Where to Stay in Wrangell–St. Elias: In the Park, Gateway Towns & Campgrounds
Wrangell–St. Elias is the largest national park in the United States, six times the size of Yellowstone. Needless to say, where you stay becomes a strategic question here. The short answer: base yourself in McCarthy or Kennecott to reach the heart of the park, and plan on at least 3 nights to make the journey to Alaska worthwhile. If your itinerary takes you toward the northern entrance on Nabesna Road, the Copper Center/Glennallen area is your natural logistics hub. For timing, the guide to the best times to visit Wrangell–St. Elias will point you in the right direction.
Where to stay: towns, lodges and campgrounds (1)
- Campground Kendesnii Campground see NPS · 10 sites Directions ↗
Base map © OpenStreetMap · © CARTO ⚠ Gateway town & Lodge data is undergoing editorial review.
Staying in the Park or Outside It?
The answer comes down to one factor: access.
You're heading for McCarthy and Kennecott, the park's more developed heart. McCarthy Road is an unpaved road about 59 miles from Chitina. A standard vehicle can handle it, but the drive is physically demanding. Staying there saves you the daily round trip and lets you watch the sunrise over the glaciers with no one else around.
You're aiming for true backcountry. Fly-in lodges are the only option in those areas. There is no other way to get there.
Your itinerary is mostly road-based, taking in the Richardson Highway, Copper Center, and Nabesna Road. Nearby towns offer more amenities, often at a lower price.
The practical rule is simple. The farther you go into the park, the more worthwhile it is to stay there. If you don't venture as far, a gateway town makes more sense.
Where to Stay in Wrangell–St. Elias: Park Lodges and Accommodations
The options are intentionally limited, and that's part of the appeal.
Kennecott Glacier Lodge
This is the signature lodging inside the park. Located in the former mining town of Kennecott, the lodge operates under an NPS concessionaire and offers rooms with either half-board or full-board plans. The setting is extraordinary: you'll sleep among the red-brick industrial buildings of the 19th century, with Kennicott Glacier in view. Rooms often sell out as early as the winter before the season. The lodge is generally open from late May through mid-September.
Wilderness Lodges (Fly-In)
Several family-run lodges are accessible only by air from small regional airstrips in Chitina, McCarthy, and Glennallen. Ultima Thule Lodge is the best known, offering custom adventure stays, scenic bush-plane flights, and rafting on unnamed rivers. These packages target travelers with substantial budgets. The daily rate is high, but it's worth every penny if true wilderness is what you're after.
Public-Use Cabins
The NPS provides several cabins scattered throughout the park, accessible on foot, by boat, or by plane depending on the area. Amenities are basic: a wood stove, bunks, and no services. Reservations through Recreation.gov are essential during peak season. The Wrangell–St. Elias hotels and lodges guide lists all the options and their access conditions.
Camping in Wrangell–St. Elias: Park Campgrounds
Camping is the best option for anyone who wants to truly immerse themselves in this park. A few developed campgrounds coexist with dispersed camping, which is widely allowed in the backcountry.
Kendesnii Campground on the Slana side near the northern entrance is a small campground with about ten sites. It's first-come, first-served and accessible by vehicle. It's ideal for a first night before heading out on Nabesna Road.
Dispersed backcountry camping is the park's signature experience. The park is enormous, and areas closed to camping are rare and clearly marked. Set up your tent wherever you like, at a reasonable distance from waterways and trails. Grizzly and black bears are present, so an approved bear-resistant container is essential. Tell the visitor center about your itinerary before you set out.
Private camping in McCarthy: several private sites operate right on the park's edge. It's less wild than the backcountry, but much more convenient if you're exploring Kennecott on foot.
The Wrangell–St. Elias camping guide covers the amenities at each site and the current safety guidance.
Where to Stay Around Wrangell–St. Elias: Gateway Towns
McCarthy
McCarthy isn't technically outside the park. It's inside it, at the end of a 59-mile road from Chitina. The town has a few dozen year-round residents, a handful of inns, B&Bs, and small character hotels. It has a deliberately rough-edged frontier-town feel, with no chains and no frills. For a first visit, it's about as immersive as it gets. You can reach Kennecott on foot, a 3.1-mile walk, or by shuttle from McCarthy.
Copper Center and Glennallen
Copper Center is home to the park's main visitor center, about 8 miles from the Glenn/Richardson Highway junction. Glennallen, a few minutes north, is the region's best-equipped community, with supermarkets, gas stations, decent motels, and a doctor. It's the ideal logistics base if you're combining the park with other destinations along the Richardson Highway. For visitors who aren't venturing onto McCarthy Road, it's the most practical choice.
