conditions coaxing backcountry hikers, kayaking enthusiasts, rock climbers and white water rafters to explore the 13 million primordial acres of the reserve. Once inside the park, a stop at the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park Visitor Center is in order, where visitors can learn from park rangers practical advice about where the best campsites are, as well as prime fishing locations and the latest bear sightings. Take time to enjoy the center’s exhibits and movies providing fresh insight into the park’s geological formations.
Activities in the park include rock climbing, mountain biking, backpacking, ATV riding (although a permit for this is required), hunting, fishing, and camping. History buffs might enjoy a visit to Kennecott, an abandoned mill town located in the center of the park. The ghost town remains highlight the reality of daily life as workers engaged in the extraction of copper in the area during the early part of the 1900s.
The entire park is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and protects vast fields of glacial ice, marshland, forest, tundra, and coastline. Brown and black bears are commonly sighted, as well as caribou. Whether visitors seek to enjoy trekking by foot through the park, traversing its pristine rivers, flying over for a tour by air, or spend days backpacking through its interior, a visit to Wrangell-St. Elias will reward those who visit with unique experiences and memories that will last a lifetime.
Check out this incredible footage of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and start planning your next Alaskan vacation!
Featured Image from Joris Beugels/Unsplash
