You can travel to McCarthy, AK by van from Anchorage.
The Anchorage-McCarthy shuttle transports you through 503 km (313 miles) of Alaska wilderness — all the way from your accommodations in Anchorage, to the remote town of McCarthy, near the center of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.
On this full-day trip, you can see and photograph many impressive glaciers, mountains, and rivers on the scenic Glenn Highway, plus the Wrangell volcanoes, unique rural Alaskan towns, and the McCarthy Road.
There are plenty of stops for picture-taking, restrooms, and stretching the legs.
A 30-minute break at the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park Visitor Center near Copper Center allows time for picnicking and perusing exhibits.
RESERVATIONS: Reserve your seats online
Phone: 1 (907) 390-0369
Email: info@alaskayukontravel.com
CANCELLATIONS:
We have a 24 hour cancellation policy. Please notify us at least 24 hours prior to the departure date if you need to change or cancel your trip. A full refund, minus 10% cancellation fee, is issued for any cancellation requested more than 24 hours before the day of tour. Cancellations received within 24 hours of scheduled departure are non-refundable.
Trips on the McCarthy road are always an adventure! This 60-mile gravel road is built on an old railroad bed, and railroad spikes can still be found on its surface. The Copper River & Northwestern Railroad hauled copper from the Kennicott Mines in the early 1900s. Beautiful historic bridges and other train relics await your discovery.
Arrival time in McCarthy is 6:00 pm. A minimum stay of at least three nights in McCarthy is suggested.R
From McCarthy, our shuttle van departs at 10:00 am for Anchorage, the Copper River Valley, and Valdez.
SHUTTLES FROM MCCARTHY TO ANCHORAGE
SHUTTLES FROM MCCARTHY TO VALDEZ
Reserve online or call us at 1-907-390-0369. Start planning your trip to Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park today!
Wrangell-St. Elias Tours has been providing regularly-scheduled summer van service between Anchorage and McCarthy since 2006, saving you time and money when accessing the stunning back-country and glaciers in Alaska’s Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.
The Anchorage-McCarthy shuttle is ideal for backpackers and solo travelers. Groups of 3 or more traveling on the same reservation receive a 10% discount.
Early reservations are recommended.
Trip Itinerary:*
8:00 – 8:30 am: We pick up at hotels, hostels, and B & Bs in Anchorage. Our vans from Anchorage have a 2 person minimum, and 10 person maximum.
9:00 – 9:30 am: We stop at the Fred Meyer Marketplace in Palmer to pick up lunch items, snacks, drinks, and any last-minute necessities. This is just a 30-minute rest stop.
11:00 am: We stop to view the Matanuska Glacier. Vault toilets available.
12:30 pm: We stop for fuel in Glennallen, AK.
1:00 pm: We take a 30-minute break at the main visitor center for Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, north of Copper Center. Restrooms available. This is the half-way point on the trip. We are not actually in the park yet, but you can see it from here.
2:00 pm: We stop at our place in Kenny Lake! The trip from Anchorage to McCarthy is a long drive, so we split it between two drivers. Here is where your first driver says good-bye, and you meet up with a new driver for the next leg of the trip.
2:45 pm: Sometimes we stop at the Chitina Airstrip. If you want to fly from Chitina to McCarthy, we can have you there in time for the 2:45 pm flight. Or if you are leaving your car at the airstrip while you visit McCarthy overnight, you can board the shuttle here.
3:00 pm: When seats are open, we may also pick up passengers in Chitina. Vault toilets available.
Travel is slow on the McCarthy Road, and there are stops for wildlife, pictures and restrooms.
6:00 pm: The van will arrive at the Kennicott River Footbridge in McCarthy by 6:00 pm. This is as far as we can go – access across the river is by foot only!
Hotels and accommodations in McCarthy-Kennicott provide transportation from the footbridge, and your driver can assist with transportation arrangements if needed.
All arrival times can vary, depending on passenger load, wildlife, weather, road conditions, and unlisted stops.