Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve
(Redirected from Wrangell - St Elias National Park and Preserve)
Categories: Alaska geography stubs | U.S. National Preserves | National parks of the United States | Alaska landmarks | World Heritage Sites in the United States
| Wrangell-St. Elias | |
| Image:Map of USA Locator Wrangell-St. Elias NP.PNG | |
| Designation | National Park |
| Location | Alaska, USA |
| Nearest City | Anchorage, Alaska |
| Coordinates | 60°75′ N 142°00′ W |
| Area | 13,175,901 acres (53,321 km²) 5,332,100 ha |
| Date of Establishment | December 2, 1980 |
| Visitation | 57,221 (2004) |
| Governing Body | National Park Service |
| IUCN category | II National Park Ib Wilderness |
Established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve is a United States National Park in southern Alaska. The park area is included in an International Biosphere Reserve and is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the largest national park in the United States, covering an area of 20,587 mi² (53,321 km²). It includes the second-highest peak in the country, Mount Saint Elias, at 18,008 feet (5,489 meters). It borders on Canada's Kluane National Park and Reserve. The vast majority of the park is designated as wilderness.
The park is accessible by highway from Anchorage; two rough gravel roads wind through the park, making much of the interior accessible for backcountry camping and hiking. Chartered aircraft also fly into the park. Wrangell-St. Elias received roughly 57,221 visitors in 2004 and is quickly gaining popularity through its combination of size, remoteness, and accessibility.
McCarthy Road
One of the two unpaved roads into the park is the McCarthy Road. This road follows an old railroad bed for about 61 miles (98 km). The road ends at a parking lot near the Kennicott (or Kennecott) River. Visitors must walk across a footbridge (two footbridges if the river level is high) to the town of McCarthy. Before the foot bridges were built, visitors had to use a cable car system to cross the river. After crossing the river, one is near the historic and scenic town of Kennicott. This town has the Root Glacier, tours of the historic Kennecott Copper Mill, and miles of hiking trails. The road was the inspiration for the book The Road to McCarthy (ISBN 000716212X) by Pete McCarthy.
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