Chitina
This village of a few hundred people sits at the junction of the Edgerton Highway and McCarthy Road. It's the official starting point for Kennecott. You'll find a B&B, a seasonal grocery store, and a wonderfully remote atmosphere all its own. It's useful for an overnight stop before tackling the road.
Tok
East of the park, Tok sits at the junction of the roads to Canada via the Alaska Highway and into the state's interior via Tok Cutoff, which joins the Glenn Highway. Tok is more of a stopping point than a sightseeing base, but it offers motels, campgrounds, and restaurants for travelers arriving from the Yukon. Allow about 2 hours to reach the park's northern entrance at Slana.
When to Book Your Wrangell–St. Elias Lodging
The season is short. June, July, and August account for nearly all visitor traffic. At Kennecott Glacier Lodge, rooms often sell out as early as the fall before the season. Some years, the waitlist opens in November. NPS cabins on Recreation.gov follow a booking calendar that opens 6 months in advance, and the most popular dates, especially July weekends, disappear within hours.
For B&Bs and small hotels in McCarthy, booking 4 to 6 months ahead is still reasonable. The supply is inherently limited. The Wrangell–St. Elias itinerary guide will help you work out how many nights you need for your plans.
Lodging Budget: How Much Does It Cost to Stay in Wrangell–St. Elias?
Alaska is an expensive destination, and Wrangell–St. Elias is no exception.
| Option | Approximate nightly rate |
|---|---|
| NPS campground (first-come, first-served) | Free to $15 |
| Private campground (McCarthy) | $25 to $45 per site |
| NPS public-use cabin | $25 to $75 depending on access |
| B&B or small hotel in McCarthy | $150 to $250 |
| Hotel/motel in Glennallen or Tok | $120 to $190 |
| Kennecott Glacier Lodge (half-board) | $250 to $400 per person |
| Fly-in lodge (Ultima Thule and similar) | $600 to $1,500 per person/day |
One notable point is that admission to the park is free. Wrangell–St. Elias is one of the few major American national parks that doesn't charge an entrance fee, which takes some of the pressure off the overall cost.
Our Recommendation Based on Your Travel Style
First visit, and you want to see Kennecott: stay in McCarthy for at least 2 nights. The trip makes no sense if you drive back to Glennallen that same evening. Choose Kennecott Glacier Lodge if your budget allows; otherwise, book a McCarthy B&B.
Traveling with kids: make Copper Center or Glennallen your base. You'll have paved roads, services, and a visitor center 8 miles away. Day trips into the park are entirely doable from there. The guide to visiting Wrangell–St. Elias with kids explains what's practical with children.
Backpacker or van traveler: dispersed backcountry camping is made for you. Bear-resistant gear is mandatory, and a paper topographic map is recommended because there's no cell service in the park. The Wrangell–St. Elias RV guide covers the logistics specific to this kind of trip.
Adventurer with an open budget: a 3- to 5-day stay at a fly-in lodge is an experience like no other. Don't mistake it for a luxury trip. You're there to fly a bush plane over unnamed glaciers, not to use the spa.
Experienced hiker or climber: NPS backcountry cabins combine accessibility with total immersion. Check access conditions at the Copper Center visitor center before booking, especially early and late in the season.
To place Wrangell–St. Elias within a larger itinerary that includes Denali, Kenai, and the coastal highway, our Alaska Road Trips guide offers ideas for combining several parks in the region.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the closest town to Wrangell–St. Elias National Park?
The closest town is Copper Center, Alaska, about 8 miles from the main visitor center on the Richardson Highway. Glennallen, about 20 minutes north, offers more everyday services, including a supermarket, gas stations, and lodging.
Is Wrangell–St. Elias worth visiting?
Wrangell–St. Elias is worth the trip for anyone looking for truly pristine wilderness and few crowds. Fewer than 80,000 visitors come each year to the largest national park in the United States, which is rare. The logistics require real preparation, but the experience has no equal in Alaska.
Where should I stay to visit the park without a four-wheel-drive vehicle?
McCarthy is accessible from Chitina by seasonal shuttle. Once you're there, the village's lodges and B&Bs make it possible to explore Kennecott and the nearby glaciers entirely on foot, without a car. Check the shuttle schedule before booking.
Can I camp anywhere in the park?
Yes. Dispersed camping is allowed across nearly the entire park, with no permit required in most areas. An approved bear-resistant container, or a suitable bear-resistant bag, is required in high-use areas and strongly recommended everywhere else. Always tell the visitor center about your itinerary before setting out on your own.