Copper Center

Copper Center is located on a loop just off of Mile 100 of the Richardson Highway, near the confluence of the Klutina River and the Copper River. With a population of only a few hundred people, Copper Center is a must-see quintessential "small Alaskan town" on your trip. Gas and groceries are available in Copper Center and there is a small historical museum open during the summer. 

Lodging is available in Copper Center with the Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge. Guided fishing tours or rafting tours are available with Copper River Guides. 

Historic Chapel on the Hill, Copper Center, Alaska. Photo by Keenan J. Britt

Wrangell St. Elias Visitor Center

The National Park Service operates the Copper Center Visitor Center Complex for the Wrangell St. Elias National Park. The visitors center is located approximately 10 miles south of the intersection of the Glenn Highway and the Richardson Highway. The Ahtna Cultural Heritage Center is located next door.

There are three hiking trails near the Visitor Center:

• Boreal Forest Trail: 1/2 mile loop, easy, partly paved, no elevation change
• Copper River Bluff Trail: 1/2 mile loop, moderately difcult, some elevation change with a few steep sections, gravel
• Valdez Trail: short segment of an historic trail, easy, gravel 

Copper Center Tours & Fishing 

Copper Center Lodging