Tolsona Wilderness Campground

There’s so much hiking/scenic drive potential around this area it might be hard to pick a place to start… top tips from locals might include dropping in on the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park visitor centre (25 minutes’ drive) for a park trail map, heading up to Lake Louise (45 minutes) or parking at Glacier View (an hour) for, well, a glacier view… or a hike towards Matanuska glacier if you like. The mountains around here are pretty stunning, but so too are the waterways… Copper Center (35 minutes) is the place to go for rafting trips or fishing charters to take you out in search of the big critters that lurk in the Gulkana, Klutina and Copper Rivers (including some mighty salmon). If you want a wide-ranging view to follow up on the details at ground level, take a sightseeing flight from McCarthy Airport (20 minutes). Folk were here way before you, of course – learn a bit about the native culture at the George Ashby Memorial Museum (35 minutes) or stop by some of the local villages including Kulti-Kaah and Tazlina (both within half an hour).