Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve

National park · Valdez-Cordova Census Area ·

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve

National park · Valdez-Cordova Census Area ·

Vast glacial landscapes, snowy peaks, remote boreal forests, abundant wildlife

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This Tiny U.S. National Park in the Midwest Was Just Named the Busiest in the World

"I use Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve as an example of how the travel paradox — the most interesting places often being the most popular and therefore overcrowded — is amplified in national parks by factors like location, accessibility, and sheer size." - Evie Carrick Evie Carrick Evie Carrick is a writer and editor who’s lived in five countries and visited well over 50. She now splits her time between Colorado and Paris, ensuring she doesn't have to live without skiing or L'As du Fallafel. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines

https://www.travelandleisure.com/busiest-national-park-in-the-world-11832931

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve

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28,641 Postcards · 5,542 Cities

This Is the Largest National Park in the U.S.

"The country’s largest national park spans over 13.2 million acres of glaciers, snowy peaks, and isolated boreal forests—roughly six times the size of Yellowstone—and requires purposeful planning: choose one district or long-distance adventure per trip, expect remote access by tiny bush plane or potholed road, and consider hiring a guide for backcountry navigation and wildlife safety. Summer (mid-May to mid-September) is the high season for pleasant weather, wildflower blooms, and near‑constant daylight around the summer solstice; late August and September bring true nights and potential aurora sightings. Visitors should be bear aware, prepare for heavy mosquitoes in late June–July, download the NPS app for offline maps, and prioritize safety gear and bear‑resistant storage when venturing into the backcountry." - Stephanie Vermillion Stephanie Vermillion Stephanie Vermillion is a travel journalist and photographer covering culture and adventure for Travel + Leisure Outside, and more. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines

https://www.travelandleisure.com/wrangell-st-elias-national-park-and-preserve-guide-11717624

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve

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28,641 Postcards · 5,542 Cities

Dry Tortugas Named One of the Most Underrated in the U.S.

"Also rounded out the analysis’s top five most underrated parks; located in Alaska, it was noted as a significant but less-visited national park." - Stacey Leasca Stacey Leasca Stacey Leasca is an award-winning journalist and co-founder of Be a Travel Writer, an online course for the next generation of travel journalists. Her photos, videos, and words have appeared in print or online for Travel + Leisure, Time, Los Angeles Times, Glamour, and many more. You'll usually find her in an airport. If you do see her there, please say hello. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines

https://www.travelandleisure.com/dry-tortugas-florida-named-underrated-national-park-america-8693728

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve

Eric V.

Google

What an absolutely beautiful National park. I don't think you could go wrong at all by taking a little bit of time on your schedule to visit Wrangler St Elias. Just a few short steps and you can be deep into the Wilderness to enjoy the views surrounding you. Hiking trails are well marked. The visitors center clean and helpful. Honestly do yourself a favor and visit you won't regret it.

Blake G.

Google

Root Glacier hike is a must! We loved this national park. Definitely worth putting on your list to visit. Beautiful park. Town of McCarthy was great!

Brandon D.

Google

Not my favorite national park but had to check it off the list while in Alaska! We visited the Kennicot mines and took a tour as our park experience. Very interesting history, restoration, and the guided tour was great. We took two shuttles because everyone warned us against the road into the park (4hrs each way). Once there we spent 4hrs walking the old miner town. 8 hours of commuting for 4 hours in the park wasn’t ideal. There is a diner and hotel there which we had a nice lunch. Spend the night if you can make it work with your itinerary.

Bill Z

Google

Beautiful and remote. I backpacked here with a group of friends in the summer on the less-visited north side. The mountains are incredible, and there is an abundance of wildlife. There are tons of signs of moose, bear, and mountain goats. We ran into a couple of bear kills that weren't that old, so if you're not experienced with remote backcountry hiking or backpacking, this isn't the place for you. If you are, this is a fun and beautiful place to explore and experience solitude.

Kaya P.

Google

Amazing place, highly recommend doing a flight seeing tour or backcountry camping if you can swing it!

Tyler N.

Google

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park can be challenging to adequately review. On one hand, it's one of the most stunning landscapes in the world; it's home to some of the largest mountains in North America, the world's largest vertical icefall, and over 1900 square miles of the seemingly infinite Bagley Icefield. The list of impressive geological features goes on and on. On the other hand, it is nearly impossible to experience most of our largest National Park. You could see most of it by air, but that's impersonal and abstract (although strongly recommended). Most visitors see it from McCarthy or Nabesna. Even fewer backpack into the remote wilderness. There are no towns, no roads, and no trails for almost all 13.2 million acres of this preserve All that being said, Wrangell-St. Elias has risen to the top of my favorite National Parks. It is challenging to get to and ammendities are nonexistent in most of the park, but few places can compete with the natural beauty of this diverse glacial and mountainous landscape. It is a land almost untouched by human development and I believe the inability to fully explore most of this land adds to its grandness. I'll let these pictures speak for themselves

Aaron W.

Google

The road to McCarthy wasn’t bad, a few sections of washboard. The worst area was just before McCarthy. The park is always magnificent. Well worth the drive. The “end of the road” base camp is a fine place to camp, but they don’t provide ANY amenities (no picnic tables) crude fire rings and sparse outhouses, but nice views

Vikram B.

Google

This is the largest national park 🌲 in the US! At 13.2 million acres, it is the size of Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Switzerland COMBINED. There is plenty to do and see here, but you should be prepared for an adventure, as a lot of the sights and hikes are hard to get to, but are well worth it.