A complete break down of the US National Parks by Size. For example, during the year of 2012 the area was visited by 87,158 visitors, a number much smaller than the millions of visitors “attacking” the other preserves every year. It was designated a World Heritage Site on the 24th of Oct 1979, and wilderness designated on the 2nd of Dec 1980. Though the first train full of copper left the Kennecott mill in 1911, the history of copper in Wrangell - St. Elias goes back much further, as Alaska Native groups such as the Ahtna traded and fashioned tools from copper long before European settlers arrived in Kennecott. Skip Navigation Share on Facebook 14 million acres of wild, remote, gorgeous country. Elias/Glacier Bay/Tatshenshini-Alsek UNESCO World … The geography of the region is astounding, with four distinct mountain ranges: the Alaska, Chugach, Wrangell, and St. Elias Mountains. Enjoying all the free National Park information and advice. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Wrangell St. Elias National Park is the largest national park in the United States – around six times the size of Yellowstone National Park – and rises from sea level up to 18,008 feet at the peak of Mount St … Preliminary intra-annual isotope measurements of remnant spruce (Picea) fragments spanning early to late Holocene ages from the Copper River in the Wrangell-St. Elias region of south-central Alaska indicate differences but to fully realize the potential of this geologic archive more sample collections and analyses are needed. Though the sheer size and number of activities available to visitors of Wrangell - St. Elias may be overwhelming, don’t worry! Travelling along the northern edge of the Chugach Mountain Range and then south along the Copper River Valley we should have (weather permitting) great views of Mt Drum, Mt Wrangell, Mt Sanford and … Thaddeus Kosciuszko is 0.02 acres. Mount Saint Elias, 18 008′ high,catches the last of the sun’s rays for the day, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska – aerial photo. The park’s coastal areas are home to several marine mammals including harbor seals, sea otters and a threatened population of the Steller sea lion. St. Elias is enormous — over 18,000 feet! Sometimes it gets a little hot at Wrangell - St. Elias. Even in a state like Alaska which is famous for its size, Wrangell-St. Elias stands out. Roughly 70% of the park is designated and managed as wilderness, giving visitors ample opportunity to find solitude. Your email address will not be published. Wrangell St Elias National Park and Preserve is America's Largest National Park located in Alaska USA. Have you ever dreamed of an unspoiled wilderness with towering mountains and curving river valleys? Com­ing around the cor­ner after mile­post 28, you can’t help but notice the Gilahi­na Tres­tle.There are 85 + miles of bridges and tres­tles with­in the 196 miles of rail between Cor­do­va and Ken­ni­cott. At 76 miles long, seven miles wide, and 600 feet tall, Hubbard Glacier is North America’s largest tidewater glacier. Today, many of the lands and buildings in Kennecott are managed by the National Park Service, where visitors can engage with interpretive programs and tour the inside of the Kennecott Mill. UNESCO’s designation is not limited to Wrangell - St. Elias, however — the full area covered by this designation includes Glacier Bay National Park and two of Canada’s parks, Kluane National Park and Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park. Thanks for your interest, and thanks to our partners Bureau of Land Management and Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. While Gateway Arch is the smallest of the NPS units bearing the title National Park. Wrangell - St. Elias’s natural environment supports a diverse array of wildlife, including 54 species of mammals and 239 species of birds. St. Elias, at 18,008 feet (5.5km), is the second highest peak in the United States. Wrangell St. Elias is a vast national park that rises from the ocean all the way up to 18,008 ft. At 13.2 million acres, the park is the same size as Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park, and Switzerland combined! In 1979, the United Nations designated Wrangell - St. Elias National Park as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its outstanding universal value. Resources found in the park were important to the Allies’ victory in WWI. We work to create comprehensive guides to the national parks and lands. Within this wild landscape, people continue to live off the land as they have done … With 13.2 million acres to explore, Wrangell - St. Elias is roughly six times larger than Yellowstone National Park, and over 17 times larger than Yosemite National Park. For visitors who like their horsepower, snowmobiles and certain off-road vehicles are permitted in the park. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. If you could lift and move parks around, you could easily fit Yellowstone National Park (2.2 million acres), Shenandoah National Park (199,100 acres), Death Valley National Park (3.3 million acres), Everglades National Park (1.4 million acres), Isle Royale National Park (571,790 acres), and Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park (19,622 acres), inside Wrangell-St. Elias… Airplanes are also a great way to get around the park, and not just because they can cover long distances quickly — guided flights are a wonderful way to experience breathtaking aerial views of Wrangell - St. Elias’ diverse landscapes. Required fields are marked *. Size: 13,188,000 acres Even in a state famous for its size, Wrangell-St. Elias stands out. