Wilderness Landscape & Natural Heritage
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park spans over 13 million acres in southeastern Alaska, making it the largest national park in the U.S. The park encompasses a rugged landscape of towering peaks, massive glaciers, deep river valleys, and expansive tundra. It contains some of the highest mountains in North America, including Mount St. Elias, Mount Wrangell, and Mount Blackburn. The park is also part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its outstanding natural values. Ecologically, the park supports a range of wildlife such as brown bears, Dall sheep, caribou, wolves, and numerous bird species. Rich in mining history, the park surrounds the historic Kennecott Mines, once a major copper mining operation, which now serves as a popular visitor attraction. Outdoor recreation covers activities like hiking, mountaineering, flightseeing, backpacking, and glacier trekking. The park’s remote location means many visitors arrive by plane, small boat, or via long, unpaved roads, emphasizing solitude and wilderness experience. The diverse terrain includes wild rivers like the Copper and Nizina, providing opportunities for fishing and rafting. Visitors are drawn by the park's vast scale and dramatic landscapes, offering a true Alaskan wilderness adventure rarely matched elsewhere.
