McCarthy is 314 miles from Anchorage, 61 miles east of Chitina off the Edgerton Highway, and 193 km (120 miles) northeast of Cordova at the foot of the Wrangell Mountains. It is on the Kennicott River at the mouth of McCarthy Creek, 12 miles northeast of the junction of the Nizina and Chitina Rivers, in the heart of the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. Kennicott is about 5 miles by road from McCarthy. McCarthy is sometimes called Shushanna Junction and is where you'll find old mine buildings, artifacts, and a colorful history. Area activities include guided mine hikes and narrated tours of Kennicott mine buildings. They are offered by St. Elias Alpine Guides in conjunction with the National Park Service. Wrangell Mountain Air specializes in flightseeing tours of the Park, fly-in backpacking and rafting trips as well as day hiking. Hike the Root Glacier Trail. McCarthy Museum, located in the old railway depot, has historical artifacts and photos from the early mining days.
