Visit Valdez, a port town on Prince William Sound

2.5 hours one way, 120 miles, south along the Richardson Highway

Valdez offers opportunities for: a scenic drive, hiking, dining, wildlife viewing, history, glacier cruises in Prince William Sound, halibut and salmon charters, sea kayaking, boat rentals and has some small town shops.

Edgerton Highway and the Chitina Fishwheels

1.5 hours one way, 65 miles south on the Richardson to Pippin Lake and then East on the Edgerton Highway

A large group of fishwheels can be seen from the Chitina area as well as the entrance to Wrangell-St. Ellias National Park and Preserve. The drive offers scenic views, history of the copper mining days and the Copper River Railroad, dip netting salmon viewing, possible short hikes from the highway, and a Yak Farm in the more agricultural area of Kenny Lake.

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Visitor's Center, Copper Center

A 15 mintues drive south on the Richarson Highway brings you to the NPS Visitor's Center. Located on the grounds is a scenic hike, interpretaive building, a park movie, park bookstore, Ahtna Cultural Center, and information about enjoying the largest National Park in the country. Well worth the visit.

Continue south to the town of Copper Center on the Klutina River and enjoy the George I. Ashby Museum about the gold rush days, dining at the Old Town Copper Center Inn and Restaurant.

The nearby Klutina River offers world class King Salmon fishing with charters for fishing and white water rafting available. There is also an airstrip in Copper Center for those flight seeing tours.

Glennallen, the crossroads of road accessible Alaska

Salmon Fishing - Gulkana and Klutina Rivers are 20 minutes away both with services for chartered fishing trips and rafting.

Day hikes near Glennallen Area.

White Water Rafting - Gulkana, Klutina, Tazlina, Copper, Tonsina - all these rivers have opportunities for day and multi-night floats with white water, fishing, and a real Alaskan adventure.

Scenic Drives - The Wrangell Mountains are an amazing site witnessed from all around the road system. As your location changes, the mountains change positions with each other tricking the eye as to their real identity. All the roads through our area have their scenic charm and grand vistas of glacial rivers and majestic moutains.

Flight-seeing - The Gulkana Airport, Copper Center Airstrip, Tolsona Airstrip and Chitina Airstrip all offer opportunities to have a flight seeing tour of the Wrangell Mountains and the surrounding countryside with a diversity that makes the glaciers and landscape all the more beautiful.

Winter Visitors - Yes! You can see the Northern Lights from Glennallen! Come in January to expereicne the start of the Copper Basin 300 Sled Dog race, a qualifier for the Iditirod. Winter may be dark and a little bit colder, but think of the snowmachining, cross country skiing, and the quiet that surrounds you here. A great way to hibernate or to get out and enjoy some ice fishing. Bonfires and fireworks never looked so good!

Kennecott Mill Town and McCarthy

4 hours one way, south on the Richardson Hwy, east on the Edgerton Hwy, continue 60 more miles east on the McCarthy Road, which is gravel for a large portion.

A historic copper mine located at the heart of Wrangell-St-Elias National Park and Preserve. The current road follows the same route as the Copper River Railroad that transported copper ore from the mine site south along the Copper River all the way to Cordova.

Nabesna Road Driving Guide

The northern access route into Wrangell-St Elias National Park and Preserve, Nabesna Road is and unpaved 42 mile road. There are several creek crossings that can be impassable at high water levels. Stop at the NPS Slana Ranger Station (just on the left after you turn onto the road) for current road conditions.

There are several public use cabins, a wayside, private lodges, alpine trails old mining areas - much to discover. The most impressive of all is seeing the source of the waters of the mighty Copper River.