Mountain biking in Alaska’s Wrangell St. Elias National Park
The Kennicott and McCarthy Alaska area is great for mountain biking - there are plenty of old mining roads to explore, with little or no traffic. The roads can be rocky with uneven surfaces, so mountain bikes are recommended. You can rent a bike or bring your own. Trail maps are available at the Kennicott Glacier Lodge located in the heart of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.
The two main gravel roads in the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park are the 42-mile Nabesna Road and the 60-mile McCarthy Road. The McCarthy Road is a State of Alaska maintained gravel road which parallels the Chitina River along the path of the abandoned Copper River and Northwestern Railroad. It is maintained by the Alaska Department of Transportation. From the McCarthy road you can ride to the ghost town of Kennecott (internal link), a copper mining town that was abandoned almost 70 years ago.
For a shorter ride, bike on the 5 mile road between Kennicott and McCarthy and stay at the luxurious Kennicott Glacier Lodge that sits in the heart of the ghost town. This beautiful Alaska lodge is a replica of the historic copper mines of the area and boasts a 190-foot front porch with a panoramic view of the Chugach and Wrangell mountains.
