Discover Copper Center

The Headquarters Visitor Center Complex in Copper Center is a central starting point for visiting Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. If you’re looking for a hotel in Copper Center, you can plan your trip around the activities that interest you: start at the Visitor Center, compare hiking trails, or set aside time for a water tour. Options range from short loops to raft trips that last from half a day to two days, depending on the route.

National Park and Culture

The Ahtna Cultural Center is next to the Wrangell-St. Elias Visitor Center in Copper Center. This offers a distinct cultural focus alongside a visit to the national park. The George I. Ashby Memorial Museum presents the history of the Copper River Valley and is housed in a rustic log cabin. Exhibits include early gold and copper mining, as well as information about prospectors who hoped to use the Valdez Glacier “All-Alaska” Trail to reach the Klondike gold fields in 1898. The phrase “hoped to use” is part of the trail’s history: it describes the prospectors’ intention.

Compare Hiking Trails

The Boreal Forest Trail is an easy, 0.5-mile loop. Part of the trail is paved, and there are no elevation changes. Also 0.5 miles long, the Copper River Bluff Trail is a moderate loop with elevation changes, some steep sections, and a gravel surface. Both loops have the same stated length, but differ significantly in difficulty, terrain, and surface. The Valdez Trail is a short, easy gravel section of a historic trail.

When choosing between these trails, you can compare their descriptions with your own preferences: the Boreal Forest Trail is an easy loop with no elevation changes, while the Copper River Bluff Trail includes slopes and steeper sections. The Valdez Trail, in turn, combines a short gravel section with the historic character of a trail. Check trail conditions locally.

Klutina Lake and Klutina River

The Klutina River flows east from Klutina Lake to the Copper River near Copper Center. Depending on the launch point, half-day to two-day raft trips are possible on the river. Launch points are along Klutina Lake Road, and the Richardson Highway Bridge is listed as the endpoint. River conditions and access to launch points may vary. Experienced outfitters are recommended for these trips.

The Klutina Lake Trail is at mile 101.5 of the Richardson Highway and provides access to the Klutina River and Klutina Lake. A high-clearance or four-wheel-drive vehicle is recommended for the drive. This lets you include the trails and waterways in your plans without overlooking the different access conditions.

Charter fishing trips are also available in the area: outfitters based in Copper Center offer trips on the Klutina River, Gulkana River, and other local tributaries of the Copper River. Individual providers and availability may change, so check which trips are offered before making plans.

Discover more destinations: Glennallen, Tatitlek, Slana, Cordova, Valdez, Tonsina, Copperville.

Back to the main travel overview: Valdez-Cordova Census Area.