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The 61-mile McCarthy road offers Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve visitors a unique opportunity to explore interior Alaska. National and historic wonders await those visitors willing to accept travel and access on Alaskan terms. Driving this road is an Alaskan adventure. It's gravel and dirt surface makes for slow travel-it can take 3 hours or more. Other hazards can make it even longer: heavy rain can make the road muddy and slippery; sharp rocks can cause flat tires; narrow and one-lane bridges make maneuvering large vehicles difficult. In fact, large vehicles are not recommended beyond mile 17. At the end of the road, you will find parking areas and two foot bridges that cross the Kennicott River and lead to McCarthy and Kennecott. Access to McCarthy is by foot, bike, or shuttle. Traveling the McCarthy road provides access to incredible hiking, fishing, and camping, as well as the wonderful historic communities of McCarthy and Kennecott. click on a point of interest and
explore the McCarthy Road ChitinaAll McCarthy/Kennecott visitors are encouraged to visit the Ranger Station at Chitina, open daily during the summer months between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Remember that Chitina is the last place to obtain fuel and supplies before heading out.
Most people spend a minimum of two days exploring the McCarthy/Kennecott area. A Park Service kiosk is located 1 mile before the end of the road (mile 60). Primitive campsites and parking are available near the kiosk. There are private campgrounds and parking areas beyond this point. Lodging is available near the end of the road, and in McCarthy or Kennecott. Reservations are recommended. Other services available include: guided river trips, food, shuttle service to Kennecott, a saloon, flightseeing and air charters. Kennicott RiverThe McCarthy Road ends at the Kennicott River. Visitors may park in designated areas according to posted signs near the footbridge. The land is privately owned except for the 100 foot state road right-of-way. There is a fee for parking and camping on the private property at the end of the road. A National Park Service Information Station is open daily during the summer months. Park Rangers are available to answer questions and help you plan a visit to McCarthy and Kennecott. This is also a great place to inquire about the various guides and services available in the local area, as well as any current local events.
Pit toilets are provided in the upper parking lot but water is not available. There is no garbage dump in McCarthy. Residents haul out their own refuse. Please take your own trash back with you. Access is by crossing 2 footbridges over the Kennicott River. Motorized vehicles are not permitted to cross the footbridges. They are for bicycle and foot access only.
KENNICOTT or KENNECOTT?
Future of the McCarthy RoadThe NPS completed a "Scenic Corridor Plan", incorporating the State of Alaska's plans for a major upgrade to the McCarthy road. The Plan called for opening of scenic overlooks, construction of pullouts and interpretive waysides, and development of trails, including a bike-path. The State's plan for a road upgrade is part of an Environmental Impact Statement that was released for public comment in 1997. Alternatives ranged from no-action to paving. The State also replaced the Kennicott River tram in the fall of 1996 with a footbridge as an improvement to public safety and to make the area more accessible.
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 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve 106.8 Richardson Highway, PO Box 439 Copper Center, AK 99573 (907) 822-5234 e-mail us: wrst_interpretation@nps.gov |
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The McCarthy Road
Beyond Chitina, the 60-mile gravel road follows the abandoned Copper River and Northwest Railway bed to the Kennicott River.
You will experience spectacular views, high narrow bridges, dust, bumps,
and real Alaska! Please drive slowly as traffic and weather may create ruts and washboard effects. In places, old railroad ties may surface along with anchoring spikes creating unexpected hazards. The road is narrow in places and slower moving traffic is encouraged to allowing passing at road turnouts. Also, be aware that there is 
The spelling of Kennecott varies according to author, subject, and context. USGS geologist Oscar Rohn named the Kennicott Glacier in 1899 for Smithsonian naturalist Robert Kennicott, who died of heart failure while surveying near Nulato, Alaska in May 1866. Local residents later applied that name to the Kennicott River. Both are spelled with an "i." The Kennecott Mines Company (and its most famous successors, the Kennecott Copper Corporation and Kennecott Minerals Company) took its name from the glacier as well, but unaccountably spelled it with an "e." Nevertheless, in the early 1950s the USGS decided to correct the company's "error" by spelling the site's name with an "i" on its topographical maps, and most local residents subsequently adopted that spelling. Still later, the National Park Service chose to recognize the importance of the site's rich mining history by restoring its original spelling. Consequently, all NPS documents spell Kennecott with an "e."