Chitina

• Restrooms and interpretive panels are available at the downtown wayside and at the state wayside at Mile 0 of the McCarthy Road.
• The Chitina Ranger Station (a historic log cabin) operates in summer with exhibits and current info for the McCarthy/Kennecott side of the park.
• Food and lodging can be available seasonally in Chitina; fuel is not—fill up in Glennallen, Copper Center, or Kenny Lake.
• Expect very limited cell coverage.

The McCarthy Road is unpaved, narrow, and often washboarded—plan on about 2–3 hours one way. Carry a good spare and jack; services between Chitina and McCarthy are nearly nonexistent. Notable stops with vault toilets and pullouts include Kuskulana Bridge (around Mile 17) and the Gilahina Trestle wayside (around Mile 29; there’s a short trail—don’t climb the trestle). There are additional signed pullouts and a second state wayside near the far end. At the road’s end, you’ll park by the Kennicott River footbridge; private vehicles don’t continue into McCarthy/Kennecott—walk or take a shuttle from there.

This corridor threads big country—broad rivers, forested hillsides, and mountain views. Lakes and river corridors in the Chitina/Copper River valleys can host moose, trumpeter swans, loons, and bald eagles. Late summer salmon runs attract bears and eagles—give wildlife a wide berth and never approach.

• Download the McCarthy Road audio tour and a detailed map before you lose signal.
• Drive slowly, stop at pullouts rather than shoulders, and never stop on bridges.
• Let someone know your itinerary; carry food, water, and a tire repair kit.

You’re following the old railbed that once hauled copper ore from the Kennecott mines. Today, the same corridor delivers you to one of Alaska’s most compelling historic districts—McCarthy and the Kennecott Mill Town.