Wrangell - St. Elias National Park

EDGERTON HIGHWAY
Liberty Falls
Milepost 28.9
2.5 miles
Recommended for hiking and biking
Look for a gravel turnoff shortly before the Liberty Falls campground. There will be a parking area and a trailhead.

Description: The trail is mostly dirt with a few rock outcrops, offering good views of both the Copper River and Tonsina River drainages, as well as the Wrangell mountains. The trail rises gently and then ends at a forested area near Upper Liberty Creek.

TONSINA RIVER
Milepost 12.3 South
2 miles round-trip
Recommended for hiking
Look for a turnout at milepost 12.3. The trail is well marked with a BLM register. Private property exists nearby, so stay on the trail.

Description: The trail is woodsy most of the way. Look for Calypso Orchids in the spring. The trail descends gently, and then traverses the Tonsina River bluff a short distance, opening up to a lovely picnic spot overlooking the Tonsina River and the mountains beyond it.

COPPER RIVER TRAIL
Milepost 12.6
7 miles round-trip
Park at the turnout milepost 12.6. Look for the trail leading into the woods. A BLM register is found 20 yards into the trail.

Description: This trail is a good trail for bird watchers. It is fairly flat and marshy for most of the distance, winding around several small lakes where different types of birds and waterfowl may be found. Vegetation is dense along the trail, so effective waterproof gear is recommended. The trail ends at the entrance to a small ravine. You may follow this ravine down to the Copper River. You are bounded by bluffs on either side, but enjoy a small respite by the water. CAUTION: The Copper River is swift and cold! Take extra care when hiking near the river.

COPPER RIVER HIGHWAY
South at Chitina
20 miles one-way maximum
Recommended for biking and hiking

You may follow the remains of the Copper River and Northwestern Railway for up to 20 miles depending on the conditions of slides and washes, and your desire to keep going. The road is difficult and very narrow for driving, but is an enjoyable bike ride and hike. Please remember that the only public access is along the road itself, do not venture off the road into private land. The road that follows the Copper River is marked by a sign that says "O'BRIEN CREEK." You may want to park your two-wheel-drive car in Chitina and hop on your bike or shoes at the turn off.

Description: Initially the road follows the narrow Wood's Canyon, with sudden deep drops into narrow drainages. Travel through the original railroad tunnels and enjoy views of the Copper River, Spirit Mountain, and the ridges above where one often spots Dall Sheep. The Uranitina River is your final boundary. Do not try to cross this river.

MCCARTHY ROAD/MCCARTHY
Gilahina Railroad Trestle
Milepost 28.5
100 Yards
Recommended for a walk

Stop off here for a good look at the original Copper River and Northwestern Railway wooden trestle. A small footpath takes you on a short jaunt up the Gilahina River and under the trestle.

KENNICOTT GLACIER FACE
From McCarthy-Kennicott Rd.
1.5 miles
Recommended for hiking and biking

Description: Follow the road toward Kennicott from the McCarthy museum until you come across a turnoff to your left that may be marked with a sign saying "Hiking Trail to Kennicott." This original wagon road will fork after about 3/4 of a mile. Continue straight to hike to Kennicott, or turn left to travel down towards the gravely face of the Kennicott Glacier. On a clear day find excellent views here of Mt Blackburn, the Kennicott and Gates Glaciers, and the Stairway Icefall. The road ends, but the area is wide open and rocky. Explore the broad moraine area and enjoy a mosquito-free respite. Please watch out for the small Dryas plants of which there are many. These dandelion-look-alike members of the rose family have a surface root system that is very easily destroyed if you step on them.

McCARTHY CREEK
5 miles to first tunnel
Recommended for hiking

Description: Cross the creek at McCarthy via a small log footbridge. The trail heads up toward the bluff and makes a fork. The left road heads toward private land and then heads back to the creek from where you may pick up the horse trail that follows the creek. At 5 miles the trail leads you through an original road tunnel left from the days of mining the Green Butte mine. Although the original trail crosses the creek a couple of times before reaching the tunnel, you need not cross it now. Look for the horse trail that leads up and over the bluffs along the creek. Find this detour trail at "4-mile" between an old cabin surrounded by fuel drums and the area where the original road crosses the river. The detour that follows a well traveled horse trail high over the river bluff starts within a small creek. Hike a little ways up the creek and look for the horse trail.

TOK HIGHWAY
Chistochina River Trail
Milepost 35 Tok Cutoff
Recommended for hiking, biking and ATV

At mile 35 of the Tok Highway, just before the Chistochina River bridge crossing, on the north side of the highway, find the BLM Trail Head sign. The first mile could be driven by car, where additional parking is available. Follow the road north bound until it becomes a trail. Please note that due to heavy ATV use, the trail is well worn and may be very muddy during wet periods.

Description: This trail is frequently used during the hunting season by ATV and large track vehicles. The initial 2 miles is flat. After a short climb, higher ground is attained at about the level of tree line, opening the latter part of the trail to beautiful views of the Wrangell Mountains to the south. To the northeast the Mentasta Mountains are visible, while the Alaska Range may be seen to the north. The hiking is easy, the terrain being mostly flat, or softly rolling hills. The vegetation is primarily low bushes after a brief period of white spruce, birch and willow. During the fall the colors are most impressive; blueberries abound and the terrain is quite dry. The trail may be traveled for miles on end.