Insider Travel Tips for McCarthy, Alaska, and Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
We teamed up with our Partners at Alaska.org and Channel Films to make this informative video about traveling by road to McCarthy. To us, it highlights the journey is just as great as the destination!
Planning your Alaska adventure to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve can be a daunting task. Here at McCarthy River Tours, we are committed to making your planning as painless as possible. From help with travel logistics to what activities best fit into your schedule and budget, we are here to guide you thru the process. Below are some options for you to consider; we are happy to help you plan your trip itinerary. Call us anytime at 907-302-0688 with any questions you may have.
What to Bring:
Check out our Recommended Packing List to help plan the necessities you will need for your Alaska Rafting Expedition. We have perfected our essential packing list through years of first-hand testing in the field.
Shuttles:
From Anchorage:
- Reeve Air & Copper Valley Air team up to offer a twice-weekly flight (Mondays & Thursdays) from Anchorage to McCarthy on the mail plane.
- Overflow Transit offers van shuttle options twice a week Anchorage to McCarthy & McCarthy to Anchorage. We can’t recommend these folks enough, we love working with them!
- Soaring Eagle Transit offers shuttle service between Anchorage, Glennallen & Valdez on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays.
- Interior Alaska Bus Line offers shuttle service between Anchorage & Glennallen on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays.
From the Copper Basin:
- Overflow Transit also offers charter service in the Copper River Valley. Ask them about custom pickups and shuttle options heading to/from Chitina/Glennallen/Valdez and McCarthy
- The Kennicott Shuttle offers a daily shuttle from Glennallen to McCarthy, with stops in Copper Center, Kenny Lake & Chitina along the way.
- Wrangell Mountain Air has a daily flight schedule between Chitina & McCarthy.
- Copper Valley Air Offers flights from Gulkana.
Rental Cars:
Many rental car companies have restrictions on traveling the McCarthy Road; please contact us for an updated list of companies that allow travel.
Personal Car Storage:
We offer parking for $5/Day at our Ice Cream Shop, As the Glacier Melts. For guests joining us on a guided trip, this fee is waived for the duration of your adventure with us.
Places to Stay
Kennicott River Lodge is the home base of our operations. We meet for our Pre-Trip Multi-Day Meetings, house our Day Guiding Office, and run our Ice Cream shack, As The Glacier Melts Cafe, from this Lodge. Drive directly to your room, just a short walk to the Footbridge and shuttle service to McCarthy and Kennecott. Booking a room in the lodge makes your adventure in McCarthy easy! Private Cabins and a Lodge Suite with a private deck that boasts the best view in the Kennicott Valley!
Glacier View Campground
Enjoy camping in McCarthy while also camping near the beautiful Kennicott Glacier. Glacier View Campground also has a restaurant, Glacier View Grill, serving unreal burgers! Enjoy a panoramic view of The Root Glacier and the surrounding Wrangell – St. Elias Mountains from the comfort of an outdoor cafe that’s famous for its “Glacier Burger.” The Grill and Campground environment is its number one attraction; it is at the base of the Kennicott Glacier, less than a mile from the glacier’s terminal moraine.
READY TO PLAN YOUR ALASKA TRIP?
We’ve got you covered with Visitor Guides to McCarthy, Alaska, on day trips and rafting expeditions.
We know that planning that bucket list trip to the Last Frontier can be a little daunting. But not to worry – We’ve made it easy with our trip planning guides! These guides cover everything from how to get to McCarthy, Alaska, and things to do in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, what wilderness rafting trips in Alaska are like, what to pack for a trip, and most frequently asked questions. Ready, set, let’s explore!