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The difference in elevation between Wrangell - St. Elias’ lowest point on the shores of the Gulf of Alaska to its highest point at the peak of Mt. With over 13 million acres of federally protected land, Wrangell St. Elias is the largest park in the United States. Wrangell St. Elias National Park is nearly six times larger than Yellowstone National park. Once you get to the park, there are plenty of places to stay. Wrangell can reach temperatures of over 2,000°F, the temperatures of Wrangell - St. Elias’ mud volcanoes — called Upper Klawasi, Lower Klawasi, and Shrub — range from just 70°F to 100°F. In the midst of Wrangell - St. Elias’ beautiful natural landscape is the historic mining town of Kennecott, a community built around copper mining in the 20th century. Wrangell St. Elias NP is more than twice the size of Massachusetts. St. Elias — the second highest peak in the country. Though the park spans over 20,000 square miles, its two gravel roads, Nabesna Rd and McCarthy Rd, combine to reach just over 100 miles. Mile High Cliff Tour 50 minute - $250/person. Death Valley National Park is 3,373,063.14 acres in size. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Where wildlife thrives amid rock, ice and tundra? Wrangell-St Elias National Park & Preserve, US (Alaska): 53,321 km sq Views of Wrangell-St Elias National Park & Preserve. Most park visitors do not differentiate these duel units as two units and when they visit one unit of the park, they count that visit as a visit to both units. The park had been proclaimed as Wrangell-St. Elias National Monument on 01 Dec 1978. Wrangell St. Elias National Park | A Designated World Heritage Site in Alaska and Canada ! In the summer, Wrangell - St. Elias’s abundant food sources make it a popular destination for migratory birds such as trumpeter swans, warblers and thrushes. It is by far the largest of our national parks - almost six times the size … Though salmon are abundant in Wrangell - St. Elias, there are few opportunities to catch them within the park — the main river through which they migrate often contains a lot of silt, making it difficult to fish. Since there’s very little road system in this expansive land of beauty, consider flying with us! You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Nine of the sixteen tallest peaks in the United States are there, … Wrangell—St. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. One of only 23 World Heritage Sites in the United States, Wrangell - St. Elias is designated as such for the geological and ecological value it brings to the world. Sanford, Mt. More recently in 2015 a rock avalanche in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve about 186 mi (300 km) northwest of GBNPP, travelled about 3 mi (5 km) into Taan Fiord and generated a tsunami that … Wrangell - St. Elias’ lakes and streams still provide opportunities to catch other species, like northern pike, whitefish and several species of trout. Though Mt. Additionally, Wrangell - St. Elias’s rivers and coastline allow for some of the park to be accessed by boat or raft. Learn how your comment data is processed. In the winter, visitors can traverse these trails on snowshoes or cross country skis. Increased global temperatures have caused there to be more snowfall over Hubbard Glacier, which over time compacts to become part of the glacier itself. How many square miles of National Parks are in the US? Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve is the 2nd largest National Park in the world or the 12th largest protected area in the world. At 13.2 million acres, it is twice the size of Denali National Park and larger than the country of Switzerland. U.S. Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20240. feedback@ios.doi.gov, Stewarding Conservation and Powering Our Future, about 10 Public Lands with Powerful Native American Connections, about Enjoy Your Next E-bike Trip on Public Lands, Toggle Dyslexia-friendly black-on-creme color scheme, Secretarial Schedules (July 2018-July 2019), 10 Public Lands with Powerful Native American Connections, Enjoy Your Next E-bike Trip on Public Lands, ICYMI: Trump Administration has honored Native cultures, Integrity of Scientific & Scholarly Activities, Policy Library: Departmental Manual, HR, Secretary's Orders, Wildland Fire Management. Across this expansive landscape, visitors can find a wide variety of natural features including mountain peaks, glaciers, volcanoes, rivers and boreal forests. Just remember, in the wilderness, one must be resourceful and adaptable — visitors planning to stay in one of these cabins should bring camping gear with them, just in case the cabin they plan on staying in is already occupied. Observant visitors can find moose near bogs or lakes, grizzly bears near streams, Dall sheep high in the mountains and dozens of other species in between. Which U.S. National Park is the smallest in size? This park includes much of the Saint Elias Mountains within its border, known for having some of North America's highest peaks. This flightseeing tour presents some of the unique features found in the Wrangell … One notable glacier in Wrangell - St. Elias is Hubbard Glacier. The National Parks come in all shapes and sizes. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park is an 8,323,147 acre park located in Alaska. 25 Amazing Grand Canyon Airbnbs: Best Options Near the South and North Rims. A place where humans have lived for thousands of years? Wrangell-St. Elias is both a National Park and a National Preserve. Looking directly down upon an unnamed peak, in the Saint Elias mountain range, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska – aerial photo. It is not the smallest national park in the National Park System. The article was published in December 2018. The information contained in this site is provided with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness or timeliness. National Park Obsessed is your guide to the national parks. She is dedicated to sharing her knowledge of the Parks with others and helping them learn to love the parks as much as she does. At 18,008 feet, Mount Saint Elias is the second tallest peak in the … During WWI, much of the copper mined and processed in Kennecott was used for ammunition and artillery. