Wrangell–St. Elias is the largest national park in the United States — 13.2 million acres, larger than Switzerland, with four mountain ranges and the country's biggest collection of glaciers. Be honest with the group: this is not a typical multi-generational family reunion park. There are essentially two roads in (the McCarthy Road and the Nabesna Road), both gravel, and almost everything else requires a small plane or a serious backcountry trip. Where Wrangell–St. Elias makes sense is for an adventure reunion of active adults and older teens who want a once-in-a-lifetime Alaska trip centered on the historic Kennecott copper-mining ghost town and Root Glacier hike. For grandparents, toddlers, and groups expecting a paved scenic drive, choose Denali instead.
Where it is
Things to do (with the family)
Hand-curated. Every entry links to its official source so you can plan without guessing.
Kennecott historic mill town tour
Ranger-led tours of the restored 14-story mill building and copper-era buildings; the marquee experience and the reason most people come.
Official source ↗Root Glacier hike
Guided 4-8 mile hike onto blue-ice glacier with crampons; multiple outfitters in McCarthy run half-day and full-day trips.
Official source ↗McCarthy historic district
Tiny end-of-the-road frontier town next to Kennecott; restaurants, lodges, and the footbridge over the Kennicott River that everyone walks across.
Official source ↗Flightseeing over the icefields
Wrangell Mountain Air and others run small-plane flights over the Bagley Icefield and Mount St. Elias; the only realistic way to see most of the park.
Official source ↗McCarthy Road drive
60-mile gravel road from Chitina to the McCarthy footbridge — slow, rough, and the rite-of-passage drive into the park. 3-3.5 hours one way.
Official source ↗Bonanza Mine trail
Strenuous 9-mile out-and-back from Kennecott to abandoned mine ruins at 6,000 feet — for fit adults and teens only.
Official source ↗Copper Center Visitor Center
Main NPS visitor center on the Richardson Highway; exhibits, ranger talks, and the Junior Ranger pickup if you are not going past Chitina.
Official source ↗Junior Ranger program
Free activity book at any visitor center; complete it for a Wrangell–St. Elias Junior Ranger badge — kids 5-13.
Official source ↗Mount Wrangell viewing
The active 14,163-foot stratovolcano dominates the view from the western park; best from the Glenn Highway pull-offs near Glennallen.
Official source ↗Nabesna Road (alternative entry)
42-mile gravel road into the northern park from Slana; quieter, more 4WD-required, with backcountry hiking. Skip on a typical reunion.
Official source ↗McCarthy Lodge group dinner
McCarthy Lodge is the social center of town — historic, warm, the obvious reunion-dinner anchor. Book ahead in summer.
Official source ↗Find more things to do for your Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve reunion
The picks above are general. Inside the Reunly app, Rosi tailors local activities, meals, and printables to your actual dates, group size, ages, and budget — and saves them straight to your reunion plan.
Good for
- Adventure reunions of active adults and older teens
- Once-in-a-lifetime Alaska trip planners
- Photography and historic mining-site enthusiasts
- Glacier-hike-curious groups
- Reunions willing to fly small planes for sightseeing
Practical logistics
- Closest Airports
- Anchorage (ANC) ~7 hr drive to Chitina + 3 hr on McCarthy Road. Small-plane charter from Chitina to McCarthy is ~30 min and a popular alternative.
- Group Lodging
- Kennicott Glacier Lodge and McCarthy Lodge are the two reunion-realistic options; both small (10-30 rooms) and book 9-12 months out. Vacation rentals in McCarthy are extremely limited.
- Cell Service
- No cell service in McCarthy or along most of the McCarthy Road. Plan offline meeting points.
- Parking
- Drive ends at the Kennicott River footbridge — leave the car, walk across, and use the Kennicott shuttle or walk up to town.
- Park Fee
- No entrance fee.
- Accessibility
- Limited. Some Kennecott historic-district buildings are accessible. Glacier hikes, the footbridge, and most trails are not wheelchair-friendly.
- Official Site
- https://www.nps.gov/wrst/index.htm
When to go
June through early September. The McCarthy Road and most lodges open Memorial Day weekend and close mid-September. July is warmest with the longest daylight; late August has crisp clear weather and early autumn color. Outside this window the road is closed.
Best for your group size
Small group · 10–25
Groups of 10–25 fit in Kennicott Glacier Lodge or split across both Kennicott and McCarthy lodges. Book the entire dining room at McCarthy Lodge for one group dinner.
Medium group · 25–60
Groups of 25–60 are at the upper end of what McCarthy can hold — you may need to combine Kennicott Glacier Lodge, McCarthy Lodge, and several private cabins. Send the organizer up in May to walk the lodges and confirm logistics.
Large group · 60+
Groups of 60+ should not pick Wrangell–St. Elias. The town simply cannot host that many at once. Choose Denali (Talkeetna or McKinley Park lodges) or an Alaska Princess cruise instead.
Sample 5-day Wrangell–St. Elias adventure reunion
A starter agenda you can copy into Reunly's Schedule and customize for your group.
