Wrangell - St Elias National Park & Preserve is a National Park & Preserve in Alaska. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 1 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Wrangell - St Elias
We matched 1 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Wrangell - St Elias. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Scenic Viewpoints (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Wrangell - St Elias the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 31° (NNE) at the June solstice and 144° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 329° (NNW) in June to 217° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 52° in summer but only 5° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9:30 AM | 11:22 AM | 1:59 PM | 3:51 PM | 224° | 6h 20m |
| February | 8:15 AM | 9:23 AM | 4:08 PM | 5:16 PM | 245° | 9h 02m |
| March | 7:48 AM | 8:46 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:32 PM | 268° | 11h 44m |
| April | 6:09 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:53 PM | 293° | 14h 44m |
| May | 4:42 AM | 5:54 AM | 9:02 PM | 10:13 PM | 315° | 17h 31m |
| June | 3:50 AM | 5:17 AM | 9:46 PM | 11:14 PM | 329° | 19h 24m |
| July | 4:21 AM | 5:40 AM | 9:34 PM | 10:53 PM | 323° | 18h 32m |
| August | 5:39 AM | 6:42 AM | 8:29 PM | 9:33 PM | 302° | 15h 54m |
| September | 6:58 AM | 7:55 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:55 PM | 278° | 12h 57m |
| October | 8:14 AM | 9:16 AM | 5:17 PM | 6:20 PM | 254° | 10h 06m |
| November | 8:39 AM | 10:07 AM | 2:25 PM | 3:53 PM | 231° | 7h 14m |
| December | 9:43 AM | — | — | 3:10 PM | 217° | 5h 27m |
Computed for the park's reference point (61.4182, -142.6028); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
The Milky Way's bright core (in Sagittarius) barely clears the southern horizon at this latitude, so focus on winter Milky Way, aurora or star trails instead.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| March | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| April | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| May | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| June | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| July | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| August | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| September | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| October | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
1 Estimated Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious.
Weather & best time to visit
Varies widely depending on location in park and time of year. Visit https://www.nps.gov/wrst/planyourvisit/weather.htm for detailed information.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show March as the clearest month (about 59% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (80%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Getting there
The administrative building and main park visitor center are located along the Richardson Highway (Hwy 4), which is a paved state highway that runs through Copper Center, AK. The buildings are 8 miles south of the Glenn Highway and Richardson Highway intersection near Glennallen, Alaska. This is approximately 200 miles east of Anchorage, AK and 250 miles south of Fairbanks, AK.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Auto and ATV
- ATV Off-Roading
- Auto Off-Roading
- Scenic Driving
- Biking
- Mountain Biking
- Boating
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Canoe or Kayak Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Group Camping
- RV Camping
- Canyoneering
- Climbing
- Mountain Climbing
- Fishing
- Freshwater Fishing
- Fly Fishing
- Saltwater Fishing
- Flying
- Fixed Wing Flying
- Guided Tours