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park was established as a national park and preserve on 02 Dec 1980. While there are many options for lodging within Wrangell - St. Elias — including campsites, hotels, motels, RV sites, and bed and breakfasts — perhaps its most remote permanent lodging options are its 14 backcountry cabins that are available for public use. ), Wrangell-St. Elias is home to the continent’s most impressive list of superlatives. The Alaska, Chugach and Wrangell-Saint Elias ranges converge in what is referred to as the "mountain kingdom of North America." This means that the vast majority of Wrangell - St. Elias National Park is best explored by other modes of transportation. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Every purchase includes a donation to the national parks and helps keep National Park Obsessed’s website free to use and producing more national park guides. It is the largest national park in the United States, six times the size of Yellowstone. Four major mountain ranges converge in Wrangell - St. Elias: the Wrangell, St. Elias, Chugach and the eastern part of the Alaskan Range. Wrangell - St. Elias’ lakes, streams and rivers are popular destinations for sport fishing. 26 McCarthy Road, McCarthy, Wrangell-St Elias National Park and Preserve, AK 99566. We believe that Wrangell-St. Elias offers the best scenery in all of Alaska and, combined with our competitive rates, is the best flightseeing opportunity in Alaska! Spanning over 2,000 square miles, the Wrangell Volcanic Field includes one of the world’s largest active volcanoes by volume. The largest national park in the United States is the size of Maryland. McCarthy River Tours & Outfitters was founded in 2010 in the spirit of exploring the great rivers located in Wrangell St. Elias National Park. Enjoy all that the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve has to offer. The park’s main visitor’s center is about 300 kilometers east of Anchorage. It was fun figuring out which countries they were similar size to. Here is a break down of the US National Parks by Size: Help support this site by purchasing one of our National Park Shirts, Poster, and other gear. Blackburn, and Mt. What is the largest National Park in the lower 48 states? You may want to visit the many shops and restaurants that McCarthy is well known for, and take a meander through the fascinating McCarthy museum. It has been a learning adventure for everyone. The park and preserve were established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. 660 Million times the size of the smallest national park unit, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve in Alaska encompasses 13.2 million acres, including some of the highest mountains and largest glaciers in the United States. T-Shirt - Wrangell St. Elias - Long-sleeve Rating * Select Rating 1 star (worst) 2 stars 3 stars (average) 4 stars 5 stars (best) Name Like many Alaskan National Parks, Wrangell-St. Elias is made of two National Park Service units. When viewing all these amazing animals, please remember — they are wild, so respect their habitat and keep your distance! Although Wrangell-St. Elias may be the largest protected area in the USA; it is poorly visited throughout the year in comparison to other parks. Wrangell-St. Elias is both a National Park and a National Preserve. Because Wrangell - St. Elias is so large and has so much to see and do, visitors can always return for new and exciting adventures. Making it the largest National Park in the United States. ), which is nearly five miles away from the mill site. Compare Alaska Car Rental Companies Railroad vs Car Rental ... Build­ing them was a big job. The best places in the area to catch salmon are just west of the park’s border in the Klutina and Gulkana Rivers, where the water is clearer. The 62 National Parks of the US protect 81,423.43 square miles or 52,110,996.53 acres of land. Not all of Wrangell - St. Elias is best explored by land, however. Fortunately, there is a scenic trail following the historic Wagon Road from McCarthy to Kennecott, and the destination is well worth the hike! Wrangell-St. Elias National Park is the biggest National Park in the US. That title belongs to Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial. That is about 2% of the land area of the United States. Check out some fun facts about this epic park and start planning your visit today. Join the National Park Obsessed Facebook Group here to connect other national park lovers, trade advice, or see inspiring photos of the National Parks? Wrangell-St. Elias National Park is the biggest National Park in the US. National Park Obsessed assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of this site (NationalParkObsessed.com). The reward is a remarkable trek through an unspoiled mountain environment in the world's biggest wilderness. When talking to the park ranger, he thought he’d stump us by asking what the smallest national … While the smallest is 9 times smaller than Central Park in New York City, New York. NPS treats both the Park and the Preserve as a single unit for management and staffing. A national park that ranges from sea level to above 18,000 feet, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park is one of the National Park System’s wilderness wonderlands. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Mt. This massive National Park is 8,323,146.48 acres in size. 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