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Voykit pocket guide · United States
McCarthy
Spend 1–2 days in McCarthy for historic sites and glacier walks; fly to Anchorage then drive or shuttle the 60‑mi gravel road.
McCarthy is a tiny historic mining town inside Wrangell‑St. Elias National Park. The main attractions – the Root Glacier, historic Kennicott, and short hikes – fit in a half‑day to a full day. Travel time from Anchorage is 6–7 h by car or a short flight plus shuttle, so most visitors stay one night and leave the next morning.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Jun–Sep (road open, weather mild)
- Avoid
- Oct–May (road often closed, heavy snow)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $70–$120 excl. bed · Mid $120–$200 excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police (non‑emergency) 907‑822‑5234 · Fire/Medical 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at The Potato | $3–$5 |
| Meal at The Golden Saloon | $12–$20 |
| Pizza Bus slice | $8–$12 |
| Shuttle from Chitina | $70–$90 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- GKN · Gulkana Airport
- —
Typical fares
- Ellis Air Glennallen → McCarthy
- about $150 round‑trip
- Shuttle Chitina → McCarthy
- about $80 each way
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Language, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The 60‑mi McCarthy Road is gravel; most visitors drive a 4WD or take a shuttle from Chitina. Within town walk or bike; footbridge to Kennicott is 0.5 mi.
See and do
Known for
- Root Glacier
- Historic Kennicott mines
- Scenic McCarthy Road
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Root Glacier | Walk 2 mi from Kennicott; guide services available in Kennicott. | ≈1 h round‑trip |
| Historic Kennicott | Footbridge from McCarthy, then 0.5 mi walk uphill. | ≈30 min |
Sleep
- Kennicott River Lodge & Hostel
- Lodge with dorms, sauna, fire pit; walk 0.5 mi from footbridge to McCarthy.
- Kennicott Glacier Lodge
- Rooms in main lodge; daily shuttle to McCarthy.
Language
English everywhere, with strong regional accents; Spanish is the second language in the Southwest, Texas, Florida, California and New York. Some words differ from British English: restroom (toilet), check (bill), gas (petrol), trunk (boot), first floor (ground floor).
- Measurements are imperial: miles, Fahrenheit, gallons, pounds. 100 km ≈ 62 miles; 30 °C ≈ 86 °F.
- Small talk with strangers is normal and friendly; it is not a sales tactic.
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Road is prone to potholes, washouts and flat‑tire incidents; check conditions with park headquarters (907‑822‑5234).
- Summer shuttles run only May‑Sept; verify schedule with Backcountry Connections or Wrangell‑St. Elias Tours.
- Weather can change quickly; bring rain/wind jacket, hat, gloves.
McCarthy is remote but safe; main risks are road conditions and weather; carry a cell with emergency contacts.
One and two days
No timed day plan for McCarthy yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Root Glacier
- Historic Kennicott mines
- Scenic McCarthy Road
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikidata – McCarthy: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q123456
- Wikivoyage: McCarthy, revision 5203912 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5203912
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
McCarthy
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police (non‑emergency)907‑822‑5234
- Fire/Medical911
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/mccarthy). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.