Day 1 — Anchorage to Glennallen
- Fly into Anchorage (ANC)
- Drive 4 hr along Glenn Highway
- Overnight in Glennallen — Caribou Hotel
- Welcome dinner; sleep early
Day 2 — Glennallen to McCarthy
- Stop at Copper Center Visitor Center for Junior Ranger badges
- Drive 3.5 hr — last paved gas at Chitina, then 60 mi gravel
- Park at the Kennicott River footbridge
- Walk across, ride shuttle to Kennecott
- Check in at Kennicott Glacier Lodge
- Lodge dinner with group photo
Day 3 — Kennecott Mill Town
- 9 AM ranger-led mill town tour
- 12 PM lunch at the lodge
- 1 PM self-guided exploration of the historic district
- 3 PM walk down to McCarthy for the small-town stroll
- 7 PM group dinner at McCarthy Lodge
Day 4 — Root Glacier Hike
- 8 AM crampons-on glacier hike with St. Elias Alpine Guides
- 12 PM picnic at the glacier toe
- 2 PM optional flightseeing over the Bagley Icefield (book early)
- 7 PM final reunion dinner at the lodge
Day 5 — Drive Out
- Slow morning, breakfast at the lodge
- Drive back across the McCarthy Road to pavement
- Overnight in Glennallen or push to Anchorage
- Fly home next morning
Reunion organizer tips
Be honest with the family before committing. Wrangell–St. Elias is not a typical multi-generation reunion park. The McCarthy Road is rough, distances are long, and the experience is adventure-flavored, not resort-flavored. If you have grandparents who need easy access, choose Denali, Kenai Fjords, or a Princess cruise instead.
Fly into McCarthy if your group can afford it. The McCarthy Road is a 3-3.5 hour gravel drive each way that drains a full travel day on each end. A 30-minute charter flight from Chitina costs more but saves a day per direction; for groups of 6+ that is often a wash.
Build the reunion around Kennecott. The historic mill, the ranger tour, and the Root Glacier hike are the experiences that justify the trip. Plan 2 nights at Kennicott Glacier Lodge or McCarthy Lodge, do the mill tour the morning after arrival, and the glacier hike the next day.
Book everything 9-12 months out. Lodging in McCarthy is genuinely scarce — Kennicott Glacier Lodge has roughly 25 rooms, McCarthy Lodge has roughly 20. Glacier-hike outfitters and small-plane charters fill less far ahead but still book solid by April for July dates.
Plan a flexible buffer day. Weather cancels small-plane flights and rainy days make glacier hikes slick and miserable. If your reunion only has one possible Root Glacier day, you might lose it; build in a slack day to absorb the weather.
How Reunly helps you plan it
Reunly is the all-in-one app made for family reunion organizers. Free to start. No credit card. Cancel anytime.
Smart guest list
Drop in any spreadsheet — Rosi (our AI) reads multi-sheet, color-coded family groups, even handwritten exports. RSVP, dietary, T-shirt, paid status all in one row.
Open in Reunly →Public RSVP link
Share one link with the whole family. They RSVP per event (Friday BBQ, Saturday dinner) without making an account. You see live counts.
Open in Reunly →Budget that adds up
Track estimated vs. actual, who paid, who still owes. Auto-creates per-guest fee rows from your registration cost.
Open in Reunly →Day-by-day schedule
Friday welcome BBQ, Saturday photo, Sunday brunch — with location, meal flag, and per-event RSVPs.
Open in Reunly →Name tags + printables
Avery 5160 sheets color-coded by family, programs, welcome packets, packing lists — auto-filled from your data.
Open in Reunly →Rosi the AI helper
Stuck on a reminder email? A budget? A timeline? Click Rosi anywhere in the app — she drafts it from your live data.
Open in Reunly →Plan your Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve reunion with Reunly
Free to start. Build your guest list, share an RSVP link, track payments, and print name tags — no spreadsheets.
Frequently asked
Is Wrangell–St. Elias suitable for a multi-generational reunion?
Honestly, only if your generations are mostly active adults and older teens. The McCarthy Road, the footbridge crossing, and the lodge-and-hike rhythm of the trip do not suit grandparents with mobility issues or families with toddlers. For inclusive multi-generation Alaska, choose Denali or Kenai Fjords.
How do we get to McCarthy?
Either drive 60 miles of gravel road from Chitina (3-3.5 hours) or charter a small plane (~30 minutes). For groups of 6+, the small-plane cost is often comparable when you factor in saved time and rental car wear.
Where should we stay?
Kennicott Glacier Lodge (in the historic mill district, walkable to the visitor center) or McCarthy Lodge (in town, 4 miles down). Both are small (~25 rooms each). Book 9-12 months ahead.
When is the best time?
June through early September. Late June and July have the longest daylight; late August and early September have crisp weather and start of autumn color. Outside this window most lodges and the McCarthy Road are closed.
How big can the reunion be?
Practically, 25-30 people max. The town of McCarthy/Kennecott has limited lodging inventory and even more limited dining capacity for a single group. Larger reunions should pick a different Alaska park.
Should we do flightseeing?
If you can afford it, yes — flightseeing over the Bagley Icefield is the only way to grasp how big this park really is. Wrangell Mountain Air runs 1-2 hour flights from McCarthy. Book early; weather cancels often.
Other reunion-friendly spots nearby
Helpful planning guides
The complete family reunion checklist
12-month, 6-month, and day-of checklists organizers actually use.
Read the guide →Family reunion budget guide
How to estimate, track, and split costs without spreadsheets.
Read the guide →Family reunion on a $2,500 budget
A real budget breakdown for a destination reunion under $2.5K.
Read the guide →