Wrangell-Saint Elias National Preserve
Managed by National Park Service
71,820 acres34.3 mi of trail
McCarthy Creek Road TrailOld Wagon Road TrailErie Mine TrailJumbo Mine Trail+1
Dogs usually limited
Directionsto the trailhead
Photo: James Brooks · CC BY 2.0–Not graded
Outdoors in McCarthy
More than half of McCarthy’s land is conserved: 84%
84% of McCarthy’s land is conserved, about 80,222 acres. The biggest trail networks: Wrangell-Saint Elias National Preserve (34.3 mi), Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park (4.9 mi). 20,801 acres are parks and preserves, 6,933,530 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
84%
80,222 acres · of 149.6 sq mi of land
Trails
39 mi
0.3 per sq mi of land
Park land
20,801 ac
6,933,530 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
15%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
6,982 ft
Bonanza Peak
Lakes & rivers
3
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Wrangell-Saint Elias National Preserve, with 34.3 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park
Managed by National Park Service
22,918 acres4.9 mi of trail
McCarthy Creek Road Trail
Dogs usually limited
No trailhead mapped yet
Wrangell-Saint Elias Wilderness
Managed by National Park Service
3,586 acres
Dogs usually limited
No trailhead mapped yet
Who protects it
80,222 conserved acres
84% of McCarthy’s land. Who manages McCarthy’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
National Park Service80,222 ac
Conservation Area · 58,276 acNational Park · 21,947 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wrangell-St. Elias National Preserve Conservation Area | National Park Service | 58,276 | Open |
| Wrangell-St. Elias National Park National Park | National Park Service | 21,947 | Open |
Things to do
13 places to go in McCarthy
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Scenic views in McCarthy
5 scenic views without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Peaks in McCarthy
Bonanza Peak6,982 ft elevation · In Wrangell-Saint Elias National Preserve
DirectionsFireweed6,955 ft elevation · In Wrangell-Saint Elias National Preserve
DirectionsPorphyry Mountain6,375 ft elevation · In Wrangell-Saint Elias National Preserve
DirectionsSourdough Peak6,201 ft elevation · In Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park
DirectionsGreen Butte6,145 ft elevation · In Wrangell-Saint Elias National Preserve
DirectionsPlus 1 peak without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Campgrounds in McCarthy
Camping McCarthyIn Wrangell-Saint Elias National Preserve
DirectionsGlacier View CampgroundIn Wrangell-Saint Elias National Preserve
DirectionsTrails & water
11 named trails and 3 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 0.7 miUnpaved · 8.4 mi
McCarthy Creek Road Trail12.5 mi
Old Wagon Road Trail3.6 mi
Erie Mine Trail3.0 mi
Jumbo Mine Trail2.6 mi
West Kennecott Glacier1.0 mi
Root Glacier Trail1.0 mi
bonanza mine trail0.7 mi
Kennicott Glacier Trail0.4 mi
Mill Top Trail0.2 mi
Waterfall Trail0.1 mi
1 more trails
Green Hell Trail
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
0.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Courts & fields
1Softball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →3 places on the National Register, one a National Historic Landmark
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 2 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
When to get out
The best walking months in McCarthy: May to July
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 6.3 | 8.8 | 11.5 | 14.6 | 17.5 | 19.4 | 18.6 | 15.8 | 12.8 | 9.8 | 7.0 | 5.4 |
| High (°F) | 6 | 21 | 33 | 48 | 62 | 70 | 71 | 67 | 56 | 39 | 17 | 9 |
| Rain (in) | 0.9 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 2.6 | 2.2 | 1.5 | 1.1 |
April is the driest month (0.3 in) and July the warmest (highs of 71 °F). 2.7 inches fall in August, the wettest month. The climate in McCarthy →
Questions about parks and trails in McCarthy
Where can I hike in McCarthy?
The longest trail networks: Wrangell-Saint Elias National Preserve, 34.3 miles; Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park, 4.9 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on McCarthy’s trails?
Wrangell-Saint Elias National Preserve and Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near McCarthy?
298,687 acres of parks and open public land lie inside McCarthy or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 77,411 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from McCarthy neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →