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McCarthy River Tours group of rafters - Explore McCarthy

Day Trip Adventures

Experience the Best McCarthy Alaska Day Adventures

Day trips in McCarthy are a great way to check authentic “Alaska Adventure” off of your bucket list, and they are a fantastic introduction to the scenery of Wrangell St. Elias National Park & Preserve, America’s largest National Park. The #1 Adventure company in McCarthy Alaska, McCarthy River Tours, offers an array of affordable, active one-day Alaska adventures that are suitable for ages 8+ and all adventure experience levels. In fact, they pioneered the Kennecott Glacial Lake & River Raft, the first one-day whitewater rafting trip in McCarthy that does not require an airplane pick-up! 

Glacier Hiking, River Rafting, and Kayak Touring Fun

Day trips are the perfect way to immerse yourself in the natural beauty and human history of our little slice of paradise while hiking on the Root Glacier, rafting down the Kennecott River, or even kayaking on Kennecott Glacial Lake and exploring little chunks of icebergs. There is something for everyone to add an extra touch of outdoor adventure to your trip to the unspoiled, historic, frontier town of McCarthy, Alaska!

Explore McCarthy - Nizina Lake Iceberg Kayak & Fly

Nizina Lake Iceberg Kayak & Fly

Fly in a bush plane, float next to the edge of a glacier, jump from icebergs, and learn the skills of kayaking in Alaska! Offering both beginner and intermediate kayak tours, enjoy Alaska’s fastest-growing water sport! Spend time talking about the historic Kennecott Mines, the myriad 6,000-foot + mountains, the unbelievable mile-high Stairway Ice Fall, and 16,000-foot Mount Blackburn among many other topics that can make you feel as if you are paddling your kayak in a fine art painting. Our tours are filled with a well-rounded interpretative introduction to the history and landscape of the Kennecott Valley & Wrangell St. - Elias National Park.
4 hours
10+
Explore McCarthy - Custom Root Glacier Hikers

Custom Root Glacier Hikes

Spend an unforgettable day exploring the Root Glacier, one of Alaska's most scenic one-day treks! Explore the Blue Pools, Moulins, Crevasses, and rolling Ice of the Root Glacier accompanied by one of our local, knowledgeable guides. From Kennecott, it is a two-mile trek along the well-marked glacier trail. The roughly 2-mile hike from the bus depot to white ice provides for great photo-ops and stops along the way. Your guide will offer an immersive interpretive tour of glaciers, alpine mountains, and the creatures that roam here. You’ll spend a few hours circling moulins, traversing fields of ice & basking in the beauty of blue pools, ice-falls & soaring mountains.
4-6 hours
8+
Glacier-Lake Inflatable Kayaking guests in Alaska - Explore McCarthy

Half Day Kennecott Glacial Lake Kayak Tour

Take an exciting 4-hour Alaska glacial kayak tour on the Kennecott Glacier Lake paddle among icebergs, hike on the rocky surface of the ancient ice and watch as geology happens before your eyes. Our Glacier Kayak Tour is designed for folks wanting to get out and experience the beauty of the Kennecott Valley in a safe and informative way. Take a walk on the glacier's rocky surface, and listen to the glacier quietly cracking and tumbling while you scout for bears and other wildlife along the shore and even sometimes on the ICE! Your guide is versed in Glaciology and we all love to talk about our “giant freezer” that ends abruptly just outside of town.
4 hours
8+
Guest jumping off iceberg at the Kennecott Glacier Lake - Explore McCarthy

4 Hour Kennecott Glacier Lake & River Raft

Jump off an Iceberg, float next to the face of a 25-mile-long glacier & Raft Class III Whitewater on a Kennecott River Rafting Tour! Kennecott River rafting is the perfect trip for families, friends & workgroups looking for fun and excitement in Wrangell – St. Elias National Park. Our Kennecott River Rafting day trips are great for all skill levels, the waves are fun and the lake is an experience that no one should miss! If you only have time to do one activity while visiting Wrangell – St. Elias National Park take the adventure everyone is talking about!
4 Hours
8+

READY TO PLAN YOUR ALASKA TRIP?

We’ve got you covered with our Visitor Guides to McCarthy Alaska and Alaska Rafting Expeditions!

We know that planning that bucket list trip to the Last Frontier can be a little daunting. But not to worry – we’ve made it easy with our trip planning guides! These guides cover everything from how to get to McCarthy, Alaska, things to do in McCarthy and Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, what wilderness rafting trips in Alaska are like, what to pack for a trip, and most frequently asked questions.